Doctor's prescription to a medicine worth £12 million

Samuel Smiles had no idea what he was starting when he sat down in his Victorian study to begin writing what would become his seminal work.

Spurred by a fervent conviction that self-improvement was within the grasp of us all, the Haddington-born social reformer set about committing to paper what amounted to a rallying call to the nation.

He would call the book Self-Help and, rather appropriately, published it himself, in 1859 after the mainstream book industry turned him down.

The decision to reject Dr Smiles turned out to be the 19th-century equivalent of the publisher who snubbed JK Rowling.

Self-help was a phenomenon almost as soon as it hit the shelves. A staggering 20,000 copies sold in its first year alone and by the time of Smiles' death it had outsold Charles Darwin's On The Origin Of The Species by ten to one.

The book turned the campaigning author into a celebrity - and a future industry was born.

Today, more than 150 years on, the self-help genre shifts millions of books, particularly at this time of year. The grand idea behind the original self-help tome might seem particularly Victorian to some. Extolling the virtues of hard work and self-responsibility, its message was, "Heaven helps those who help themselves."

Born in Haddington just before Christmas in 1812, Smiles' philosophy owed much to his austere Scottish upbringing. The eldest son in a family of 11 children, his love of self-education and reliance was partly shaped by his mother's ability to raise a large family on slender means after the death of his father, Samuel Smiles senior, in 1832. Originally trained as a doctor, Smiles ventured into journalism in 1839, taking a particular interest in self-betterment after becoming editor at the Leeds Times.

Noticing a drive among his fellow citizens to improve their wealth and power, but a disinterest in furthering their education, he embarked on a series of lectures to young men's societies. Describing knowledge as "one of the greatest enjoyments", he advocated a passion for self-education that was far more alien in his adopted England than it would have been in his native Scotland.

Smiles is said to have captivated his audiences, but despite his popularity it would be 20 years before his famous book would be published, and only then after being rejected by the Routledge publishing house. The enthusiasm with which Self-Help was eventually received was not limited to Britain. In Italy, then-Prime Minister Count Menabrea ordered his authorities to write a selection of self-help books based on Smiles' title, while in America "Self Help" was adopted into the common school libraries, starting off that country's love affair with the subject. Nothing like it had been seen before, with its easy-to-grasp principles and its promise of better to come.

Now though it is a completely different story. If the good doctor was able to walk into any city bookstore and browse the shelves, possibly with a section dedicated to works on self-help, he would surely, well, smile.

He may though struggle to recognise the influence of his own work in the genre today, with titles such as The Rules of Love by Richard Templar, I Can Make You Rich by Paul McKenna, You Can Heal Your Life by Louise L Hay and The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin among the best-sellers.

Some may seem more weird than wonderful, but does that mean the self-help books of today should be written off? The book-reading public clearly don't think so. In recent years, the industry has generated 12 million annually for UK publishing houses, while in the United States the market is said to be worth 10 billion.

Edinburgh-based life coach Gail Bryden has read many self-help books since first picking up Paulo Coelho's cult bestseller The Alchemist seven years ago.

"They're a good starting point. People can't make change unless they're aware that there's something else they can be doing," she says. "It's like watching cookery programmes, it's not going to make you a great chef straight away.

"The areas people most often want help with is relationships or more happiness. I think people are starting to realise that material gains bring material things, but not necessarily happiness."

But self-help books are not without their critics. Australian author Rhonda Byrne's 2006 book The Secret attracted fierce criticism that it was offering false hope to readers who might need more conventional help.

Although they have been around for a century and a half, self-help books are still considered a relatively new-age, spiritual thing, says Gail Bryden.

"That can sit uncomfortably with some people," she says. "I think the books are trying to allow you to think about how you think about your life. People want them to answer the bigger questions. At the beginning of the new year we're met with this paradox of feeling that anything's possible and 'here we go again'."

One thing is for sure, self-help books have become a part of our lives.

"We promote these books quite heavily at this time of year, and every year they kickstart the sales in books," says Jon Howells of Waterstone's. "Samuel Smiles created a genre that's lasted and keeps on growing. It's an integral part of any good shop."

Is this the kind of help you need?

Why Men Don't Have a Clue and Women Always Need More Shoes by Barbara and Allan Pease - addresses a host of battle grounds, from channel surfing and toilet seats to shopping and communication.

Beauty Fades, Dumb is Forever by Judge Judy Sheindlin - a New York Times best seller by reality TV star Judge Judy.

Women Who Run With The Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes - Estes explores the psychic bond shared by women and wolves to explore the archetype of the Wild Woman while addressing relationships, self-image, and even addiction.

Chicken Soup for the Soul by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen - an international bestseller.