Is there a secret behind the Secret? If so, this might be it. Haanel, a somewhat mysterious figure who was what we would today call a business development consultant, wrote this series of lessons shortly after World War I. This turbulent time was made even more miserable by a flu pandemic which killed millions. Many were searching for a royal road to prosperity, health and inner peace, and Haanel's book held out this promise.

For years, urban legends have swirled around this book: that it was banned by some religious groups, and central to the success of a certain well-known software tycoon. I was unable to confirm or disprove any of these rumors. However, the Master Key System has had a huge influence on successive New Thought writers, particularly those preaching 'Prosperity Consciousness.' Think and Grow Rich bears more than a passing resemblance to the Master Key System. The 'Law of Attraction' at the heart of Haanel's system has been acknowledged as one of the primary sources for The Secret.

Is there a secret behind the Secret? If so, this might be it. Haanel, a somewhat mysterious figure who was what we would today call a business development consultant, wrote this series of lessons shortly after World War I. This turbulent time was made even more miserable by a flu pandemic which killed millions. Many were searching for a royal road to prosperity, health and inner peace, and Haanel's book held out this promise.

For years, urban legends have swirled around this book: that it was banned by some religious groups, and central to the success of a certain well-known software tycoon. I was unable to confirm or disprove any of these rumors. However, the Master Key System has had a huge influence on successive New Thought writers, particularly those preaching 'Prosperity Consciousness.' Think and Grow Rich bears more than a passing resemblance to the Master Key System. The 'Law of Attraction' at the heart of Haanel's system has been acknowledged as one of the primary sources for The Secret.

Is there a secret behind the Secret? If so, this might be it. Haanel, a somewhat mysterious figure who was what we would today call a business development consultant, wrote this series of lessons shortly after World War I. This turbulent time was made even more miserable by a flu pandemic which killed millions. Many were searching for a royal road to prosperity, health and inner peace, and Haanel's book held out this promise.

For years, urban legends have swirled around this book: that it was banned by some religious groups, and central to the success of a certain well-known software tycoon. I was unable to confirm or disprove any of these rumors. However, the Master Key System has had a huge influence on successive New Thought writers, particularly those preaching 'Prosperity Consciousness.' Think and Grow Rich bears more than a passing resemblance to the Master Key System. The 'Law of Attraction' at the heart of Haanel's system has been acknowledged as one of the primary sources for The Secret.