The Universal Constant in Living was Alexander's fourth and last book. It contains his most mature and consummate thoughts on the Technique: knowledge accumulated in the course of more than 45 years of practical teaching experience. This edition consists of the complete text of Alexander's last (1946) edition with additional material from earlier editions and comprehensive notes. £ 35.00 (£30.00 directly from Mouritz)

Hardback, 416 pages, 22 b/w photos, 17 figures, 16 appendices.

More details: The Universal Constant in Living

To the original appendices are added reviews of the first edition of The Universal Constant in Living, and one appendix contains material which was omitted from the first edition.

Walter Carrington has written a new foreword for this edition. The introductory notes deals with Alexander's principle of wholeness and of prevention, the writing of The Universal as well as notes on changes in the text.

In addition, a substantial number of notes give information on people, places, events, and subjects referred to throughout the book. Comprehensive cross-references and a new, detailed index are also provided. As well as the original photographs the book contains additional illustrations. One of the photographs proves that Alexander (albeit unknowingly) used the wrong picture of the Army's standing-to-attention position.

Sample pages from books available in pdf.

Contents

• Foreword by Walter Carrington
  Recent Appreciations
  A Thanks Offering (First edition)
  Appreciation by George E. Coghill
  Preface to First Edition (1941)
  Preface to New Edition (1946)
  Introductory
  Introductory Notes by Jean M. O. Fischer
• The Universal Constant in Living
  i The Constant Influence of Manner of Use for Good or Ill
  ii The Constant Influence of Manner of Use in Relation to Diagnosis and Disease
  iii A Review of the Report of the Physical Education Committee of the British Medical Association
  Part 1: Fallacies and Limitations in Physical Culture
  Part 2: A New Technique for New Soldiers
  iv A Technique for Prevention
  v The Constant Influence of Manner of Use in Relation to Change
  Part 1: The Human Element
  Part 2: Procedures Involved in the Technique: First Principles in the Control of Human Reaction
  Part 3: The Fundamental Approach
  vi Physiology and Physiologists
  vii The Theory of "The Whole Man" and Its Counterpart in Practice
  viii An Osteopath's Idea of a New Technique
  ix The Test of Principle in New Ways for Old
  x A New Pattern and Working to Principle
  xi Stupidity in Living
  xii Knowing How to Stop
  xii In Conclusion
• Appendices
  a. Extract from Some Accomplishments of the Chemist by Thomas D. Hall
  b. Excerpts from The Function of the Sub-Occipital Muscles by Dr Andrew Murdoch
  c. Excerpts from Reorientation of the View Point Upon the Study of .i.anatomy;Anatomy by Dr Mungo Douglas
  d. Excerpts from an address by John Hilton
  e. Letters regarding tic douloureux
  f. Dr Wilfred Barlow on health and disease
  g. Excerpts from Bulletins from Britain
  h. Conference on Science, Philosophy and Religion in Their Relation to the Democratic Way of Life
  i. Text omitted from the 1946 edition
  j. Review "End-Gaining and Means Whereby" by Aldous Huxley
  k. Review "Finding the Whole Person" by Frank Pierce Jones
  l. Review "Power Through Posture" by Walter J. Millard
  m. Review "The Universal Constant in Living" in The Lancet
  n. Review "Conscious Control" Harry Roberts, with correspondence
  o. Review "A Product of Evolution" by Dr Mungo Douglas
  p. Review by K. A. Schrecker in Physical Education
• Notes (207 notes by Jean M. O. Fischer)
• References
• Bibliography
• Index

List of Illustrations

Frontispiece: F. M. Alexander in 1941
Plates:
1. Matthias Alexander, drawing by Ronald Searle, 1953
2. The Rowers
3. Correct and incorrect standing positions by the Army Physical Training Corps
4. "The Sgt. Major"
5. George E. Coghill
6. Wilfred Barlow
7. Anthony Ludovici
8. Lucy Mary Silcox
9. Aldous Huxley
10. Brigadier T. Wand-Tetley
11. Trigant Burrow, by courtesy
12. Eynon Smith,
13. Alma Frank
14. Raymond B. Fosdick,
15. Arthur J. Busch
16. Alexis Carrel
17. Joseph Rowntree
18. Dorothy Thompson
19. John Hilton
20. Thomas D. Hall

21. Margaret Goldie and F. Matthias Alexander
22. The Whitney Homestead

Endpaper: F. Matthias Alexander at 16, Ashley Place. Painting by Ruth Beardmore

Figures:
Figs. 1-8 Amblystoma structure and movement.
Fig. 9 The bearing-rein.
Fig. 10 Position of Attention in the Manual of Physical Training
Fig. 11 Position of Attention in the Manual of Physical Training
Figs. 12-15 Heart chambers.
Figs. 16-17 Sub-occipital muscles.

Tables:
Table 1 Approximation of the occipital protuberance to 7th vertebra in the process of sitting down.
Table 2 Childhood diseases in Germany and England and Wales for 1933, '35 and '37.

Book production notes

First published 1941 in the USA and in 1942 in the UK. Second edition 1943. Third edition 1946. Mouritz edition published June 2000.

416 pages. Hardback. 22 b/w photos, 17 figures, 16 appendices. 234 x 153 mm. Printed on 90gsm Antique White Wove and bound in Snowdon cloth with ribbon marker. ISBN 0–9525574–4–4.

Errata

Page 159, line 9
Read "responsibility" for "rsponsibility"

Missing from the bibliography:

Carrel, Alexis Man the Unknown (New York, Harper & Collins, 1937)

Reference no. 599, p. 339.

Read "Management" for "Managemnt"