Combining elements of Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism with concepts dealing with self-discipline, motivation and the power of positive thinking, James Allen's 1910 inspirational book Above Life's Turmoil is a pioneering work in self-help literature. 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, including a foreword by the author. 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. However, readers looking for a typical “How To” book will not find that here. Above Life's Turmoil adopts more of a meditative, philosophical tone that readers can reflect on and study at leisure for the best results.