First published in 1910, James Allen's inspirational book "Above Life's Turmoil" is a pioneering work in self-help literature. This work combines elements of Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism with concepts dealing with self discipline, motivation and the power of positive thinking.

One of the factors that makes the book appealing is that it doesn't purport to be a magic formula that will help you to get whatever you want. Instead, it aims to give the reader self knowledge and self conquest which will ultimately lead to inner peace in a turbulent world. This is something that every modern day reader will certainly appreciate, since a lot of books promise to show you how to create wealth, achieve success, find your dream partner and so on, without tackling the core issue of attaining inner calmness.

"Above Life's Turmoil" is divided into a compilation of very brief twenty-one chapters. Some of the topics covered include True Happiness, The Overcoming of Self, The Uses of Temptation, Sowing and Reaping, Your Mental Attitude, Universal Brotherhood and others. Allen uses concepts like affirmation and examines different perspectives to explain his ideas.