Jasmin: Barber, Poet, Philanthropist (ePub)

Samuel Smiles (1812-1904) was a distinguished Scottish author and reformer, most renowned for his contribution to the self-help movement through his eponymous book, 'Self-Help'. Born in Haddington, East Lothian, Smiles pursued a career in medicine before engaging more profoundly in journalism and politics. Early aligned with the Chartists and a proponent of political reform, Smiles eventually distanced himself from direct political activism, focusing instead on individual moral reform through self-improvement and self-reliance. His seminal work, 'Self-Help' (1859), underpinned this philosophy and garnered widespread popularity, emphasizing thrift, industry, and personal responsibility as avenues to success. Smiles' vivid prose and inspiring anecdotes contributed to the book's reputation as a Victorian classic. Beyond his famous treatise, Smiles penned several biographies aimed at illustrating his self-help principles through the lives of notable individuals. Among these is 'Jasmin: Barber, Poet, Philanthropist' (1891), which narrates the remarkable story of Jacques Jasmin, a French hairdresser-turned-poet acclaimed for his charitable acts. This biography reflects Smiles' literary propensity for engaging life stories that promote a model of virtuous and industrious living. His writing style combined factual narrative with motivational discourse, earning him a place in the pantheon of Victorian moralists. Despite critiques that pointed to his disregard of structural societal problems in favor of individualism, Smiles' legacy in the canon of self-improvement literature remains influential.