The Secret is a best-selling 2006 self-help book written
by Rhonda Byrne, based on the earlier film of the same name. It is based on the
law of attraction and claims that positive thinking can create life-changing
results such as increased wealth, health, and happiness. The book has sold over
21 million copies and been translated into 44 languages, but has nevertheless
attracted a great deal of controversy, as well as being parodied in several TV
programs.
The Secret is based on the
earlier film of the same name that was released in DVD format in March 2006.
The tenet of the film and book is that the universe is governed by a natural
law called the law of attraction which is said to work by attracting into a
person's life the experiences, situations, events, and people that 'match the
frequency' of the person's thoughts and feelings. Therefore, positive thinking
and feeling positive are claimed to create life-changing results such as
increased wealth, health, and happiness.
The book is very much influenced
by Wallace Wattles' 1910 book The Science of Getting Rich, which Byrne received
from her daughter during a time of personal trauma in 2004. Byrne read and
synthesized several classic books and the words of modern-day teachers who
spoke about ancient wisdom and the ways for people to attract what they desire
into their lives. The book includes many quotes from these people.
After being featured in two
episodes of The Oprah Winfrey Show, the book reached the top of the New York
Times bestseller list, where it remained for 146 consecutive weeks. The book
has been translated into 44 languages, and has over 21 million copies in print.
The book and film have made $300 million in sales, according to a January 15,
2009 article by Forbes.com. Thanks in big part to the appearance in the Oprah
TV show, the book was one of the biggest sales in the self-help field.
In 2009, a book for teenagers
called The Secret to Teen Power, written by the film's producer, Paul
Harrington, was released. Byrne has also released a calendar and several
follow-up books, including The Power in August 2010.
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