James Allen (1864-1912) A pioneer of the self-help movement, James Allen was a British philosophical writer. Born in 1864 in Leicester, England Allen had to leave school at a young age to work to support his family. At 38, he retired and moved to a small cottage in Ilfracombe, Devon, England with his wife and daughter. It was here that he produced 19 works over a span of nine years. In 1903, Allen wrote As A Man Thinketh which earned him praise world over. While he never attained fame or wealth, Allen influenced many popular self-help writers, including Napoleon Hill. Allen died in 1912, at the age of 47.