The Magic Story

by Frederick Van Rensselaer Dey

Before The Greatest Salesman in the World, The Richest Man in Babylon, and Acres of Diamonds, The Magic Story captured the imagination of people worldwide, inspiring them to reach for ever-greater levels of success. Since its first publication, this timeless parable has sold tens of millions of copies.

Genres: Self Help

66 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1900

About the author

Frederick van Rensselaer Dey (February 10, 1861 – April 25, 1922) was an American dime novelist and pulp fiction writer.

He was born on February 10, 1861 in Watkins Glen, New York, to David Peter Dey and Emma Brewster Sayre. He attended the Havana Academy, and later graduated from the Columbia Law School. He practiced law and was a junior partner of William J. Gaynor. Dey took up writing while recovering from an illness. His first full-length story was written for Beadle and Adams in 1881.

Dey married Annie Shepard Wheeler, of Providence, Rhode Island, on June 4, 1885 and they had two children. After a divorce he married Haryot Holt (c. 1857–June 16, 1950) on April 1, 1898.

In 1891, Street & Smith hired him to continue the series begun by John R. Coryell, on the adventures of Nick Carter. Most of his Nick Carter stories appeared under the pseudonyms "A Celebrated Author" and "The Author of 'Nick Carter'". He wrote over a thousand Nick Carter novelettes, comprising over forty million words, all written longhand. Dey also worked as a newspaper reporter.

Writing as "Varick Vanardy", he created "The Night Wind", who appeared in stories from 1913 to the early 1920s. Collected into 4 books, these have been recently reprinted by Wildside Press: Alias, The Night Wind (1913), Return of the Night Wind, The Night Wind's Promise, The Lady of the Night Wind (1918).

Reviews

[Victor · Rating 4 out of 5]

sum it up for you.
1. people have two entities: the negative and positive. your success depends on which one you embrace.
2. a promise of wealth in the future is nothing compared to a piece of silver in your hand today.

I wouldn't say I agree with the second point, that is totally contra-investment. First point is still great though

[Julia Newell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute little old book I found in a yard sale, worth a read

[John P Smith Jr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favorite Book!

[Reffi Dhinar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Saya selalu percaya jika membaca buku menjadi sebuah pengalaman yang juga memiliki makna spiritualitas tersendiri.

Semenjak saya memberlakukan sistem membaca untuk belajar dan hiburan, saya membagi pola membaca saya secara bergantian. Saya tidak lagi membaca buku untuk FOMO. Saat penat, saya baca komik atau novel. Ketika sedang mendalami ilmu baru, tentu saya akan banyak membaca buku dalam topik terkait.

Ketika saya hendak memperdalam bacaan tentang hukum LOA karena bulan ini saya memiliki 3 klien privat Mindset Shifting, saya menemukan buku ini di perpustakaan kesukaan @disperpusip_sidoarjo 😁

Makna sukses yang dijelaskan dalam buku ini terkait dengan keinginan yang kita fokuskan. Meskipun kamu menjadi pekerja biasa atau IRT, jika itu keinginan terbesarmu, maka kamu adalah orang sukses. Betapa banyak orang di dunia ini yang tidak bahagia karena menjalani hidup tidak sesuai keinginan terdalamnya?

Buku tipis, tetapi ajaib. Tidak perlu teori berat untuk membuka pikiran. Masih banyak hal ajaib lainnya yang bisa kamu baca dalam buku ini.

[Te-ge Bramhall · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a story, this book is missing something. It’s really 2 stories, and they go together, but could fit better. As a life-improvement lesson, the book is great.

I’ve rated it as a story, because that’s probably how you’ll read it. It’s even possible that you’ll find yourself doing what I did. Double-checking because surely you’ve missed a last section that brings the two stories together and gives a few more answers…but nope. That’s all there is. In addition, the book is, imo, poorly written, with “big” words used where small ones would do better. Especially in the 2nd tale, often the words used feel forced, the flow doesn’t feel right.

So, why read it? Because in the midst of all of that, there are life lessons like this: Man should not be blinded to whatsoever merit exists in the opportunity which he hath in hand, remembering that a thousand promises for the future should weigh as naught against the possession of a single piece of silver.

[Kostas Kiousis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting concept - we have two selves: one is our "plus" version, and the other is our "minus". Visualize who of the two you want to be, and you'll be "occupied" by it. The "plus" version has an upright posture, is determinate, decisive, social, has belief in the self, takes advantage of every opportunity to evolve and improve the self, while helping others to achieve the same for themselves.
The "minus" version is the opposite.
In short: see your improved self taking real form and action before your own eyes and you'll accomplish anything you set your mind to.

[Travis · Rating 3 out of 5]

We have two ways to approach life
Looking for good and expressing gratitude for all that we have or negative and finding blame and fault for all that happens to and around us.

Second sometimes we become blinded to what is right in front of us for hopes of bigger and grander things. Sometimes we just need to stop and take inventory of what is right in front of us and build upon that before we move on to “bigger” and “grander” things

[Camryn Stadler · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can appreciate the "rules" that the story states for a successful life, but from a certain perspective, some parts can be interpreted as old style "alpha-male" inspo. Which puts a bad taste in my mouth.
The book forgets that not everybody is born with the same amount of privilege and barriers in life.
It may be inspirational if you take the words with a grain of salt, so it's not terrible but a little outdated for my taste.

[Obi Lourdes · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half of the book seems like filler and hype for the second part of the book. Which is simple and short. I like message. It’s not a great book (or story) by any means, but the message is legit.

[LemontreeLime · Rating 2 out of 5]

I dunno. I almost feel like it was a self fulfilling prophecy for Dey himself.

[Vivian Sipas · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring

I didn't like this book. Dragging, boring, and a complete waste of my time. Everything the Author had to say is at the end in less than a paragraph.

[Troy · Rating 2 out of 5]

While containing a few worthwhile precepts, The Magic Story is merely a mystical, humanistic repackaging of simple Biblical truths contained in Joshua 24, Proverbs 23, Ecclesiastes 9, Matthew 7, Ephesians 4, etc.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it...very inspiring.

[Mutturaj · Rating 5 out of 5]

Greate and short classic, must read book.

[Boris Trucco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and inspiring story written over a century ago. Clearly a forerunner of The Secret and other similar books.

[Anne Diouf · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of nonsense in the beginning. The last few chapters was the only relevant parts.