One-line summary
The Great Secret of Life is an 80-page independent publication that brings together the six founders of the modern manifestation tradition — Neville Goddard, Wallace Wattles, Joseph Murphy, Napoleon Hill, Ernest Holmes, and Abdullah — in one source-based synthesis with a structured 30-day practical program.
Why we published it
The modern self-help section of any bookstore contains dozens of books on "manifestation," "the Law of Attraction," and "the Law of Assumption." Almost all of them are repackagings of a small group of identifiable writers from 1860–1972. Almost none of them cite their sources.
We wrote the synthesis that should have existed: the actual six teachers, treated honestly, with their biographies' real problems disclosed, and the actual underlying technique presented without softening.
Story angles for media
If you're writing a piece or producing an episode in this space, here are angles that may be useful:
- "The 1910 book that secretly became The Secret" — Rhonda Byrne's $30M+ franchise is based almost entirely on Wallace Wattles' 1910 book. Wattles died in obscurity. The lineage is unacknowledged. (Full analysis: /the-secret-source/)
- "The forgotten teacher of two bestsellers" — Abdullah, a Manhattan teacher in the 1920s and 30s, privately trained both Neville Goddard and Joseph Murphy. Combined sales of his two students' work: 30+ million copies. He never published. (Full analysis: /abdullah/)
- "The biographical fraud at the heart of Think and Grow Rich" — Matt Novak's investigation for Gizmodo established that Napoleon Hill's famous 1908 Carnegie interview — the foundation of his entire authority — almost certainly never happened. The book has still sold 100M+ copies.
- "What modern manifestation TikTok misses about Neville Goddard" — Neville's actual technique was rigorous and uncompromising. The TikTok ecosystem he indirectly founded has softened it almost beyond recognition. (Full analysis: /law-of-assumption/)
- "Why this entire genre is essentially six dead writers" — A reader of the modern manifestation literature is, almost without exception, reading repackaged Wattles, Neville, Murphy, Hill, Holmes, or Abdullah. The freshness is a marketing illusion.
Verified facts you can cite
- Rhonda Byrne has stated in multiple interviews that The Secret was inspired by Wallace Wattles' The Science of Getting Rich (1910).
- Both Neville Goddard and Joseph Murphy studied under the same private teacher (Abdullah) in Manhattan in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Sources: Goddard's own lectures; biographical research by Mitch Horowitz.
- Abdullah's historical identity is most credibly traced to Modeste Abdallah Guillaume, a former baritone with the Williams and Walker Glee Club (1905–1910). Sources: Mitch Horowitz; period press records.
- Joseph Murphy was ordained as a Religious Science minister by Ernest Holmes personally in 1946.
- Napoleon Hill's claim of a 1908 multi-day interview with Andrew Carnegie cannot be supported by the Carnegie archives, Carnegie's diaries, or Hill's own contemporary documentation. Sources: Matt Novak (Gizmodo); earlier biographers including Richard Lingeman.
Sample interview questions we welcome
- Why has this material survived for over a century while most self-help fades within a decade?
- What's the strongest objection to the underlying claim — and how do you respond to it?
- Why publish independently rather than through a traditional publisher?
- What's the most common mistake new readers make with this material?
- Where does the line sit between "useful psychological reframing" and "magical thinking"?
About the publisher
The Great Secret Press is an independent publisher based in Israel, run by Ran Shapira. We publish one book at a time, sell direct to readers without intermediaries, and operate without ongoing email lists, subscriptions, or upsells.
Assets for media use
Free for editorial use. Please credit "The Great Secret Press" or link to thegreatsecret.co.
- Open Graph image (1200×630): thegreatsecret.co/og-image.png
- Free Chapter 1 (PDF): thegreatsecret.co/the-great-secret-chapter-1.pdf
- Pinterest-ready quote graphics (1000×1500): Available in
thegreatsecret.co/pinterest/— six branded quote images.
For a review copy
If you're producing legitimate editorial coverage, email hello@thegreatsecret.co with a brief note about the outlet/platform and the angle. We'll send you a full review PDF (book + workbook) within 48 hours, no strings attached.
Contact
Email: hello@thegreatsecret.co
Response time: Within 48 hours for press inquiries.
Languages: English, Hebrew.