God's Salesman: Norman Vincent Peale & the Power of Positive Thinking

In a dispassionate, academic view, Carol George describes the rise of Dr. Norman Vincent Peale from relative obscurity to international prominence. The book is divided into three sections: the man, the movement, and the message. Peale started in a Methodist setting. His family was active in the denomination and Peale attended Ohio Wesleyan, where he earned average grades. Peale is described as a loner who is comfortable with a crowd of 4,000, but ill at ease with in a small group.Peale was a avid reader. This habit was part of his persona throughout his successful career. She goes on to talk about his first pastorate and how the passion for travel was cultivated.Dr. Peale's work was his hobby. He threw himself into it totally. He wanted to make Christanity practical, doable, applicable to the everyday world. In radio's "golden age" Dr. Peale took to the air to propagate the Gospel. In applying what he preaches, he advocated living as opposed to overindulgent self-reflection. His thoughts were, "The overly examined life would inevitably discover problems therefore,'The best was to live is just to live.'"Many of us continue to be blessed by the legacy of this man of God. His good works remain. The fruit of his labors are still sprouting. This book tells how it all started.