Audiobook · read by volunteers
Heavenly Life
James Allen (1864–1912)
Read by Gabriel · 10 chapters · 1 h 32
About the book
In The Heavenly Life, James Allen turns to a quiet and uplifting subject: how a person can live in peace, goodness and clear understanding, here and now, rather than waiting for a distant reward. The ten short chapters, with titles such as The Eternal Now, The Original Simplicity and The Might of Meekness, are meditations on the inner life, on purity of heart, on patience, on wisdom and on the calm that comes from right thinking. Allen writes in plain, direct language, with the quiet conviction of a writer who wants his readers to put these ideas into practice. The tone is devotional but practical. At around an hour and a half, it makes a thoughtful companion for a morning walk, a quiet evening or a moment of reflection.
Introduction
James Allen (1864-1912) was an English writer whose short books on thought, character and spiritual growth found a devoted readership. His most famous work, As a Man Thinketh, has gained almost cult status among those interested in spiritual and practical philosophy. His short, plain books have stayed in circulation long after his death.
The Heavenly Life was published in 1908. Like his other books, it returns to central themes: that the mind shapes the life, that self-control and compassion are the roots of happiness, and that peace is something to be cultivated and not merely wished for. The style is simple and sermon-like, with short paragraphs that can be taken in slowly.
Readers today may find in these pages something of the optimism of the Edwardian age, as well as a timeless insistence on inner responsibility. Whether approached as religion, philosophy or self-help, the book is notable for its gentleness and sincerity.
The recording has ten chapters, beginning with The Divine Center and The Eternal Now, and lasts about an hour and a half. It was read by a LibriVox volunteer, and it is best enjoyed in small portions, perhaps one chapter at a time. It will appeal to those who like short, reflective works of the early twentieth century. Each chapter can stand on its own. It is a small book with a calm voice, suited to listeners who like a short, thoughtful text to begin or end the day.
Public domain
James Allen died in 1912: the work is in the public domain in Switzerland, more than 70 years after the author’s death.
The LibriVox volunteers dedicated this recording to the public domain.
Sources : LibriVox page · Files at the Internet Archive