Alexander Technique Books

Curiosity Recaptured: Exploring Ways We Think and Move brings the world of the Alexander Technique to life. For anyone interested in becoming more conscious of ways they move and think, the essays in this book, on subjects ranging from dance to chair design, back pain to walking, will help them look at their daily life in a new way. All the essays were written by teachers of the Alexander Technique, and there is a wonderful introductory essay by novelist Robertson Davies, written just a few months before he died.

These personal stories are so interesting and varied that the book almost reads as a short story anthology. Everyone's story is different and the changes and experiences quite unique in every chapter. This Alexander Technique book is unlike others I've read which describe and explain the Technique. The reader learns through others' personal histories what one might encounter in the course of learning more about oneself.

Curiosity Recaptured is a practical introduction to the Alexander Technique, an educational method that uncovers the ways specific tension patterns cause chronic pain and interfere with our balance and breathing. These tension patterns also affect what are thought of as our "mental" faculties: our ability to make a decision and then follow through on it, our level of confidence in learning something new, and our overall awareness of our surroundings. When we learn to stop these tension patterns, the resulting change can be dramatic. The essays chronicle this process of self-discovery in subjects ranging from dance, acting, and the pleasures of playing a flute to childbirth, cycling, and overcoming the fear of falling while walking. No matter what the activity, these essays demonstrate our ability to change ingrained patterns of movement and thought. A greater sense of freedom and curiosity in the world awaits the reader! Curiosity Recaptured is fascinating, insightful, challenging reading!

The Alexander Technique is well-known for improving posture, breathing and bringing about a general release and freedom of movement. Ordinary introductory books to the Technique explain the general principles, but generalities often leave out the individual. The Alexander Technique teaches a better use (muscular use, for example) of the self. The Technique is applied by the self, the individual, and no other modern book better brings out the variety of application possible than Curiosity Recaptured ­ Exploring Ways We Think and Move. This beautifully produced book contains 14 essays which have been written by experienced teachers of the Technique. Some of the subjects are dance, acting, playing the flute, childbirth, cycling, overcoming the fear of falling while walking, and meeting the unexpected. Many well-known teachers have contributed, including Edward Avak, Deborah Caplan, Walter Carrington, Mary Holland, Ron Murdock and Alex Murray. The beauty of the essays consists in showing not only how the Technique is applied by the individual, for the individual, but also how the Technique has helped people to observe and learn, discover and rediscover interests, skills, capacities and, above all, one¹s self (one¹s true nature in popular jargon). As Robertson Davies writes in the foreword: It [The Technique] is an enlargement of whatever life may be yours. As the Technique unlocks tension patterns, it brings out our sense of wonder and our delight in wondering. This particular characteristic of the Technique may be well-known among its practitioners but is not known generally, and it has certainly not been written about so extensively until now. Curiosity Recaptured allows you to share the authors¹ experiences of joy in learning and in being curious. Be curious about this book. It deserves your curiosity.Jean M. O. Fischer

Jesse Alexander is probably one of the greatest motorsports photographers around. This book is a wonderful way to enjoy his work. In short, he his the Ansel Adams of motorsports photography. While the content is enough to getting any race fans blood going, the photography is spectacular. He's a photographer's photographer.

John Thawley - [...]

"Driven" by Jesse Alexander is an outstanding photo-journal of the author's journey through the world of Formula One racing in the fifties and sixties. The text, captions and photography are first-class. Highly recommended!

The opportunity to view a collection from such a vibrant time in motorsports history, by a noted and aclaimed photographer, should be seized. Any die-hard racing enthusiast is certain to appreciate the many vantage points of the photos in gaining a sense of what the period was truly like.

First, a disclaimer: my desk faces framed prints of Fangio at Monaco, 1956, and Fangio at Reims, 1958 by Jesse Alexander, and my copy of the sadly out-of-print LOOKING BACK is signed by the photographer and Juan Manuel Fangio. But even if names like Jean Behra and Wolfgang von Trips are unfamiliar, anyone with a love of sport and a sense of nostalgia for a less populated and more hopeful late '50's Europe will be enthralled by DRIVEN. Jesse Alexander's timing and composition are peerless, capturing not just the machines, but the souls of the men who risked their lives for sport in the optimistic days between the Second World War and Vietnam. The familiar images of Gurney, Moss, and Fangio brim with vigor and confidence. The images of the great Jimmy Clark verge on the iconic. Perhaps my favorite image is that of the Porsche team's garage at Le Mans in 1959: the French street urchins in the background are right out of the RED BALOON. I could go on, but perhaps the best review of the work in the book is the forward by Sir Stirling Moss, whose eloquent reminiscences and insights stand in stark contrast to the bone-headed comments we see from today's "Karting With Bernie" racing drivers. The layout and printing would be superb at four times the price--this book is a must-have, and the first edition is sure to sell out. If you love racing, buy it!

Excellent book on Systems Engineering covering Development, Post-Development (Production, Operation and Support), Systems Engineering Management, Software Systems Engineering and Decision Tools on the same book.

I believe it is coherent with its goal: "help students learn how to think like systems engineers".

It is easy to read and has exercises at the end of each chapter.

I recommend it for both students and practitioners.

This book is a great text for those interested in learning or expanding your knowledge of systems engineering. Well presented with sound explanations on the concepts. My company has multiple copies in use. Highly recommended.

I have just completed the JHU program in Systems Engineering. This book is the foundation for the curriculum and is a very readable, solid overview of Systems Engineering. All phases of the system life-cycle are introduced and tied together to truly illustrate the process. The book focuses on processes, the tools used will change, but good Systems Engineering will stay the same. The process to derive good requirements that are able to be implemented and tested are the same regardless of technology or field.

Useful in many of my process definition tasks. Essential text for any System Engineer.

Where F. M. Alexander's own writings read almost like philosophy, Dimon's book is more grounded, with the feel of a psychology textbook. It's a distinctly objective approach, an argument for the Technique with the logical impact of a medical journal.

Cautious or skeptical people who hear the success stories of others who have overcome physical problems with the Alexander Technique say, "OK, so what is the technique? How does it work?" It can be hard to get a straight answer - it's a complicated issue, and in any event the only way to really understand the Technique is to experience it for yourself with a teacher. If an intellectual introduction is what you're after, though, and if your approach to this sort of thing is more empirical, this is the book for you.

AS A PSYCHOTHERAPIST I AM ALWAYS SEEING THE DISASTROUS EFFECTS OF THE MIND AT WAR WITH THE BODY. I HAVE ALWAYS URGED MY PATIENTS TO TRY AND INTEGRATE THE ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE AS PART OF THE THERAPEUTIC PROCESS TO RESOLVE THIS BATTLE. THEODORE DIMON, A NOTED ALEXANDER PRACTICIONER AND TEACHER (WHO HAS HIS OWN SCHOOL IN BOSTON) HAS WRITTEN A BOOK ANYONE INVOLVED IN HEALING THE MIND BODY DIVIDE MUST READ. IT WILL HELP PATIENT AND HEALER ALIKE. I URGE PEOPLE TO READ IT AND FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE.

This is the finest book available explaining the deeper significance of the mind/body work done by F. Mathias Alexander, creator of the Alexander Techinque. But what I liked most about reading it was its wonderfully fresh perspective on age-old human problems. For thousands of years, philoshophers have pondered the human condition from the standpoint of someone sitting under a tree. What Dimon sees is that perhaps our greatest gift is our ability to decide to get up. From his perspective, how and where we go tells us more about who we are than we might ever have thought possible. I urge anyone curious about life and eager to improve his or her own to give this book a try.

Ted Dimon has written the definitive mind/body book, explaining how it is possible to reduce stress and tension by learning to gain a greater awareness in living. He articulates his view by conceiving of mind and body as a functional system which can be brought under conscious control, making possible, not simply therapeutic improvement in health, but the potential for becoming fully conscious of action and behavior. The book also provides the foundation for a theory of stress that recognizes the possibility for education, and not treatment, as the basis for identifying the causes of stress.

This book made me feel like I was part of this
amazing, ground breaking, informative conversation. I learned
an immense amount, and it served as a great compliment
to my weekly lessons.

In this book, Murrays shared their unique insights in connecting Raymond Dart's developmental process and movement with F.M. Alexander's technique. From it,I got a much clear understanding of "mechanical advantage" and the technique of F.M. Alexander. I also treasure Murray's emphasis in a dynamic process rather than a fix or static position. The editor did a great job in footnotes and photos that link and clarify various references. This book is a must read for anyone interested in Alexander Technique, poise and movement. An understanding of Alexander technique and reading in Raymond Dart's "skill and Poise" may be required to appreciate the messages conveyed in this book.

This book ranks right up there with the works of Walter Carrington as required reading for any serious student and all teachers of the Alexander Technique (second only, of course, to Alexander's own books). I have had the amazing experience of having had a few lessons with the Murrays and can attest to the value of their "Dart procedures" for me personally. This tightly edited, easy-to-read book is the only comprehensive, written account of the Murrays' work with the technique. It details the genesis of the "Dart procedures," their basis in core Alexander technique principles and practical tips for the student and teacher. The numerous photographs are a critical aid to understanding. (Not for beginners. This book will likely be beyond those who have had no lessons in the technique.)

this is a great book about an exceptional technique
there is a 2003 printing which can be purchased new

One the best books on the Alexander Technique, including a good biography of FM Alexander. Also read Body Learning by Michael Gelb.

I wrote this plug for the reading recommendations in Barbara Conable's "How to Learn the Alexander Technique." My recommendation still holds.

To date, the richest and most informative book on the Technique. Jones reviews the history of the Technique, summarizes Alexander's books, gives an account of his own experiences as student, trainee and teacher, and gives a short presentation of the contents of his 31 published experimental papers. Some beginners may find this book a little rich for their blood, but this is the one to take to that desert island; the superb bibliography alone is worth the price of the book. Required reading for serious students and teachers.

My problem with this book is that it contains so much. Joseph Campbell would occasionally begin a talk with"The greatest truths cannot be spoken, the lesser are always misunderstood." Before you read on, listen to the Casals recordings of Bach Suites, and if possible place yourself in the hands of a teacher of Alexander's work. In her quest for the art of "Playing Naturally" Vivien was guided by one remarkable teacher and the spirit of another. Alexander had died by the time her three years with Casals were over. Casals metaphors were drawn from Nature, Alexander found the natural "use of the self" in his search for the skill to give expression to the genius of Shakespeare.
Vivien's lesson by lesson account of her relationship with Casals is unique in biographical writings on Casals. Accounts of lessons with Alexander are available from a variety of distinguished sources. This is the first time two such important influences have been united in the sympathetic environment of a conversation between friends. It is a valuable contribution to available writing on the Alexander Work and Music.

For most of us, Pablo Casals exists only through recordings. It's wonderful to encounter him alive through the living voice of Vivien Mackie--to imagine her in a high window-ledge in Prades as he made his magnificent recording of the Schumann Cello Concerto, to hear him regretfully but kindly telling this brilliant new student, "You do not know what you are doing," to learn how she learns his great lesson: "Do only what is necessary." Often, she found, "doing what was necessary meant doing a great deal more than I had ever done before," but sometimes it meant doing a great deal less. Her conversations with Joe Armstrong show us that "doing more" must include a patient but insistently revealing discipline that can allow the musician to "see all the colours and shades" of the music, "and all the texture, where it tightens, where it loosens and where the turning moments are,...to take time to examine it and bring it all into being." "Doing less" means "getting rid of clutter"--not just "questionable intonation,...and inadequate articulation, and any sort of doubt" in the playing, but also, and chiefly, any habitual clutter of mind and body that might prevent a release of "life and energy." The lesson applies beyond music.

I've been with the Alexander Technique with over a year now and during this period I have read many books and articles on the subject along with specific approaches on how to apply it to music playing. This book goes beyond the Technique and has very little *direct* mention of it (which I personally loved). It is based more on Vivien Mackie's experience with reconnecting herself to her instrument and a deepened, if not different, approach in HOW she learned, play and interpret music.

Some of the principles she learned from Casals *resonate* with some principles of the Alexander Technique. But as Nelly Ben-Or, pianist and AT teacher, says "in music making so many different elements have to come together and an improved, consciously directed use is but one of them". I have a DVD with a Vivien Mackie masterclass and she goes on by saying that "Through intelligent training of something other than the head and neck you can actually achieve the use, I believe". This is clearly exposed in this book. How Casals brought life back to her fingers without the head-neck-back experience of the Alexander Technique. The Technique is about removing unwanted habits that can help music playing but these bad habits usually show up because of poor music technique itself. So removing the "clutter", as Mackie puts it, does not solve technical limitations as AT teachers are not trained to give music technique. One of the things I learned from this book is the importance of how the player relates to the instrument and how much understanding of this relationship is necessary to overcome plateaus in the learning curve.

Also, one of the things I loved about the book is that it doesn't have a patronising "I am the panacea" attitude like some other AT books I have read. The ideas presented in the book were real experiences and therefore very practical and not just another theoretical "apply the AT principles contained in this book and the right thing will do itself". Some elements here have reinforced certain ideas that I read from Nelly Ben-Or in that music making goes beyond simple mechanical execution and beyond the Alexander Technique. In fact, I don't consider this book an AT book at all because it is written with very little direct mentioning of the Technique and in a language anyone can understand. This is truly a life experience in print.

This book introduces the reader to the people and processes involved in the production of manuscripts, and is interesting as a resource for methods of book production as much as it is for the insight it gives into the lives of the very real people whose efforts and whose lives went into the production of books by hand. With more than enough information to interest the scholar, this book is at the same time extremely accesible to the average reader interested in the subject. I would reccomend this as a textbook and as a good read, but would suggest that a reader have a good guide, such as Michelle Brown's Understanding Illuminated Manuscripts on hand, in order to best understand every facet of the material being presented. The book is clear and well-written, but a deeper understanding of the finished product adds greatly to the value of reading about their creators. This is a book I am proud to have on my bookshelf, for its readability, its attractiveness, and its value as a source for interesting historical information.

whether you are interested in the typical lives, education, training, as well as social status of the people whose work became immortal or in the techniques and tools used to create the magnificent pages.. this is a well written and interesting read. beautiful photographs of works in various levels of completion, numerous countries, schools and eras combined with well researched documentation and critiques makes this book an excellent resource. focusing mainly on the creation of illumination and explaining the lives of those creating the page, covering multiple aspects of training, techniques and changing social status throughout the decades leads to an overall thorough understanding. you will walk away not only being able to understand the illuminated page, its signifigance and constructuion but also those who toiled to creatre it. whether an art history lover, in love with the illuminated page or interested in the lives of people who lived centuries ago this book is a wonderful addition to you personal library. i wish my art history books were this well written.

Medieval Illuminators has been invaluable to my own studies and construction of illuminated manuscripts. The author presents a timeline of the history of illuminated manuscripts, their layout, methods of construction and their purpose, couched within a socio-cultural context of the eras in which the manuscripts were constructed. I found the large reproductions of key manuscripts extremely helpful in identifying the minute brush strokes of the white work, which is often difficult to discern in smaller reproductions. The enlargements also provided lovely details of designs and images that are not easily observed in non-enlarged reproductions. Lastly, I appreciated the author's discussion of the monastic book lending tradition for the purposes of copying manuscripts to expand a library's holdings on a particular subject and the inclusion of illustrations to demonstrate this practice. This is a must have for anyone pursuing the study of this literary and artistic tradition.

This is an excellent work which covers both conventional
and alternative medicinal protocols. The author describes
the various massage methodologies which involve the
artful manipulation of soft tissue to achieve healing.
The craniosacral rhythmic therapies are described as part of
a spinal realignment regimen. In 1997, the author describes
how the National Institutes of Health released findings of
a "Consensus Panel reflecting the opinions of many experts on
acupuncture for pain. The panel found 'clear and promising
evidence' that acupuncture helps to relieve low back pain."
The book describes how Boswelia relieves chronic colitis.
In addition, the atherosclerosis protocol shows how the
condition may be prevented with a low fat diet, increased
intake of fruits and vegetables and various bridge techniques
of both conventional and alternative medicinal protocols
utilized in unison.

As a fellow medical writer, I'm very impressed with the information presented in this book, and with its easy-to-follow format. Besides telling the stories of various individuals who have found relief for their conditions with combinations of allopathic and complementary medicine, Weisman and Berman give readers detailed backgrounds of treatments/techniques such as meditation, Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine in sections called "A Closer Look." "What's the Evidence?" sections concisely summarize the published research on various treatment modalities. The "Take Action" sections offer practical advice for patients coping with pain, aging, cancer, menopause and childhood illnesses. Weisman's candor about her own recovery, as well as about her son's challenges facing a chronic illness, engages and empowers readers in a way that most self-help medical books cannot and do not. Whether you are a patient yourself, or are simply reading this to become better informed, you will surely own your health by the end of the book. Bravo to both Weisman and Berman.

Own Your Health: Choosing The Best From Alternative & Conventional Medicine is a solidly written, nicely organized, and truly "reader friendly" guide to understanding and making choices among alternative and conventional medical treatments. Anecdotes, judgmental weighing of facts and statistics, pros and cons, and so much more fill the pages of this compendium of information. Own Your Health is a quite excellent and very highly recommended resource -- especially for those wrestling with chronic ills with symptoms that resist standard medical treatments.

Rescue at Engine 32 is one of the most inspiring books I have read in years. Jessica Locke's search to find a way to help Engine 32 firefighters in New York after 9/11 brings about many emotions, ups and downs. My husband and dad are retired Captains from the New Orleans Fire Department (NOFD), my brothers are both Captains of the NOFD, and several cousins as well. I thought that this impacted my emotions brought about when reading it but now that several friends with no connection to any firefighters have read the book, I know different. All were truly inspired and were also very emotional when discussing Rescue at Engine 32. Jessica Locke is truly an amazing woman. I thank her for sharing her life and being such an inspiration. It is hard to believe that we can do just about anything we set our minds to if we just give it a shot. She proved this to be true. I believe she still has more to come. Again, thanks.

This is the story of Jessica Locke's journey to New York City's Ground Zero, where she felt drawn to following the Terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. She responded the only way she knew how to - as a person who had suffered a great deal of pain in her own life. She could sense the collective pain of the victims that called from the smoky pile at Ground Zero. She knew about pain and suffering from her own past. True, there was little she could do for those murdered except to pay her respects. But there were "other" victims. There were the rescue and recovery workers who had been through a terrible tragedy, yet they would not acknowledge it. They could not. They were in "rescue" mode. Day in and day out. They were in denial. Jessica knew how this event would eventually affect these workers if they were left untreated.

Jessica would rely on her abilities as a practitioner of the Alexander Technique to try to help those that would accept her help. It would be difficult to "help" such strong and capable figures. But she approached them with a great grace, and surprisingly, she would be welcomed into a New York City firehouse during one of the most defining moments in the history of firefighting.

This is a story of unprecedented access given to a special woman who was able to gain the trust of a firehouse recovering from the loss of 343 colleagues, four of who were members of their own firehouse. From shopping with the Company for meals, to eating with them; from going on "runs", to sitting in the kitchen observing the interaction of firehouse culture, Jessica has immortalized what it was like to be inside an FDNY firehouse following the events of 9/11. Jessica has become a part of that big family that is known as "The New York City Fire Department".

Read the book. Enjoy it. Marvel at this "true" story of joys that made her feel like a little girl again, and moments of sorrow that reminded her of what brought her to New York City in the first place.

And how do I know that this is a "true" story? Well, I used to work in the very firehouse in which this story takes place....

Lt. Joseph T. McMahon
FDNY (Ret)

I live in New York and needless to say, I along with my family were profoundly effected by the tragic events of Sept. 11th.

I have a one year-old daughter at home, and started reading this book in the morning over breakfast. Throughout the day I found myself reading more and more and by bedtime the book was finished.

I found this book to be an easy page-turner. The author gracefully goes back and forth between her childhood and the present. As I was reading along, I would find myself in tears one moment and laughing out loud the next. Through her words, I felt the admiration she had and still has for the members of Engine 32. She also has great courage to let us (the reader) into her own personal and intimate past.

This book is so beautifully written that I (as a reader) know for a fact that it came straight from the heart!