Lewis H. Anderson: Biography, Books on Personal Magnetism, Hypnotism & Natural Diet

Lewis H. Anderson (also known as L. H. Anderson, Prof. L. H. Anderson, or Dr. L. H. Anderson) was a late 19th-century American author, hypnotist, lecturer, and promoter of personal development. He was primarily active in Chicago during the 1890s and remains a relatively obscure but fascinating figure in the history of personal magnetism, hypnotism, and early New Thought.

Who Was Lewis H. Anderson?

Detailed biographical information about Lewis H. Anderson is scarce. Sources describe him as an occult writer, “Magnetic Physician,” hypnotist, and advocate of self-improvement, personal magnetism, and vegetarianism. He served as Principal of the National Hygienic Institute (also known as the National Hygienic and Hypnotic Institute, National Institute of Science, or College of Psycho-Therapeutics). The institute was located in the famous Masonic Temple in Chicago, at the corner of State and Randolph Streets.

Anderson was married to Emma Todd Anderson. A portrait of him, dating from around 1888–1898, appears in several of his books, including Natural Way in Diet. One source suggests he died in 1914, although this date has not been firmly confirmed.

Ideas and Philosophy

Lewis H. Anderson’s work belongs to the transitional period between mesmerism, mental science, physical culture, and the early New Thought movement. His writings explore:

The power of thought
Personal magnetism as a cultivable force
Hypnosis as a tool for influence and healing
Mental and physical self-discipline
The development of latent human abilities

Anderson did not view personal magnetism as mere charisma. He presented it as a practical skill that could be developed through disciplined thinking, self-confidence, self-control, and the conscious direction of mental energy. He also strongly linked physical health with mental power and promoted a natural, largely vegetarian diet.

Major Books by Lewis H. Anderson

Most of Anderson’s books were published in Chicago between 1893 and the early 1900s, often under the imprint of his own institute. His best-known works include:

How to Win; or, Sure Secrets of Success (1893) Also published in expanded form as How to Win by the Aid of Personal Magnetism and Hypnotism. This is his most widely known title on success and personal influence.
Ancient Magic, Magnetism and Psychic Forces: The Key to Power (1895) One of his most frequently referenced works on occult forces and magnetism.
Marvels of Magnetism and Methods Old and New (1896)
How to Hypnotize (1896)
The Key to Mental and Physical Power (1897)
Natural Way in Diet, or The Proper Food of Man (1898) A strong advocacy of natural and vegetarian living.
Nature’s Secrets: For Men Only (1898)
Scientific Suggestion: The Secret of Success; Hypnotism, Its Uses and Abuses

Other titles associated with him include Occult Forces, The Silent Friend: A Key to Rapid and Honest Wealth, Society’s Secret Sins, The Mystery of Love, and Secrets for Lovers.

Availability of His Works

Many of Lewis H. Anderson’s books are now in the public domain. Digitized versions of How to Win and several other titles can be found on Internet Archive. Modern reprints (both print and PDF) are also available through specialized booksellers focusing on occultism, hypnotism, and early New Thought literature.

Why Lewis H. Anderson Still Matters

Although largely forgotten today, Anderson was an ambitious popularizer who tried to systematize techniques of personal influence, health, and success at a time when these ideas were moving from mesmerism into more psychological and practical forms. His books offer a valuable window into late 19th-century American self-culture, personal magnetism, and the early development of what would later become the self-help movement.

For readers interested in the history of hypnotism, personal magnetism, New Thought, or 19th-century occult literature, Lewis H. Anderson remains a worthwhile and understudied figure.