author
Roy Lester James
b. 1884
Best known for a warm, practical guide to selling, this early 20th-century writer turned business experience into plainspoken advice that still feels direct and human. His best-known book shares a veteran salesman’s lessons through letters written to his son.
1 Audiobook
Letters From an Old Time Salesman to His Son
by Roy Lester James
About the author
Born in 1884, Roy Lester James is remembered for Letters from an Old Time Salesman to His Son, published in 1922. The book presents business wisdom in the form of personal letters, using an easy, conversational style instead of dry instruction.
Project Gutenberg lists him as the author of that work, and the Internet Archive record identifies him as Roy Lester James, born in 1884. The book’s lasting appeal comes from its mix of sales advice, work ethic, and fatherly encouragement, which gives it the feel of both a business manual and a personal message.
Very little biographical information about James is easy to confirm from widely available literary sources, so he remains a somewhat shadowy figure today. Even so, his writing survives because it captures an older style of American business life in a voice that is steady, practical, and sincere.