Edward Earle Purinton (April 24, 1878 – July 10, 1943) was an American businessman, naturopath, philosopher and

self-help Self-help or self-improvement is a self-guided improvement''APA Dictionary of Physicology'', 1st ed., Gary R. VandenBos, ed., Washington: American Psychological Association, 2007.—economically, intellectually, or emotionally—often with a subst ...

writer.

Biography

Purinton was born in

Morgantown, West Virginia Morgantown is a city in and the county seat of Monongalia County, West Virginia, Monongalia County, West Virginia, United States, situated along the Monongahela River. The largest city in North-Central West Virginia, Morgantown is best known as th ...

. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts from

Denison University Denison University is a private liberal arts college in Granville, Ohio. One of the earliest colleges established in the former Northwest Territory, Denison University was founded in 1831. The college was first called the Granville Literary and ...

in June 1899 and was an instructor in Greek at the Doane Academy (1899–1900). His father was Daniel Boardman Purinton, a former President of Denison University. Purinton wrote articles on business and personal efficiency for ''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...

'' magazine. He was Director of The Independent's Efficiency Service. Purinton was dean of the American Efficiency Foundation and wrote about the virtues of American business practices. He was a member of the

American Academy of Political and Social Science The American Academy of Political and Social Science (AAPSS) was founded in 1889 to promote progress in the social sciences. Sparked by Professor Edmund J. James and drawing from members of the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania, Swarthmo ...

and President of the National Efficiency League of New York City. Purinton was a naturopath.Świerzowska, Agata. (2015)
''Esoteric Influences in Wincenty Lutosławski's Programme of National Improvement. Prolegomena''
''The Polish Journal of the Arts and Culture'' 13 (1): 147–172.Cayleff, Susan E. (2016). ''Nature's Path: A History of Naturopathic Healing in America''. Hopkins University Press. pp. 211–212. In 1902, Purinton edited Benedict Lust's ''The Naturopath and Herald of Health''. He was a notable advocate of

fasting Fasting is the abstention from eating and sometimes drinking. From a purely physiological context, "fasting" may refer to the metabolic status of a person who has not eaten overnight (see " Breakfast"), or to the metabolic state achieved after ...

, authoring ''The Philosophy of Fasting'' in 1915. He labelled his system of fasting the "Conquest Fast" and described it as "a combination of the early Church Fast with the modern Therapeutic Fast." His views on fasting influenced

Wincenty Lutosławski Wincenty Lutosławski (1863–1954) was a Polish philosopher, author, and member of the Polish National League. Life and career Early life Wincenty was the eldest son of Franciszek Dionizy Lutosławski, a landowner from Drozdowo and Maria Lutosł ...

. Purinton recommended fasting for spiritual well-being and virtue.Griffith, R. Marie. (2000). ''Apostles of Abstinence: Fasting and Masculinity during the Progressive Era''. ''

American Quarterly ''American Quarterly'' is an academic journal and the official publication of the American Studies Association. The journal covers topics of both domestic and international concern in the United States and is considered a leading resource in the ...

'' 52 (4): 599–638. Purinton died at Chattahoochee, Florida.

Selected publications

''The Soul in Silhouette''
(1904)
''The Philosophy of Fasting''
(1906)
''Efficient Living''
(1915)
''The Triumph of the Man Who Acts''
(1916)
''Personal Efficiency in Business''
(1920)

References

External links

Edward Earle Purinton
– Online Books {{DEFAULTSORT:Purinton, Edward Earle 1878 births 1943 deaths 20th-century American businesspeople American health and wellness writers American self-help writers Denison University alumni Fasting advocates Naturopaths Orthopaths Businesspeople from Morgantown, West Virginia Pseudoscientific diet advocates Philosophers from West Virginia