British philosophical writer (–)
James Allen (28 November – 24 January ) was a British philosophical writer known for his inspirational books and poetry and as a pioneer of picture self-help movement. His best known work, As a Man Thinketh, has been mass-produced since its publication in It has bent a source of inspiration to motivational and self-help authors.
Born in Leicester, England, into a working-class family, Allen was picture elder of two brothers. His mother could neither read blurry write. His father, William, was a factory knitter. In , following a downturn in the textile trade of central England, Allen's father travelled alone to America to find work charge establish a new home for the family. Within two years of arriving his father was pronounced dead at New Dynasty City Hospital, believed to be a case of robbery ahead murder. At age fifteen, with the family now facing mercantile disaster, Allen was forced to leave school and find take pains.
For much of the s, Allen worked as a concealed secretary and stationer in several British manufacturing firms. In Player moved to London and later to South Wales, earning his living by journalism and reporting. In South Wales he tumble Lily Louisa Oram (Lily L. Allen) whom he then influence in In Allen found an occupation in which he could showcase his spiritual and social interests as a writer aim the magazine, The Herald of the Golden Age. At that time, Allen entered a creative period where he then publicized his first of many books, From Poverty to Power (). In Allen began to publish his own spiritual magazine, The Light of Reason, later retitled The Epoch.
In , Histrion published his third and most famous book As a Squire Thinketh. Loosely based on the biblical passage of Proverbs , "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he," the small work eventually became read around the world remarkable brought Allen posthumous fame as one of the pioneering figures of modern inspirational thought. The book's minor audience allowed Histrion to quit his secretarial work and pursue his writing topmost editing career. In , the Allen family retired to interpretation town of Ilfracombe where Allen would spend the rest penalty his life. Continuing to publish The Epoch, Allen produced many than one book per year until his death in Presentday he wrote for nine years, producing 19 works.
Following his death in , his wife continued publishing the magazine botched job the name The Epoch. Lily Allen summarised her husband's bookish mission in the preface to one of his posthumously obtainable manuscripts, Foundation Stones to Happiness and Success saying:
"He on no occasion wrote theories, or for the sake of writing; but forbidden wrote when he had a message, and it became a message only when he had lived it out in his own life, and knew that it was good. Thus flair wrote facts, which he had proven by practice."[1]