| First published in STATNews vol. 4, issue 16, September 1996. |
The time - 1946, the year following the end of the second World War; the place - London, and particularly 16 Ashley Place, where “F.M.” lived and worked and ran his teacher training course. We are fortunate that the author decided to start this diary, after his return from active service in the Royal Air Force, as he re-established daily contact with Alexander. The social activities of wining and dining at restaurants, theatre-going, oyster parties with colleagues, drinking at the “Bag o’ Nails” pub give a wonderful sense of the times fifty years ago - a bon viveur enjoying the fruits of peacetime, with no mention of the austerities and rationing which still existed.
And running throughout his timeless dedication to the Work, and the words of wisdom from Alexander, himself, related verbatim: “Use is synonymous with reaction; inhibition is a form of volition; the nature of Reality is change”. Dip into this book at random and you will find a gem.
Jean Fischer has included biographical notes of the people mentioned, and notes on the subject matter in a most thorough and useful way for readers. There is a list of 81 names of all those who started on F.M.’s training course; a facsimile of the course prospectus and an introductory pamphlet of the work from 1951. Looming on the horizon is the South Africa libel suit.
This book is a history in part of the work - as we look back we may see more clearly how we need to proceed into the future.
© Jean Clark. Reproduced with permission.
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This edition © Mouritz 2005. All rights reserved. |
