Florence Scovel Shinn's The Game of Life and How to Play It, published in 1925, is a short New Thought book that treats life as a game of giving and receiving, with your words and images as your main tools. It is in the public domain, so you can read it free online. This page explains who she was, the core ideas in each chapter, how people apply them today, and where to read the original.
Who Florence Scovel Shinn was
Florence Scovel Shinn (1871 to 1940) was an American artist and book illustrator who became a teacher of what was then called New Thought. She lived in New York, gave talks and private sessions, and wrote several short books, including Your Word Is Your Wand (1928) and The Secret Door to Success (1940). Her style is brisk and story-driven, full of small anecdotes about people who changed their circumstances by changing what they said and pictured.
Her teaching sits in the same family as the ideas gathered in the law of attraction, but it comes with a clear Christian framing. She quotes the Bible often and speaks of God as an infinite source of good. If that language suits you, it may feel like home. If it does not, many readers simply translate it into their own words and keep the practical parts.
Where to read the original
Because the book dates from 1925 it is in the public domain in the United States. You can search for free copies on Project Gutenberg and on the Internet Archive. It is short enough to read in an afternoon. Look for the full 1925 text if you can, since some modern editions add commentary or change the wording.
The core idea: life as a game
Shinn opens by saying that most people treat life as a battle when it is closer to a game. In her words, life is "a game of boomerangs": what you send out, in thought, word and deed, comes back around. She teaches that the rules can be learned, and that the player who learns them plays with more ease.
Tip. Try reading one chapter a day, then choosing one sentence from it to carry through the day. The book is dense with quotable lines, and a single line remembered is worth more than a chapter skimmed.
The chapters at a glance
The book has ten short chapters. Here they are, with the idea each one teaches, as Shinn presents it.
| Chapter | Her teaching in brief |
|---|---|
| The Game | Life is a game of giving and receiving, and its rules can be learned |
| The Law of Prosperity | Supply comes through trust and a clear, expectant word |
| The Power of the Word | Spoken words shape circumstances, so choose them with care |
| The Law of Nonresistance | Resisting a situation feeds it; calm acceptance changes your footing |
| Karma and Forgiveness | What you send out returns, and forgiveness frees you from the loop |
| Casting the Burden | Hand a worry to a higher source and stop carrying it alone |
| Love | Goodwill toward others clears the way for your own good |
| Intuition or Guidance | Ask for a clear lead and act on hunches |
| Perfect Self-Expression | Each person has a divine design to live out |
| Denials and Affirmations | Deny the fear, then affirm what you want |
The chapter titles vary slightly between editions, so treat the table as a guide. The Gutenberg and Internet Archive copies show the exact headings.
The ideas people use most
The spoken word
Shinn believed that words carry force, so she urged readers to speak short, confident statements about what they wanted. Her chapters read like a collection of affirmations. Many of her lines start with "I" and a present-tense verb, which is why she is often mentioned next to "I am" affirmations and Louise Hay.
Nonresistance
Her chapter on nonresistance suggests that fighting a situation binds you to it. Instead of pushing, she invites a calm, steady stance. Many readers find this the most useful chapter, because it fits ordinary stress: a difficult colleague, a delay, a change of plan. It pairs well with letting go in manifestation.
Denials and affirmations
In her last chapter she offers a two-step form. First a denial, which is a short sentence that dismisses a fear. Then an affirmation of what you want. It is the structure behind lines such as "I dismiss this worry; I am at ease." Her style can sound strong to modern ears, so many people soften it into "I am letting this worry go."
Imagery
Shinn also stresses the picture in your mind. She recommends seeing yourself already in the scene you want, with a sense of gratitude. That idea echoes in visualization techniques and in Neville Goddard's later teaching, described in Neville Goddard techniques.
How people apply the book today
Readers rarely follow it to the letter. A few modern ways to use it include picking one affirmation per week and writing it on a card, using the nonresistance chapter as a stress tool at work, reading one chapter with a cup of tea as a slow morning ritual, and turning the denial-and-affirmation pair into a journal exercise. Some readers also keep a small notebook of "boomerangs," writing down kind acts sent out and small good things that came back.
Keep the outcomes modest. Shinn's stories are lively, but they are anecdotes from her circle, and no book can promise money, a person or a result. Psychology can back a gentler version of the message: the way you talk to yourself affects your mood and choices, and steady, kind self-talk tends to help people act. It cannot confirm that spoken words change external events on their own.
A gentle week with the book
If you would like to try the book without committing to a big project, here is a seven-day plan. It takes about ten minutes a day, and every step is optional.
On day one, read the opening chapter and write one sentence about what "life as a game" means to you. On day two, read the chapter on prosperity and note a small thing you already have that you feel glad about. On day three, read about the power of the word and listen to how you speak about yourself in ordinary conversation. On day four, take the nonresistance chapter into one real situation, such as a queue, a traffic jam or a tense message, and practise staying steady. On day five, read about forgiveness and write the name of someone you are ready to soften toward, only if that feels safe. On day six, read the chapter on intuition and write down one small hunch you are willing to follow. On day seven, write a denial and an affirmation for one worry, and read them aloud once.
At the end of the week, look back at your notes. You are not checking whether life rewarded you. You are checking whether the week felt a little lighter or a little clearer, and which chapter you would like to visit again. That is a fair and modest measure.
How she compares with other classic authors
Shinn belongs to a group of early twentieth-century writers who shaped modern manifestation. Wallace Wattles wrote about a certain way of thinking and acting on money. James Allen wrote about thought and character. Shinn is the most conversational of the three, with the most anecdotes and the most direct scripts for what to say. If you like your teaching practical and story-led, she is a friendly place to start. If you prefer a more philosophical tone, you may enjoy Allen first.
A note for readers who find it heavy
Some passages can read as if every hardship is a lesson you failed to learn. If that hurts, remember that real life includes illness, loss and unfairness that are nobody's fault. You are free to take the parts that feel supportive and leave the rest. If you are struggling, a doctor or therapist is a better guide than any book.
Where manifestlings fits
The idea of life as a game runs through Shinn's book, and it happens to suit manifestlings, a manifestation app built as a game. It is a virtual pet, a dreamling, that grows on what you practise. Around it sit a wish you can look at again, a short game made from your words, small rituals, care on the real clock, and a guided meditation with 4-2-6 breathing. Reading a chapter of Shinn and then playing a few minutes is one gentle way to spend an evening.
It is coming soon to the App Store for iPhone, with Android later. You sign in once, and every new account starts with 7 days of Premium free, followed by a free core. You can read more on the manifestation game page.
Questions people ask
What is The Game of Life and How to Play It about?
It is a 1925 book teaching that life is a game of giving and receiving, where your words, images and attitudes shape your experience. It uses short chapters on prosperity, the spoken word, nonresistance and love.
Is The Game of Life and How to Play It free?
Yes. It is in the public domain in the United States, and free copies can be found on Project Gutenberg and the Internet Archive.
Who was Florence Scovel Shinn?
An American artist and illustrator (1871 to 1940) who became a New Thought teacher and wrote several short books on affirmation and the spoken word.
What is the law of nonresistance?
It is her teaching that resisting a difficulty binds you to it, and that calm acceptance gives you a steadier place to act from.
