4.45

4

Nov 28, 2011

In a book review Buzz Bradshaw said that 'As a Man Thinketh' by James Allen, “is one of the most fascinating books I have ever read,” and "the influence of that book helped to build our team—the most powerful sales organization you’ve ever witnessed.”

For some who lived a rich life to be 101 years old, I thought this might be a good book to check out, and it was well with the read. "As a Man Thinketh" is actually a short essay, which this book included, but also had related excerpts from other In a book review Buzz Bradshaw said that 'As a Man Thinketh' by James Allen, “is one of the most fascinating books I have ever read,” and "the influence of that book helped to build our team—the most powerful sales organization you’ve ever witnessed.”

For some who lived a rich life to be 101 years old, I thought this might be a good book to check out, and it was well with the read. "As a Man Thinketh" is actually a short essay, which this book included, but also had related excerpts from other books of James Allen.

The book is an excellent blend of the power of positive thinking and self improvement. What is nice is that it is from a biblical Christian perspective to help reinforce its point. Because of this it it feels less like a self help book, but a self improvement book.

I look forward to implementing some of the techniques and perspectives in my work and personal life. ...more

4

Oct 28, 2011

This was a fascinating philosophy. I agree with much of what Mr. Allen says. Some of it was a bit over my head, and a few things I did not agree with. The following quotes appealed to me. "...the most which others can do is to afford an opportunity for our own good or evil to manifest itself; they cannot make us good or evil." " No one is, or can be, arbitrarily shut out from Heaven; each shuts himself out."

5

Aug 28, 2009

A very thought provoking book. I took my time getting through this one. Every page and every paragraph could pack a punch and get me to reflect on my own thought patterns. And I liked this version because more was added to it that relate to the same topic but from other writings of James Allen. It's definitely one I need to read multiple times.

5

Jan 31, 2011

This is a great book to read if you are aspiring to live closer to God. It is uplifting, inspiring, thought-provoking, blunt, and written with beauty and grace in language. I have read it several times and continue to benefit.

4

Apr 30, 2017

Classic book. A must read for personal development and psychology

5

Nov 14, 2019

This is peace,
To conquer the love of self and lust of life,
To tear deep-rooted passion from the heart
To still the inward strife. (p. 154)

What a wonderful, wonderful book. Of the late religious leader Neal Maxwell it was said, "every sentence was a sermon." Allen is similar. The thought-to-word ratio is so dense that it is difficult to catch some of it on a quick read (which was hard because my goal was 20 pages a day). There are some gems in Allen's phrasing: "the silence of the soul," "the This is peace,
To conquer the love of self and lust of life,
To tear deep-rooted passion from the heart
To still the inward strife. (p. 154)

What a wonderful, wonderful book. Of the late religious leader Neal Maxwell it was said, "every sentence was a sermon." Allen is similar. The thought-to-word ratio is so dense that it is difficult to catch some of it on a quick read (which was hard because my goal was 20 pages a day). There are some gems in Allen's phrasing: "the silence of the soul," "the simple laws of life," "spiritual alchemist," etc. Let me share three thoughts of Allens before diving a little deeper into the book itself, three samplings:

"You are powerful, not powerless. You are as powerful to obey as you are to disobey; as strong to be pure as to be impure; as ready for wisdom as for ignorance. You can learn what you will, can remain as ignorant as you choose. If you love knowledge, you will obtain it; if you love wisdom, you will secure it; if you love purity, you will realize it. All things await your acceptance, and you choose by the thoughts you entertain." (5)

"The only difference between the life of the beast and that of the undisciplined man is that the man has a wider variety of desires and experiences a greater intensity of suffering. It may be said of such a man that he is dead, being truly dead to self-control, chastity, fortitude, and all the nobler qualities which constitute life. In the consciousness of such a man, the crucified Christ lies entombed, awaiting that resurrection which shall revivify the mortal suffering and wake him up to a knowledge of his existence." (11)

"A man must first of all be willing to lose himself (his self-seeking self) before he can find himself (his divine self)." (114)

I came into contact with James Allen when in high school. I read the classic pamphlet, "As A Man Thinketh," which itself is only one small part of this book. Allen wrote nineteen books in between 1902 and 1912 (nineteen!), and they are all variations of the theme that is captured beautifully in the short four lines that began this review: still yourself, conquer yourself, dwell on "fixed principles" (what Allen constantly calls "Truth" with a capital "T"), and you will find true peace. Allen is religious, but as the editor notes, Allen was accepted into various circles. He was Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, and then some all rolled into one; as he says, "[t]here is but one religion, the religion of Truth." He talks frequently about "simple laws" which are as true in nature as in the realm of the mind and soul: the idea that we have to work for qualities as we have to work to arrive at the top of the mountain. (He derives from the natural world especially, saying there is no natural or physical law not mirrored in the mind.)

Classic inspirational literature. I was surprised by how good it was. James Allen worked most of his life in the industrial world of his time, working as an assistant to British manufactures. That he retired and, in a short span of time wrote 19 books and being received into both eastern and western worlds of wisdom from his writings--that's amazing to me. The sections on meditation alone are worth their weight in gold, and his practical advice on living a life of holiness provided thoughtful countering to my interest in philosophy. We have to BE good, and DO good things, and this all starts in the mind. To paraphrase Milton's classic anti-hero, we can make a heaven of hell or a hell of heaven. And Allen argues both to make a heaven of hellish circumstances and to WORK to chance the circumstances around us.

It's a terrific worldview Allen has, and this is a book I anticipate coming back to time and time again. For the density of wisdom and the beauty of the writing, I'm giving this book a five-star review. ...more

5

Aug 25, 2018

It took me several months to get through this book, but that's because it's not the kind of thing you can rush through if you really want to get something out of it--it's meant to be savored and pondered and munched over for awhile. While I don't agree with every single one of James Allen's assertions, there are still SO MANY powerful, life-changing thoughts in this that I felt I MUST give it five stars, just because it has forever altered the way I think about certain things (and the way I It took me several months to get through this book, but that's because it's not the kind of thing you can rush through if you really want to get something out of it--it's meant to be savored and pondered and munched over for awhile. While I don't agree with every single one of James Allen's assertions, there are still SO MANY powerful, life-changing thoughts in this that I felt I MUST give it five stars, just because it has forever altered the way I think about certain things (and the way I think about thought itself).

If you read this, make sure you have a highlighter handy--you will be wanting to mark stuff up all over the place. ...more

4

Jun 04, 2018

Another one of my top 10 favourite.
A priceless book with a straight foward reality message that has to pass from the head to the heart to get the essence of its contents.

1

Nov 21, 2009

An incoherent and aimless book. He needs to direct his thoughts or organize them somehow . . .