Review of “The Power of Positive Thinking: A Practical Guide to Mastering the Problems of Everyday Living,” by Norman Vincent Peale, 1952. Touchstone Reprint edition, 2003.
Poverty, loss, exhaustion, failure, and apathy. How to fight these terrible foes in daily life? I had never read this book, and I have known it is a classic the American public embraced—and still reads today. It has sold millions of copies, and it has been translated into 40 languages.
Wikipedia gives us a good summary of what ministers, counselors, and others have thought of the book. Most of their assessments of the book have been negative (The Power of Positive Thinking - Wikipedia). Ignoring that, and the time and culture in which the book was written (such as the scenario of the “coloured woman” who worked as a maid in a hotel as an example of everyday people doing their job) there is still something valuable in this old book.
The book is a classic and has shown millions of people how to regroup, replan, and reformulate their lives. Whether they are real or not, the subjects who share their lives and troubles in the book find here ways to persevere, change their habits, abandon bad behaviors, or just plain try harder with a more positive attitude every day.
Norman Vincent Peale who felt he had the answers. He claimed great success not only in his books but also in the counseling center he ran, complete with half a dozen counselors who could help those who were poor in spirit. How did he do it?
He uses the case study approach by sharing the story of the “everyman” from different walks of life (US middle class, actually). In this way, he draws in the average reader—perhaps who is having trouble in his or her life and is therefore seeking help from such a book—and then provides a variety of hints that will help the person overcome the troubles presenting.
He uses men and women as examples, and he does (it was 1952 remember) use some somewhat sexist points at times… men needing to work hard and be positive and provide for their families—and women needing to keep a clean and safe home and be more positive so they can attract a nice man and start a family.
Given those kinds of limitations, it still has some value as one minister’s take on how to overcome obstacles and make a go of it. How to get through it. How to get on. Whichever expression you prefer, many people have read the book, have believed in it, and have done well because of what’s in the book.
Norman Vincent Peale is actually what is proposed and sold in the book. This author wrote dozens of books and pamphlets, including working on the “Guideposts” series of inspirational religious materials…
…still in circulation—and now online! He started “Guideposts” with colleagues and his book here mentions that endeavor as another example of how belief in God can help people who are struggling to be successful on a project–or as another example of proof his techniques work? He is a salesman with many hats, remember (Guideposts).
I had never read this book, but I came across it at one of my favorite thrift shops and grabbed it. It is quite inspirational. I did not know it had so much to do with—and so much basis in—the Bible, but that does make sense. As a Christian, I was glad to read the book finally and can recommend it—as long as people take the time and culture into account—and see it how it is in the 1952 setting.
Poverty, loss, exhaustion, failure, and apathy…. Maybe this book can help readers overcome these obstacles and challenges and find success in the areas they want to impact.