James Allen

British philosopher and author of inspirational writings and poetry, James Allen is considered a pioneer in the self-help book genre. Born on November 28, 1864, in Leicester, England, he was the eldest child of a working-class family. After the death of his father, he was forced to leave school at the age of fifteen to work initially as a secretary in various manufacturing companies and later as a journalist. In 1898, he found employment as a columnist for the magazine "The Herald of the Golden Age," where he could express his spiritual and social interests. It was during this time that Allen entered his creative period, publishing his first book in 1901. In 1902, he began publishing his own magazine, "The Light of Reason," which was later renamed "The Epoch." That same year, he published his most famous book, "As A Man Thinketh," which received widespread acclaim from its first edition, gaining international recognition and posthumously establishing him as a pioneer and inspiration for self-help authors. Following this success, he decided to dedicate himself to writing and publishing. In 1903, Allen's family moved to the coastal town of Ilfracombe in Southern England, where he lived until the end of his life, continuing to publish "The Epoch" and writing more than one book a year. By the time of his death on January 24, 1912, nine years after settling there, he had authored 19 works.