Fable offers solid steps to success in business and life
The Granite Steps is a short book, but big on wisdom. Best of all, it’s a tantalizing parable about a fatherless boy who is trying to earn some extra money selling newspapers to help his mother and sisters. Kempton has the desire to succeed, but he doesn’t have the knowledge. Fortunately, one day he meets a man, Sir Granite, who takes him under his wing and guides him. Sir Granite doesn’t seem to do much more than sit in the park all day, but Kempton soon learns that his new friend has a fascinating past, has had many adventures, and has even been knighted by a queen; in his travels, Sir Granite has also gained much wisdom and advice to offer to Kempton.
The title of the book refers to the wisdom that Sir Granite imparts to Kempton. The advice begins with salesmanship tips that help Kempton become the best paperboy in the paper. From there, Sir Granite guides Kempton through his career choices as he stops selling newspapers and begins to think about his own career. Kempton eventually becomes interested in education and helping children. He, too, falls in love, goes off to college, and begins to make the tough decisions in life that can make or break a person.
While the book begins as a fairly innocent fable, as Kempton reaches early adulthood he begins to think he knows more than Sir Granite, and makes some decisions that cost him dearly. I won’t give away the ending, but suffice it to say that the book teaches good lessons while keeping the reader always interested in the story.
The lessons that the book offers are scattered throughout, each of which is a principle of success. The first appears when Kempton enters a contest for newspaper subscriptions in order to win a Thanksgiving turkey prize for her family. Beginning to feel that he will fail, Kempton receives the following advice from Sir Granite when he considers knocking on someone’s door:
“Go to the door and ring the bell,” he said. “You’ll have a moment before he opens the door. While you wait, say these words to yourself: ‘Mom, this sale is for you and my sisters, and I’ll buy you that turkey for Thanksgiving.’ Repeat this to yourself as many times as you can before the door opens. Then, when the door is open, ask the guy to subscribe. Now you do it, boy, and then hurry back here. Go now”.
This passage is a good example of Allen’s comfortable and practical style. The small town setting, characters, and overall tone of the book reminded me a bit of The Andy Griffith Show. The reader feels that he is being guided by an omniscient narrator who assures us that all will be well, although the narrator is actually Kempton as an older man who remembers his life.
The book can be enjoyed by readers of all ages, but I think it would actually make the perfect gift for the young reader who is getting into business for the first time, perhaps to get their first job, such as a newspaper route or a I work selling hamburgers as well as the person ready to go to college or make a big choice or career change. Allen packs a lot of wisdom into a few words with each of the principles Sir Granite offers, and the principles are easy to remember, so the reader is more likely to apply them. Every reader will find something thoughtful to learn and act on in this book. It’s a great granite base to build on.