Quick Review

If you are particularly in a hurry and you do not want to stick for long, The Power Of Positive Thinking is a book that tries to teach you the following:

• How to understand the reason why positive thinking is really good – realistic examples included
• How to apply the positive thinking principles on a day-to-day basis
• How to achieve life success by applying positive thinking principles

The Christian Foundation Behind The Book

Norman Vincent Peale was a Christian and a minister. It is obvious that what he writes has a Christian foundation. The Power Of Positive Thinking does reinforce prayer and positive thinking, at the same time. There are many different examples inside that show how people used positive thinking and faith in order to succeed and go over various difficulties. Although the Christian foundation is strong, you should not be narrow in your approach to the book.

We saw that some did not want to read because of religious reasons. Even if you are not Christian, you can learn a lot from the book and it is recommended. You can simply jump over the religious aspects or you can read them in an objective way. This is a book that is mainly focused on positive thinking as a foundation of success and happiness.

Controversy

While The Power Of Positive Thinking is a really great read, we need to acknowledge the fact that some of the principles that are presented are based on anecdotes or on statements that are not properly referenced. It is a little bothersome to see statements like “according to a renowned physicist” since there is no mention about the name of that physicist. This is exactly why the book is highly controversial and many believe that just ramblings are presented. You may have problems in believing what you read if you have a pure math based foundation and belief system.

A Really Good Read

While many use terms like “incredible” or “horrible”, all based on personal opinions, if you are able to maintain a high objectivity level, there is absolutely no way to deny the fact that “The Power Of Positive Thinking” by Norman Vincent Peale is a book that has to be considered since it can help improve one’s mindset. It is not at all difficult to read and you will just need an open mind to be able to take in that part of the information that is really good for you. After all, we are all individuals and ideas need to be adapted to our own way of thinking.

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Controversy And Criticism

Just as with all visionaries that came up with new life theories, Norman Vincent Peale was heavily criticized by many. The main concern was that the books written are just filled with anecdotes and that they cannot be substantiated. Most experts believe that there is no philosophy behind the claims and the lack of sources was always something that was brought up by critics.

The second accusation is that the techniques that he had were similar to that of hypnosis and that he tries to persuade readers to follow beliefs through false evidence and self-hypnosis. Techniques are not currently debated by psychologists but many still believe that hypnosis is what actually makes the books successful.

Some criticized Peale because his philosophy is using exaggerated fears, making followers more afraid than they were. This is believed to lead to aggression. We even have some theological critique that appeared as Peale was labeled as a heretical character by many because of the positive thinking teachings.

Praises

You can imagine that anything based on positive thinking as a way of life would bring in criticism. However, people were clearly divided when it came to his teachings. Reverend Billy Graham for instance was one of those that praised the work of Norman Vincent Peale. He even stated that he did a lot for God’s kingdom, more than anyone else in history.

After his death there were many that praised his work and his devotion towards people in America. We have to say that he was a controversial character that was clearly surrounded by anecdotes but that managed to bring forth a new way of being for countless people, not only from the US.

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