Claude M. Bristol
Author of Prosperity Classic
Claude M. Bristol (1891-1951) served as a soldier in WW1 in France and Germany. He worked on the army newspaper, Stars and Stripes until 1919. His best known book is The Magic of Believing, published in 1948, which has sold well over a million copies, and is widely regarded as a prosperity classic.
He was a hard-headed journalist for several years, including stints as a police reporter and as church editor of a large city newspaper. In this post he met people from every denomination and sect, and later read hundreds of books on psychology, religion, science, metaphysics and ancient magic. Gradually, Bristol began to see the 'golden thread' which runs through all religions and esoteric teachings: that belief itself has amazing powers.
His books were based on decades of searching for a deeper understanding of, and applying, what he called "mind stuff." This work came from his experience as a journalist studying and reporting on the full spectrum of spiritual and religious movements (especially fringe groups), building his own wealth and career as an investment banker, and his study of thousands of books on "the science of thought".