Dr. Orison Swett Marden (1848-1924) was an American author of inspirational books. He wrote primarily on the subject of being successful and founded "SUCCESS" magazine in 1897. Marden's books deal with attaining a fruitful and well-rounded life, with many of his ideas being based on the New Thought movement. First published in 1907, "The Optimistic Life" is a self-help book that explores the extraordinary power of being nice and its ability to improve both your life by improving that of others. Contents include: "In the Cheering-up Business", "The Power of Amiability", "Your Habitual Expression", "The Inner Life as Related to Outward Beauty, "Making the Most of a Happy Temper", "The Value of Friends", "Cost of an Explosive Temper", "Non-essentials", "Making a Life", etc. Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. It is with this in mind that we are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with the original text and artwork.