# The Secret - Now I finally understand **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 10, 2009, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-now-i-finally-understand/480727 "2009-01-10T23:08:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lucretia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/13edae/32.png) [@Lucretia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucretia)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-now-i-finally-understand/480727/1 "2009-01-10T23:08:05Z")
Like most of the population of the Dope, I’ve always thought that The Secret, by Rhonda Byrne and made popular by Oprah Winfrey, was just so much woo woo hooey. But after reading [this review](http://www.amazon.com/review/R2X2TB3S4O5I60), I find my eyes opened, and now I fully understand how The Secret can, indeed, change lives. ---
**Author:** ![Vox\_Imperatoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Vox\_Imperatoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vox_Imperatoris)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-now-i-finally-understand/480727/2 "2009-01-10T23:10:34Z")
That’s awesome! Valete, Vox Imperatoris ---
**Author:** ![KSO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@KSO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KSO)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-now-i-finally-understand/480727/3 "2009-01-10T23:58:03Z")
I love it. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-now-i-finally-understand/480727/4 "2009-01-11T00:00:03Z")
That’s hysterical. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-now-i-finally-understand/480727/5 "2009-01-11T01:09:15Z")
Thanks for posting the link. It’s not a book I’d be looking at, so I would have missed the review. I hope Amazon leaves it up. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-now-i-finally-understand/480727/6 "2009-01-11T02:17:39Z")
I think that’s the first time a review on Amazon has made me laugh out loud. Thanks for sharing it! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-now-i-finally-understand/480727/7 "2009-01-11T02:31:20Z")
Have you seen [Mr.Brouillette’s other reviews](http://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-reviews/A3R7PU67SRMD1E/ref=cm_pdp_rev_more?ie=UTF8&sort%5Fby=MostRecentReview#R8H8YIMYHGQZF)? A short list, but a worthy one. ---
**Author:** ![Bites\_When\_Provoked](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bites_when_provoked/32/18073_2.png) [@Bites\_When\_Provoked](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bites_When_Provoked)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-now-i-finally-understand/480727/8 "2009-01-11T02:38:11Z")
Awesome! ---
**Author:** ![Pyper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Pyper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pyper)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-now-i-finally-understand/480727/9 "2009-01-11T02:43:21Z")
The comments are hilarious, too. Worthy of the Straight Dope. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-now-i-finally-understand/480727/10 "2009-01-11T02:57:12Z")
The comments are similarly awesome. > [@](#): > > Bought the film version of the book. The DVD case did NOT include a shiv. Was forced to break disc in half to use as shiv. 3/5 for product specifications not stating some assembly required. > [@](#): > > Great thing about this book is you don’t have to read to use the shiv. > [@](#): > > Got shiv. Shipped fast and works well. A+++++ Will buy again. ---
**Author:** ![trupa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@trupa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trupa)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-now-i-finally-understand/480727/11 "2009-01-11T03:31:51Z")
3,776 of 3,821 people found the following review helpful 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-now-i-finally-understand/480727/12 "2009-01-11T03:40:21Z")
Excellent review. I want to see this guy review Tuscan Milk. A few of my friends had me watch the DVD of The Secret, and while I can see what they’re getting at (optimism is helpful, but if you keep thinking about something you don’t want to happen you’re practically wishing it upon yourself) I spent most of the thing thinking “Why does this music sound familiar? Why is this so cheesy?” ---
**Author:** ![Bobotheoptimist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@Bobotheoptimist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bobotheoptimist)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-now-i-finally-understand/480727/13 "2009-01-11T04:49:31Z")
I was going to post that, but I’m glad someone respectable beat me to it. Priceless ---
**Author:** ![KnitWit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f0a364/32.png) [@KnitWit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KnitWit)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-now-i-finally-understand/480727/14 "2009-01-11T05:35:33Z")
That is an absolute scream! Thanks for the laugh. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-now-i-finally-understand/480727/15 "2009-01-11T06:37:14Z")
That is hilarious. I wonder what’s up with the Jim Norton name-dropping, though? Wouldn’t shock me to find out Jim wrote that. > [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > I think that’s the first time a review on Amazon has made me laugh out loud. Thanks for sharing it! 😃 The first time a review on Amazon made me laugh out loud was when someone posted a review of _Citizen Kane_ that simply said: “Anyone who says they like this movie is a lier” ---
**Author:** ![Invisible\_Chimp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f05b48/32.png) [@Invisible\_Chimp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Invisible_Chimp)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-now-i-finally-understand/480727/16 "2009-01-11T06:37:42Z")
This guy is my hero, not for just this review, but all his reviews. ---
**Author:** ![Petrobey\_Mavromihalis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bcef8e/32.png) [@Petrobey\_Mavromihalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Petrobey_Mavromihalis)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-now-i-finally-understand/480727/17 "2009-01-11T08:03:07Z")
Great stuff, including the other reviews. But I would like to point out that _Wanderlust - A History of Walking_ is actually a really good book if you’re interested. And the bucket is pretty damn impressive as well. ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-now-i-finally-understand/480727/18 "2009-01-11T15:59:28Z")
I liked this comment- > [@](#): > > I bought this book and mine did NOT come with shiv. Have repeatedly visualized myself receiving and using aforementioned shiv in various circumstances. Still no shiv. Feel really disappointed and let down by universe. 1 star. Do not recommend. ---
**Author:** ![George\_Kaplin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3e96dc/32.png) [@George\_Kaplin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/George_Kaplin)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-now-i-finally-understand/480727/19 "2009-01-11T16:37:45Z")
Check out his other reviews. This guy’s like the Woody Allen of Amazon reviewers. Legend! ---
**Author:** ![Lucretia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/13edae/32.png) [@Lucretia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucretia)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-now-i-finally-understand/480727/20 "2009-01-11T20:46:31Z")
> [@koeeoaddi](#): > > Have you seen [Mr.Brouillette’s other reviews](http://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-reviews/A3R7PU67SRMD1E/ref=cm_pdp_rev_more?ie=UTF8&sort%5Fby=MostRecentReview#R8H8YIMYHGQZF)? A short list, but a worthy one. I have read them, and they’re a hoot, too. We should start an email campaign to persuade Ari to become a Doper. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-now-i-finally-understand/480727.md?page=2)