"The Secret"

by Rhonda Byrne, 2006, 198p, rating=1

"The Secret has been passed down through the ages... coveted, hidden, lost, stolen, bought for vast sums of money, and known by some of the most exceptional people who ever lived: Plato, Galileo, Da Vinci, Beethoven, Edison, and Einstein, to name but a few.

The Secret book reveals how you can change every aspect of your life. You can turn any weakness or suffering into strength, power, unlimited abundance, health and joy.

Everything is possible, nothing is impossible. There are no limits. Whatever you can dream of can be yours, when you use The Secret." (book's website)

An inviting looking book... pretty paper, fancy pen-to-ink kind of font, and a neat small book.  The promise of revealing the secret was also alluring.  The temptation worked.  I got caught with my hand in the cookie jar!  I acquired the book and read it. 

Oh my, a potential life changing kind of theory but with a hidden cult feel to it.  I'm for the basic premise of positive thoughts bring positive karma.  I can run with that, but to say that your thoughts summoned all your negative circumstances is a stretch.  So the malnourished children of the world sent out negative vibes to keep food away from them?  Your child had so many negative thoughts that he brought leukemia upon himself?  You asked to be raped?  Then, it looks like money does grow on trees and cars, houses, jobs, spouses, etc. fall from the sky.  All you have to do is order what you want from the Universe, pretend you already have it, and then it will magically come to you.

Much of the statements found in this book out of context is sound and plausible.  These statements from past great minds and modern gurus independently are words of inspiration to improve your life.  Like, be grateful for what you have now, love yourself and everyone, and there is power in positive thinking.  So there are some truth in the book to make it appear that the whole theory must then be on the ball.  But it's a gimmick.  I don't see a bio on the author.  The gurus and past great minds have one spelled out to prove credibility but all we know of the author is that she stumbled into the secret and generously compiled a thesis of it for us.  This could be interpreted that she's a businesswoman out to make a buck and laughing her way to the bank.  Yet, I really don't know that and perhaps she is sincere in her invitation to help us better ourselves.  Except that there are flaws in her overall hypothesis so just be careful how far you follow The Secret.