Norman Vincent Peale (May 31, 1898 – December 24, 1993) was an American minister and author who is best known for his work in popularizing the concept of positive thinking, especially through his best-selling book "The Power of Positive Thinking". He served as the pastor of Marble Collegiate Church, New York, from 1932 until 1984, leading a Reformed Church in America congregation. Peale was a personal friend of President Richard Nixon and several other American presidents and was awarded the Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, by President Ronald Reagan in 1984.