The Secret is a best-selling 2006 New Age
self-help and spirituality book written by Rhonda Byrne. A film
based on the book was released shortly after the book in DVD
format.
The Secret by
By Rhonda Byrne
More
Books from Amazon.co.uk
The tenet of the book is that an individual's focused positive
thinking can result in life-changing results such as increased
wealth, health, happiness and more. The book achieved high sales
after being featured in two episodes of Oprah, where after the
book reached the top of the New York Times bestseller list and
the film based on the book reached #1 on the sales charts on
Amazon.com.
The book has also reached a high level of notoriety and
criticism from those who claim that the book misleads readers
with its claims of positive thinking being able to influence a
reader's life and real-world outcomes.
The film is largely influenced by Wallace D. Wattles' 1910
book The Science of Getting Rich.
Synopsis
The Secret is a book[1]
that presents what is claimed to be a centuries-old technique of
the Law of Attraction, which in essence is the power of an
individual's positive thinking to change and influence outcomes
in their lives. The book claims that by using the "Laws of
Attraction", an individual can become wealthier, healthier, and
happier.
The "Laws of Attraction" are the "secret" that the title of
the book suggests to the reader. The book claims that the
secrets outlined in the book have been known by famous and
influential people for centuries, but that they have conspired
to keep these secrets hidden from the general public for their
own benefit.
The Secret is described as a New Age spiritual
self-help book, with the basis of the claims of the "Laws of
Attraction" originate through understanding the cosmos and how
an individual can influence it for their own personal gain and
benefit.
Marketing
The book was marketed with an online viral video campaign
focusing on wealth enhancement. The short video clips showed
testimonials from readers of the book and practitioners of "the
secret" claiming that the technique brought them wealth, cured
sickness, and brought about a general life-change. The video
clips do not disclose what "the secret" is, where it originated
from or how it can be practiced, but rather pointed viewers to
the website for both the book and film.
The general theme of both the book packaging and promotional
material is how "the secret" originates from the cosmos. The
background used in the material is often a field of stars, and
various shots of the universe, adding mystique to the claims and
the practice.
The book first reached widespread popularity in Australia
after the claims were featured on a number of prime time current
affairs shows. The book gained a high profile in the United
States after being featured in two episodes of the Oprah Winfrey
show. Other celebrities such as Ellen DeGeneres and Larry King
also reviewed and/or covered the book, and in each case
expressed their belief in the system or scepticism to its
claims.
Criticism
The claims made by both the book and film have been highly
controversial, and have been criticized by reviewers and readers
in both traditional and web-based media. The book has also been
heavily criticized by former believers and practitioners, with
some going as far as claiming that "the secret" was conceived by
the author and that the only people generating wealth and
happiness from it are the author and the publishers[2].
Another basis of criticism is that "the secret" offers false
hope to those who are in true need of more conventional
assistance in their lives.
Film
The novel was based on a 2006 film produced by Rhonda Byrne
consisting of interviews based around the concept.
|
Comments |
|
I think this is the most best selling/ spiritual growth book that i have ever read. |