The New Thought Movement was a popular late 19th century spiritual movement led largely by and for women. Mary Baker Eddy's Christian Science is one example of the range of these groups, which advocated a belief in mind over matter and espoused women's spiritual ability to purify the world. This work uncovers the cultural implications of New Thought, embedding it in the intellectual traditions of 19th-century America, and illuminating its connections with the self-help and New Age enthusiasms of our own fin-de-siecle. Betty Satter examines New Thought in all its complexity, presenting along the way a captivating cast of characters. She introduces the people, the institutions the texts, and the ideas that comprised the New Thought Movement.