Og Mandino was the president of Success Unlimited Magazine when he wrote this novel, a high school graduate who had found success as a writer and editor. Og Mandino had already written several books by this time as well, including his best seller, The Greatest Salesman in the World. Og was very successful in the world of non-fiction publishing. One day he met a man whose life was eerily similar to the life of the main character of his best selling book. This book is based on his relationship with that man and the things he learned from him.