As a Man Thinketh by James Allen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In the foreword, the Author says that this work is intended as suggestive rather than explanatory. He conveys that, this is not an exhaustive treatise, but a result of his own meditation and experience in the direction. I couldn’t but agree more with him.

Through this short book, James has explained relation of our thoughts with our character, health and circumstances. He has also tried to maintain a relation of our thoughts with purpose and achievement in life. Though the book is written in a most simple manner and proved to be a source of inspiration for many; I did not find myself agreeing with everything that it had to say. I agree that thoughts are powerful and can to an extent lead the way life moves, but they do not always have a role to play.

E.g. while explaining the relation of thought and circumstances, Allen says "The outer conditions of a person's life will always be found to be harmoniously related to his inner state...Men do not attract that which they want, but that which they are.”...... But this could not always be so. What could be said of a person who is exposed to disastrous circumstances coming out of the blue, with absolutely no relation to his/her past, or to the way he thinks? And of the suffering he might endure for that?

Still it is a worth read once.


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