& Friends - Anthroposophical Society in America

What’s Happening inthe Rudolf Steiner LibraryJudith Soleil, Library DirectorBook Reviews. Here’s coeditor FredDennehy’s introduction to book reviewsthe library commissioned for this issue:John Keats’s concept of “negativecapability” animates both of the longerreviews in this issue. Christina Roottakes an exciting look at The RomanticEconomist: Imagination in Economics byRichard Bronk, a British professor ofEuropean political economy. A recentbestseller by Richard Holmes, The Age ofWonder, widely available in bookstoresand public libraries, investigates Romanticism’scontribution to the imaginativeperspective that informed the passionateand groundbreaking investigations (oftenby amateurs) of astronomy, chemistry,evolution, and other disciplines in thenineteenth century. Bronk, similarly,takes the usual literary understandingof Romanticism far afield—here into the“dismal science,” economics. As Ms. Rootpoints out so perceptively, the capacity tolive in uncertainty, which is the essence of“negative capability,” implies an opennessthat rejects the habitual assumption thatthe answer to any question—economic,scientific, or literary—must necessarilycome from the past.Our second review, by Joyce Reilly,surveys a number of fine new books oncurative education, all of which concernthe Camphill movement or its roots inRudolf Steiner’s curative education course.If there is a common theme among thesefive books it is the determination of RudolfSteiner, Karl Koenig, and Paul Marshall Allento look at children with special needsand developmental challenges with thedeep respect of an open eye, seeing themnot in the way they deviate from the restof humanity but for what they bring tohumanity, particularly in the way of newmeaning. Ms. Reilly, with her long-timedirect experience in curative care (reflectedin her writing), is especially suited tospeak about the movement in general andthese volumes in particular.Book reviews begin on page 10.Future. The society’s general councilappointed a task force last year to evaluatethe library’s space needs. Currentquarters, while lovely, are damp, cramped,and at risk for fire. The task force recentlyreported on their work, andthe council is consideringseveral options. We’ll keepyou posted.Automation continuesapace. There are now over9000 volumes in the library’sonline public access catalog:http://rsl.scoolaid.net . Contactus to create your own account,which will allow youto request books online.Preservation. Assistantlibrarian Judith Kiely is approachingher final year ofstudy for a master’s degreein library science. She recently attendeda preservation workshop in Albany, NY.Judith Soleil will attend a book repair workshopin December.Francis Edmunds. We recently receiveda set of vintage videocassettes: renownededucator Francis Edmunds lecturing onShakespeare, with illustrative scenesacted by Emerson College (Great Britain)students. We intend to have them transferredto DVD so that they can be enjoyedwidely. Unfortunately, number 6 in the setis damaged. Does anyone have a workingcopy we could borrowAlbert Steffen. We have extra copiesof hardcover editions of Albert Steffen’sworks in both English and German. Let usknow if you’d like to purchase any of these($10/volume includes shipping) and we’llsee if we have the titles you’re looking for.Top Ten! It’s interesting to see whatlibrary patrons are reading. The ten mostborrowedtitles in the past 11 months are:1. Zajonc, Arthur. Meditation as ContemplativeInquiry: When Knowing Becomes Love.2–4. Steiner, Rudolf. The Inner Realities ofEvolution; An Outline of Esoteric Science;Education as a Social Problem.5. Kühlewind, Georg. The Light of the” I”:Guidelines for Meditation.6-8. Steiner, Rudolf. The Fifth Gospel; KarmicRelationships, vol. 1 and vol. 6.9. Powell, Robert, and Kevin Dann. Christand the Maya Calendar: 2012 and the Comingof the Antichrist.10. York, Jamie. Making Math Meaningful: aMiddle School Math Curriculum for Teachersand Parents.Appeal. Please help the library end theyear on a firm footing. It’s not too late tohelp us meet our annual appeal goal for2009.Library AnnotationsBrief descriptions of new booksavailable from the Rudolf Steiner Library[js=Judith Soleil, jk=Judith Kiely]Anthroposophy—Rudolf SteinerEurythmy Forms for Tone Eurythmy,Volume IX, (K24), SteinerBooks, 2009,191 pgs.This volume, translated by Marsha Post,is a complete English edition of the Germanbibliographic # K24. Containing 160 reproductionsof Steiner’s original tone eurythmyforms, the book also includes an introductionby Dorothea Mier; the introduction fromthe German edition by Eva Fröbose; twoexcerpts from lectures by Steiner: “Music inComparison to the Other Arts” (December 3,1906; GA 283) and “The Experience of Majorand Minor” (February 19, 1924; GA 278); andan article by Hendrika Hollenbach, “The FirstBeginnings of Tone Eurythmy.” —jkThe Karma of Anthroposophy: RudolfSteiner, the Anthroposophical Societyand the Tasks of its Members, (from GA237, 238 & 240), compiled and edited byMargaret Jonas and Matthew Barton,Rudolf Steiner Press, 2009, 179 pgs.In this new compilation of lectures bySteiner from 1924 to members of the AnthroposophicalSociety, editors Margaret Jonasand Matthew Barton have brought togethermaterial that focuses on the karma ofsociety members and their task to revitalizecivilization. “Today humanity stands beforea great crisis: either it will see all civilizationcollapsing into the abyss, or else spiritualitywill raise civilization up by the power of the8 Evolving News for Members & Friends