I looked around upon the world, and saw that it was shadowed by sorrow and scorched by the fierce fires of suffering. And I looked for the cause. I looked around, but could not find it; I looked in books, but could not find it; I looked within, and found there both the cause and the self-made nature of that cause. I looked again, and deeper, and found the remedy.
I found one Law, the Law of Love; one Life, the Life of adjustment to that Law; one Truth, the truth of a conquered mind and a quiet and obedient heart. And I dreamed of writing a book which should help men and women, whether rich or poor, learned or unlearned, worldly or unworldly, to find within themselves the source of all success, all happiness, all accomplishment, all truth. And the dream remained with me, and at last became substantial;
and now I send it forth into the world on its mission of healing and blessedness, knowing that it cannot fail to reach the homes and hearts of those who are waiting and ready to receive it.

James Allen is a British writer known for his self-help books and poetry. He was born on 28 November 1864. His father, William, worked in a factory as a knitter. In 1879 his father moved to America in search of work to support his family. Two days after arrival, he was announced dead by New York City Hospital, in case of a robbery and murder. At that time Allen was fifteen, and he faced an economic crisis. He was forced to leave school and find work to support his family. Allen got a job as a private secretary and stationer in several British manufacturing firms in the 1890s. He moved to London and then to South Wales to pursue journalism and reporting in 1893. In 1895 he married Lily Louisa Oram in South Wales. In 1898, he found a job where he could showcase his interest as a writer. Allen published his first book From Poverty to Power in 1901. In 1902, he started producing many books under the title, The Epoch. On 24 January 1912, he took his last breath. After his demise, his wife continued publishing the magazine under The Epoch.