God's Salesman: Norman Vincent Peale and the Power of Positive Thinking - Carol V. George - Hardcover

Norman Vincent Peale is one of the most influential religious figures inrecent American history. Preacher, author, editor, public personality, andreligious innovator, he sparked the post-War revival of religion with his 1952bestseller, The Power of Positive Thinking (which has sold over 15 millioncopies worldwide and is still selling 3000 copies weekly). His message ofPractical Christianity helped drive the religious revival of the 1950s, puttinghim at the forefront of the human potential movement. And with the inspirationalmagazine he founded, Guideposts, reaching an audience of 4 million, Peale andhis message of positive thinking affected the lives of a vast public in theUnited States and around the world.In God's Salesman, Carol V.R. George utilizes interviews with Peale himselfas well as exclusive access to his manuscript collection to provide the firstfull-length scholarly account of Peale and his highly visible career. Georgeexplores the evolution of Peale's message of Practical Christianity, the beliefthat when positive thinking was combined with affirmative prayer, the techniqueof "imaging," and purposeful action, the result was a changed life. It was amessage with special appeal for many in the post-War middle class struggling torebuild their lives and have a voice in society. George examines the formativeinfluences on Peale's thinking, especially his devout Methodist parents, hisearly exposure to and then enthusiastic acceptance of Ralph Waldo Emerson andWilliam James, and his almost instinctive attraction to evangelicalism,particularly as it was manifested politically. The latter connection found himnew friends within the National Association of Evangelicals and a passingpartnership during the fifties revival with Billy Graham.George also traces the tremendous reception accorded Peale's controversialsignature work, The Power of Positive Thinking, a response that helped"Pealeism" penetrate the mainstream culture. At the height of his popularityPeale was reaching over 30 million people weekly through radio, television, andthe written word. And despite continued criticism from liberal church leadersand academicians for his popularized theology and his conservativepolitics--particularly his involvement in the 1960 effort to block the Kennedynomination--his message continued to find new supporters.Providing tremendous insight into the mind of the Father of PositiveThinking, God's Salesman is a remarkable portrait of the man and his movement,and the vital role that both played in the rethinking and restructuring ofAmerican religious life in the second half of this century.George, Carol V. R. is the author of 'God's Salesman: Norman Vincent Peale and the Power of Positive Thinking - Carol V. George - Hardcover' with ISBN 9780195074635 and ISBN 0195074637.