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Author listings with pictures: C
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The descriptions were written by Jean M. O. Fischer and do not represent
or necessarily reflect the opinions of the publishers and authors. |
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| Caplan, Deborah (1931-2000) |
| Caplan specialized in using the Technique to help people with back problems. The Technique is introduced, and such conditions as spinal disc problems, arthritis, muscle pain, scoliosis, pinched nerves and sciatica are discussed. Many photographs and drawings illustrate the preventative positions and gentle exercises which are recommended for people with pain or discomfort in any part of their spine. Caplan trained and practised as a physiotherapist before she became a teacher of the Technique. |
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Deborah Caplan*
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Back Trouble
- A new approach to prevention and recovery based on the Alexander Technique
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| 1987 pb, 201 pages, illustrated, 234 x 155 mm, index, USA, Triad Publishing.
In print.
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| Richly illustrated guide for people with back pain. |
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| Carrington, Walter H. M. (1915-2005) |
| Walter Carrington began his diary on his return to Ashley Place after the War and it records his life as an assistant teacher, both giving private lessons and working on Alexander’s training course. Carrington’s preface explains the background and the setting for the diary which covers the period of March to November 1946 with an additional entry from 1947. It catches the atmosphere of the time as well as providing some interesting Alexander quotations. The book includes a list of students on Alexander’s course 1931–55, facsimile of the prospectus, an introductory pamphlet to the Technique from 1951 and 30 pages of notes with additional information on events and people referred to in the diary. |
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Walter H. M. Carrington*
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A Time to Remember
- A personal diary of teaching the F. M. Alexander Technique in 1946
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| 1996 hb, 112+xvi pages, 1 b/w photo, index, 224 x 144 mm, UK, The Sheildrake Press.
In print: Constructive Teaching Centre.
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| A record of Carrington's life as an assistant teacher at Ashley Place, giving private lessons and working on Alexander’s training course. |
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| The first article (1941) is a comparative study of the work of Alexander and Dr. Coghill on the physiology of behaviour. Coghill makes a distinction between a “total pattern” and a “partial pattern” of an organism’s behaviour. Alexander’s technique is seen as a conscious way of co-ordinating partial patterns and thereby avoiding internal behavioural conflict – a prerequisite for well-being.
The second article (c. 1950) describes Magnus’ work and its connection to Alexander’s work. Magnus investigated the factors controlling the changes of animal posture in relation to gravity and on the muscular tone which maintains posture. In particular he researched the factors concerning: 1) Reflex standing, 2) Normal distribution of tone, 3) Attitude, and 4) Righting function. Carrington summarizes his findings and considers the possible relationship between Magnus’ “central apparatus” and the primary control.
The style of writing is very much of its time and the modern reader may find it unfamiliar.
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Walter H. M. Carrington*
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The Foundations of Human Well-Being
& The Work of Professor Magnus and the F. Matthias Alexander Technique
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| 1994 pb, 64 pages, A5, UK, STAT Books.
In print: STAT publications.
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| The first article (1941) is on the work of Alexander and Dr. Coghill and the second article (c. 1950) describes Magnus’ work and its connection to Alexander’s work. |
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| The text of this pamphlet was edited (from a manuscript by Ron Brown) by Walter Carrington who trained with Alexander in 1936-39 and worked with him from 1946 to 1955. It includes a list of some of Alexander’s famous pupils. |
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Walter H. M. Carrington*
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F. Matthias Alexander 1869-1955
- A Biographical Outline
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| 1979 bklt, 8 pages, A5, UK, The Sheildrake Press
In print: Constructive Teaching Centre.
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| A short biography from a manuscript written in the 1940s. |
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| Our upright posture and its maintenance is discussed from an evolutionary point of view. Carrington argues that our unique upright stance has affected the functioning of the whole body. It is not realised to what extent we owe our intelligence to our upright posture, nor how much the use of our thinking affects our posture. A very thoughtful paper on a subject rarely addressed. |
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Walter Carrington*
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Balance as a Function of Intelligence
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| 1970 bklt, 16 pages, A5, UK, The Sheildrake Press
In print: Constructive Teaching Centre.
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| On how much we owe our intelligence to our upright posture, and how much the use of our thinking affects our posture. |
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| The Centenary Memorial Lecture is Carrington’s assessment of Alexander and his work. It contains a history of Alexander’s life, dwells on his individualism, faults and virtues. Also contains many amusing anecdotes from Alexander’s life and ends with a brief consideration of his work. |
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Walter H. M. Carrington*
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Man's Future as an Individual
- The centenary memorial lecture
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| 1969 bklt, 12 pages, A5, UK, The Sheildrake Press
In print: Constructive Teaching Centre.
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| A very readable assessment of Alexander and his work. |
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| An introduction to the Alexander Technique, explaining in depth its three main aspects: reasoned inhibition, conscious direction and the primary control. Carrington points out how each stage of the Technique can be subject to empirical verification. He argues that it is in the sphere of education that the Technique will find its most important application. |
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Walter H. M. Carrington*
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F. Matthias Alexander Technique
- A Means of Understanding Man
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| 1963 (1970) bklt, 16 pages, A5, UK, The Sheildrake Press
In print: Constructive Teaching Centre.
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| An introduction to the Alexander Technique, explaining in depth reasoned inhibition, conscious direction and the primary control. |
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| Alexander’s writings are used as a springboard to discuss not only what Alexander meant by certain passages and what he did not mean, but also to answer critics of Alexander and his books. The value of some present-day approaches to teaching is discussed and Carrington draws on his experiences in evaluating them which he does forthrightly. Alexander’s writings are put in their historical context - sometimes with anecdotes - in order to explain the development of the Technique and Alexander’s approach. Covers many topics from anatomy to zen, e.g. hands on the back of a chair, the nature of the primary control and the role of words in giving directions. Second and revised edition. |
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Walter H. M. Carrington* + Sean Carey*
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Explaining the Technique
- The Writings of F. Matthias Alexander
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| 1992 (2004), 193 pages, pb, illustrated, UK, Mouritz.
In print: Mouritz.
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| Question and answers on Alexander's writings by one of the foremost exponents on the Technique. |
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| First published as Walter Carrington on the F. M. Alexander Technique in discussion with Seán Carey in 1986. Walter Carrington conveys the historical context of the Technique; specifically, he describes the origins of some of the basic procedures. He relates how Alexander taught, and discusses developments in his 55-year teaching career, both in private lessons and in his training course. The use of hands in teaching is discussed in detail. The appendix contains Carrington’s diary of his first lessons with Alexander in 1935. Enlarged and revised edition. Index. |
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Walter H. M. Carrington* + Sean Carey*
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Personally Speaking
- Walter Carrington on the F. M. Alexander Technique in discussion with Sean Carey
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| 1986 (2001) pb, 148+xii pages, 196 x 126 mm, UK, Mouritz.
In print: Mouritz.
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| Discussions on the origins and developments of the Technique and on many aspects of teaching. |
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| This may regarded as the second volume of “Thinking Aloud.” It contains talks given to trainees on the many aspects of teaching and living the Technique. Some of the 29 talks are titled: Thinking to do, General functioning, The primary wish, Forward and up, Knees forward and away, The length and the width, Walking, Yin and yang, Establishing a total pattern, Responsibility, Gravitation, and Saying and meaning no. Foreword by the “postural” physiologist Tristan Roberts and an introduction by Glynn Macdonald, and biographies. |
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Walter Carrington* + Jerry Sontag* (ed.)
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The Act of Living
- Talks on the Alexander Technique
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| 1999 hb, 188 pages, 148 x 223 mm, USA, Mornum Time Press. 0964435233.
In print: Mornum Time Press.
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| This "second volume" of Thinking Aloud contains 29 talks given to trainees on the many aspects of teaching and living the Technique. |
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| This books contains 25 extemporaneous talks given by Carrington to his students on his training course for the purpose of clarifying particular aspects of the practice and teaching of the Technique. They have been selected and edited by Jerry Sontag from transcribed copies of his talks in the period 1966-90. Some of the titles are: “The Importance of a Teacher’s Use,” “Lengthening in Stature,” “Teaching Directions to Beginners,” “Lengthening and Widening,” “Knees Going Forward and Away,” “Hands on the Back of the Chair,” “Directing the Neck and Head,” “Whispered Ahs,” “Teaching the First Lesson,” “Breathing,” “Generating the Energy to Go Up” and “The Demand of the Constant.” Accessible, concentrated, distilled knowledge of 50 years’ teaching experience. |
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Walter Carrington* + Jerry Sontag* (ed.)
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Thinking Aloud
- Talks on Teaching the Alexander Technique
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| 1994 hb, 160 pages, 148 x 223 mm, USA, Mornum Time Press.
In print: Mornum Time Press.
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| 25 extemporaneous talks given by Carrington to his training course students for the purpose of clarifying particular aspects of the practice and teaching of the Technique. |
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| Chance, Jeremy |
| A book from a series called “First Directions”. This is a concise version of the author’s first book, Principles of Alexander Technique. Large-size text with plenty of pictures in modern “simple object, simple colour” style: nature scenes or, if showing people, uncluttered with serene blue backgrounds. Most of the pictures don’t add anything to the text. Minimalism pervades, and although it is almost a case of style over contents, the text is none the worse for being shorter. |
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Jeremy Chance*
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The Alexander Technique
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| 2001 hb, 90 pages, ill., 171 x 176 mm, UK, Thorsons
Out of print.
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| A brief introductory book with lots of serene pictures and a text in large lettering. |
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| An introductory book with a cheerful writing style. The chapter on “Physiology of Movement” explains the Technique in terms of fatigable and non-fatigable muscles. The chapter “Teaching Lineages” provides a biography of Walter Carrington, Patrick Macdonald and Marjorie Barstow plus a description of the teaching style of each lineage. Two chapters describe how to work on oneself in order to make the same discoveries that Alexander did (relying more on feeling than on observation (mirror) though). Basic terms are introduced and explained. |
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Jeremy Chance*
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Principles of the Alexander Technique
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| 1998 pb, 162+x pages, pb, ill., 195 x 130 mm, UK, Thorsons. 0722537050.
In print: Jeremy Chance via amazon.co.uk.
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| An introductory book with a cheerful writing style. |
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| This includes key-note addresses, memorial talks and 19 of the workshops from the 3rd International Alexander Congress in Switzerland in 1991.
Michael Frederick “Reflections on Coordinating the International Congresses”, Lena Frederick “Welcoming Introduction”, Frank Ottiwell “Keynote Address”, Deborah Caplan “Our Dancing Motor Units”, Glynn Macdonald “Keynote Address”, Eleanor Rosenthal “Judith Leibowitz: Her Legacy”, Yehuda Kuperman “A Presentation on the Work of Patrick Macdonald”, John T. Maltsberger “Good Fences Make Good Neighbors”, Laura Huxley & Cheryl Pappas “Tribalistic Thinking: Enslavement or Freedom?”, Mary Cox “Fixation and Fear of Change”, Patrick Wall “Movement in Context”, Malcolm Balk “Running and the Alexander Technique”, Hil Boode “The Cranio-Sacral System”, William Conable “Body Mapping”, Ron Dennis “Breath as Postural Process”, Bruce Fertman “In Celebration of the Alexander Technique”, Stacy Gehman “Finding a Way to Know”, David Garlick “A Medical Scientist's View”, David Gorman “Experience and Experiments”, Elizabeth Huebner “Facilitating Emotional Release During Alexander Lessons”, Neal Katz “Dysfunction in Our Alexander Family”, Catherine Kettrick “Great Writers of the Western World: F. M. Alexander”, Marie-Françoise Le Foll “The Work of Etienne Guillé”, Catherine Madden “Exploring Our Responses in Personal Interactions”, David M. Mills “Chaos and Coordination: The Alexander Technique and the New Science of Complexity”, Lucia Walker “Contact Improvisation”, William Walsh “Negotiating a Livelihood”, Donald Weed “Let's Get Rid of 'Group Teaching'“, Douglass Price-Williams “A Matter of Balance”, David Garlick “Looking Towards the Fourth International Congress”.
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Jeremy Chance* (ed.)
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The Congress Papers:
A Spirit of Learning Together - 3rd International Congress 1991
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| 1992 pb,174 pages, pb, illustrated: b/w photos, Australia, Direction
In print: Direction.
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| This includes key-note addresses, memorial talks and 19 of the workshops, in total 30 papers. |
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| A collection of 29 papers from 6 speakers and 24 workshops given at the 2nd International Congress in 1988.
Michael Frederick: “Towards Unity”, Erika Whittaker: “Keynote Address”, David Garlick: “A Physiologist Looks at the Alexander Technique”, George Trevelyan: “Act. Don't React”, Shmuel Nelken: “Post-Graduate Study for Alexander Teachers”, Douglass Price Williams: “Loss of Innocence”, Lizzie Atkinson: “The Dynamics of Communication”, Kathleen Ballard: “The Alexander Technique and Postural Reflexes”, Nilly Bassan: “Different Approaches to Similar Conclusions: Alexander Technique and Chinese Acupunture:”, Bridget Belgrave: “The Home as a Learning Environment for Children Under Five”, Richard A. Brown: “The Research Contribution of Frank Pierce Jones”, Paul Burge: “Acting and Inhibition”, Deborah Caplan: “The Alexander Technique and its Application to Back Problems”, Mary Cerny: “Movement and Voice Improvisation”, Ronald Colyer: “Getting in Touch with the Child”, Ron Dennis: “Wind Instruments and Respiratory Function”, Carol Gill Malik: “Voice for the Actor”, Grethe Laub: “Present Day Trends in the Upbringing of Children”, Glynn Macdonald: “We Go Forward and Up”, Vivien Mackie: “Working with Musicians”, Vivien Plews: “Observing and Understanding Group Energy”, Eckart Richter: “Applying Chairwork to Cello Playing”, Sue Scott: “Establishing Good Health for Life”, Jean Shepard: “Adult Relationships with Children”, Robin Simmons: “Design for Good Use Furniture”, Christopher Stevens: “Experimental Studies of the FM Alexander Technique”, Sue Thame: “Bringing the Alexander Technique to Children in State Schools”, Tommy Thompson: “Frank Pierce Jones's Views on the Alexander Technique”, John Woodward: “Why We Must Train Ourselves: Teaching the Alexander Technique”.
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Jeremy Chance* (ed.)
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The Congress Papers:
Towards Unity - 2nd International Congress 1988
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| 180 pages pb, illustrated: b/w photos, Australia, Direction
In print: Direction.
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| A collection of 29 papers from 6 speakers and 24 workshops.. |
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| Conable, Barbara |
| This book focuses on one aspect of faulty sensory appreciation in its explanation and description of wrong and right body maps. The idea of ‘body mapping’ is that simple, anatomical knowledge, i.e. knowing what is where, will help movement. It is perhaps suitable only for people who are having lessons as the act of inhibiting and directing is given a scant description. A chapter for teachers explain how to help pupils with ‘body mapping.’ It also contains sections for practitioners of various disciplines, e.g. musicians, actors, singers, dancers. |
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Barbara Conable*
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How to Learn The Alexander Technique
- A Manual For Students
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| 1992 (1995) pb, xiv+154 pages, pb, illustrated, 279 x 206 mm, 3rd ed., USA, Andover Road Press.
In print: Andover Press.
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| The first book on‘body mapping’ (the idea being that simple, anatomical knowledge, i.e. knowing what is where, will help movement.) |
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| Conable, Barbara - The Structures and Movements of Breathing - see Anatomy. . . 5.81 |
| Conable, Barbara - What Every Musician Needs to Know about the Body - see Anatomy. . . 5.81 |
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| Subtitled “A 90th Birthday Offering” this is a Festschrift in celebration of Marjorie Barstow’s teaching. 39 people who have worked with Marjorie – some of them teachers – have each written a eulogy. Most relate their “own story,” personal experiences of the effects on themselves of Marj’s work, and recollections of incidences which exemplify her approach. These are personal accounts and the notes and observations of Marj’s teaching are related as they happened, i.e. not organised. The book is a testimony to the impressive experiences people have had over the years. |
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Barbara Conable*
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Marjorie Barstow
- Her Teaching and Training
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| 1988 (1989) pb, 166 pages, 217 x 280 mm, 2nd ed., USA, Andover Road Press.
In print: Andover Press.
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| A collection of 39 papers documented personal experiences of Marj’s work. |
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| Craze, Richard |
| The author, after having lessons, became “a devotee” of the Technique and taught introductory classes himself. The Alexander Technique described here is simplified beyond recognition. The main procedure adopted is one of feeling; especially the attempt to “feel” where every body part is, e.g. the author recommends filling out charts for everyday activities which record the position and activity of all body parts. Other examples of misleading notions are 1) non–doing described as non-activity; 2) not end-gaining described as noticing things you havn’t seen before; 3) that in order to “correct your alignment” you physically flatten the back against the wall; 4) that the exercise for “achieving primary control” consists of imagining a string pulling you upwards. The book is self-contradictory, misleading, confused and sometimes plain wrong, so far out, in fact, that it becomes funny – if you are a teacher. (This description refers to the first edition.) |
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Richard Craze
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Alexander Technique
(Teach Yourself Books)
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| 1996 pb, 151+viii pages, line-drawings, 199 x 130 mm, index, UK, Hodder & Stoughton.
In print: general.
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| Craze is a contract author; he has written more than 60 books and this is one of them. |
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Copyright 1995-2010 © Mouritz UK. All Rights reserved.
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The Lunge in
The Syllabus of Physical Exercises for Public Elementary Schools, London, 1909, HMSO.
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