As a Man Thinketh
Photography by Bowman Gray IV
Text by James Allen

John F. Blair, Publisher
978-0-89587-387-3
$24.95 hardcover
11 x 8 1/2
112 pages; Full-color photographs throughout
September 2010
Photography & Art

It has been said that James Allen is the “most quoted man you’ve never heard of.” In 1902, Allen published As a Man Thinketh, universally acknowledged as a classic book on self-examination. The precept conveyed in Proverbs 23:7 (“As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he”) inspired the book’s title. It also captures the essence of Allen’s philosophy. Through his eloquent and succinct prose, Allen conveys his thesis that it is up to the individual to form his own character and create his own happiness.       

In 1985, 15-year-old Bowman Gray IV lost his father to a heart attack. Later that same year, his mother gave him two gifts—a copy of As a Man Thinketh and a 35-millimeter camera. At the time, he did not fully appreciate how important these two gifts would eventually become to him. In his 20s, Gray, like many others, finally understood Allen’s words and began to change the way he viewed himself and how he interacted with the world. Through the years, Gray also developed his skills as a photographer. In this gift edition, he couples his own color photographs with Allen’s timeless advice to produce an inspirational book that will stay with readers for years to come.