Syndetics cover image
Image from Syndetics

One simple idea : how positive thinking reshaped modern life / Mitch Horowitz.

By: Material type: TextTextPublisher: New York : Crown Publishers, [2014]Edition: First EditionDescription: 338 pages ; 25 cmContent type:
  • text
Media type:
  • unmediated
Carrier type:
  • volume
ISBN:
  • 0307986497
  • 0307986500
  • 9780307986498
  • 9780307986504
Subject(s):
Contents:
To wish upon a star -- Positive nation -- "To redeem defeat by new thought" -- From poverty to power -- Happy warriors -- The American creed -- The spirit of success -- Does it work?
Summary: "From the millions-strong audiences of Oprah and The Secret to the mass-media ministries of evangelical figures like Joel Osteen and T. D. Jakes, to the motivational bestsellers and New Age seminars to the twelve-step programs and support groups of the recovery movement and to the rise of positive psychology and stress-reduction therapies, this idea--to think positively--is metaphysics morphed into mass belief. This is the biography of that belief. No one has yet written a serious and broad-ranging treatment and history of the positive-thinking movement. Until now. For all its influence across popular culture, religion, politics, and medicine, this psycho-spiritual movement remains a maligned and misunderstood force in modern life. Its roots are unseen and its long-range impact is unacknowledged. It is often considered a cotton-candy theology for New Agers and self-help junkies. In response, One Simple Idea corrects several historical misconceptions about the positive-thinking movement and introduces us to a number of colorful and dramatic personalities, including Napoleon Hill and Norman Vincent Peale, whose books and influence have touched the lives of tens of millions across the world." -- from publisher's website.
Fiction notes: Click to open in new window
Holdings
Item type Home library Collection Call number Materials specified Status Date due Barcode Item holds
Adult Book Adult Book Main Library NonFiction 150.1988 H816 Available 33111007576412
Total holds: 0

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

" Mitch Horowitz has written a powerful, perceptive, and enlightening testament to the idea that a single thought can change the world. One Simple Idea is simply a brilliant book."" Deepak Chopra, M.D. This wonderfully inspirational book is filled with both practical and philosophical ideas that will help transform even the most fearful and distracted among us. Ken Burns Serious skeptics, true believers, and seekers of every stripe will want to read Mitch Horowitz's vibrant, probing, and richly researched account of the impact of the positive-thinking movement on every aspect of American life today. Filled with a cast of remarkable characters and many lively tales , One Simple Idea is a readable, responsible examination of the limits and possibilities of mind-power as a source of constructive transformation. Judith Viorst I am not exaggerating - and I know about hype. This really is a superb contribution to intellectual history. It helps anyone understand the social context and origins of the American mentality. A really delightful contribution to the study of religion and to social history. Raymond A. Moody, Jr., M.D., Ph.D., author of Life After Life

Includes bibliographical references (pages 279-321) and index.

To wish upon a star -- Positive nation -- "To redeem defeat by new thought" -- From poverty to power -- Happy warriors -- The American creed -- The spirit of success -- Does it work?

"From the millions-strong audiences of Oprah and The Secret to the mass-media ministries of evangelical figures like Joel Osteen and T. D. Jakes, to the motivational bestsellers and New Age seminars to the twelve-step programs and support groups of the recovery movement and to the rise of positive psychology and stress-reduction therapies, this idea--to think positively--is metaphysics morphed into mass belief. This is the biography of that belief. No one has yet written a serious and broad-ranging treatment and history of the positive-thinking movement. Until now. For all its influence across popular culture, religion, politics, and medicine, this psycho-spiritual movement remains a maligned and misunderstood force in modern life. Its roots are unseen and its long-range impact is unacknowledged. It is often considered a cotton-candy theology for New Agers and self-help junkies. In response, One Simple Idea corrects several historical misconceptions about the positive-thinking movement and introduces us to a number of colorful and dramatic personalities, including Napoleon Hill and Norman Vincent Peale, whose books and influence have touched the lives of tens of millions across the world." -- from publisher's website.

Powered by Koha