Rudolf Steiner e.Lib 

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All of the highlighted book titles point to the actual text of the named book (on-line here, at the RS Archive). To read a summary of these books (for the ones we offer), click on the icon following the title. Bolded titles are not yet on-line.

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1883

• Goethe the Scientist [GA/Bn 1]
  (Goethes Naturwissenschaftliche Schriften or
  (Goethean Science)
  Rudolf Steiner went to Weimar to edit the scientific writings of Goethe for the Kuerschner edition of the “German National Literature.” Along with sorting and arranging Goethe's works, Steiner wrote introductions and commentaries that have been collected and published in English translation under the titles Goethe the Scientist, Goethean Science or Nature's Open Secret.

1886

• The Theory of Knowledge Based on Goethe's World Conception [GA/Bn 2]
  This book first appeared in 1886. In it, Steiner approaches the epistemological question, “How Does One Know?” His point of departure is the more-or-less unexpressed epistemology of Goethe in his scientific writings and elsewhere. This is a good introduction to Goethe's methodology.

1892

• Truth and Knowledge/Science [GA/Bn 3]
  This work in the German original, Wahrheit und Wissenschaft, first appeared in 1892 in the form of Rudolf Steiner's doctoral dissertation at the University of Rostock. Truth and Knowledge or Truth and Science is a suitable introduction to Rudolf Steiner's philosophical treatise entitled The Philosophy of Freedom.

1894

• The Philosophy of Freedom/Spiritual Activity [GA/Bn 4] and
  This book, written in 1894, is a fundamental treatment of Steiner's philosophical outlook. Together with Truth and Science and The Riddles of Philosophy, it could be considered as one third of a philosophical trilogy. The emphasis of the book is not on “freedom” as ordinarily understood, but on “freiheit,” or what might be termed “freehood”.

1895

• Friedrich Nietzsche, Fighter for Freedom [GA/Bn 5]
  The personally and philosophically enigmatic Friedrich Nietzsche is the subject matter of this book. Nietzsche, the man, was visited by Steiner, but was lying in a coma near death. It is Nietzsche's philosophy, however, which receives a scholarly and critical treatment here. Nietzsche's philosophy is then related to Nietzsche, the man. Steiner was not identifying himself as one of Nietzsche's disciples, but rather is assuring philosophical readers that this important link in the spiritual development of occidental thought should not be ignored.

1897

• Goethe's Conception of the World [GA/Bn 6]
  Here, Goethe's outlook is presented not only as a self-contained system, but also in connection with the ideas of Schiller and Hegel. A certain emphasis on Platonism is made, and its bearing on Goethe and his outlook. Chapters emphasize Goethe's work, such as the process of metamorphosis, and studies in color.

1901

• Mysticism at the Dawn of the Modern Age [GA/Bn 7]
  This book is a collection of essays on various European mystics. These biographical critiques are both philosophical and sympathetic. The individuals considered are: Meister Eckhart, Johannes Tauler, Heinrich Suso, Jan van Ruysbröck, Cardinal Nicolas of Cusa, Agrippa of Nettesheim, Paracelsus, Valentin Weigel, Jacob Boehme, Giordano Bruno, and Angelus Silesius. It has been published under many different titles, including:
  • Mystics of the Renaissance,
  • Mysticism and Modern Thought,
  • Eleven European Mystics, and
  • Mystics After Modernism.

1902

• Christianity as Mystical Fact [GA/Bn 8]
  What is the connection between early Christianity and its contemporary counterparts and its antecedents? The comparison is not to Roman emperor worship, but rather to the practices of the Mystery Religions. One interesting comparison is the raising of Lazarus to the traditional temple sleep of three days and nights. Also published as Occult Mysteries of Antiquity and Christianity As Mystical Fact.

1904

• Theosophy: An Introduction to the Supersensible Knowledge of the World and Destination of Man [GA/Bn 9]
  Steiner's book Theosophy is a brief but comprehensive “study of man”. It includes both obvious and subtle aspects of that complicated entity known as the human being. This book first appeared in 1904 and has gone through numerous editions in the original German and in English translation. It is commonly referred to as just Theosophy.
• Knowledge of the Higher Worlds and Its Attainment [GA/Bn 10]
  The first English version of this basic work appeared in print in two volumes:
  1. “The Way of Initiation or How to Attain Knowledge of the Higher Worlds,”
  2. “Initiation and Its Results.” (its sequel)
  It was extensively rewritten, and the new version appeared in English translation in 1923 with the above title. This book, perhaps the most controversial of Steiner's extensive literary legacy, suggests the possibility of a person in the 20th century developing sufficient skills of concentration, empathy, etc. to be able to obtain first-hand knowledge of spiritual realities consciously.
• Cosmic Memory [GA/Bn 11]
  Early versions of the English translation of this work bore the titles Atlantis and Lemuria or The Submerged Continents of Atlantis and Lemuria and contained almost exactly the first half of the version entitled Cosmic Memory. The subject matter of this book pertains to the social, economic, cultural, etc., life of very ancient times.

1904-14

• Guidance in Esoteric Training [GA/Bn 42/245]
  Originally published privately in three separate parts, this book contains extracts from the book published in German under the title Anweisungen für eine esoterische Schulung, From the Esoteric School. It contains notes of lectures, exercises, mantric verses, and meditations.

1905

• The Stages of Higher Knowledge [GA/Bn 12]
  This short book is a sequel to Knowledge of the Higher Worlds and Its Attainment, [GA/Bn 10]. The contents first appeared in 1905 in the magazine Lucifer-Gnosis. Later, it was republished in book form. It was first entitled “Gates of Higher Knowledge”)
  

1910

• Occult Science – An Outline [GA/Bn 13]
  This book is a sequel to Rudolf Steiner's earlier book, Theosophy [GA/Bn 9]. Generally speaking, it deals with the evolution of Man and the Earth: Old Moon Evolution, Old Sun Evolution, and Old Saturn Evolution are dealt with in considerable detail, and are previous to the present, Earth Evolution. Each one, in turn, developed its respective qualities, the results being incorporated in the life on Earth today. Occult Science – An Outline has also been published under the title, An Outline of Occult Science.
• Portal of Initiation [Bn 14.1]
  The Portal of Initiation is the first in a series of four Mystery Plays. Although written to be performed on stage, it may be read in a group setting and still have much of the intended effect. The four plays follow in sequence. It is desirable to read then in sequence. (from The Four Mystery Dramas [GA/Bn 14] )

1910-13

• The Four Mystery Dramas [GA/Bn 14]
  Rudolf Steiner wrote four mystery plays entitled:
  1. Portal of Initiation (1910)
  2. The Soul's Probation (1911)
  3. The Guardian of the Threshold (1912)
  4. The Soul's Awakening (1913)
  From time to time these plays are performed on the stage of the Goetheanum in Dornach, Switzerland (see the individual listings).

1911

• The Soul's Probation [Bn 14.2]
  The Soul's Probation is the second in a series of four Mystery Plays. (from The Four Mystery Dramas [GA/Bn 14] )
• The Spiritual Guidance of Man and of Humanity [GA/Bn 15]
  Another short book consisting of three sections, each originally being a lecture (June 6th, 7th, and 8th 1911). They were subsequently reworked by Steiner and rewritten in the form of an essay. Some topics in this book are: the nature of the brain, the development of speech, angelic beings, ancient language, Zarathustra, Buddha, and Christ. This book has been published under the following titles:
  • The Spiritual Guidance of Man and of Mankind,
  • The Spiritual Guidance of Mankind,
  • Spiritual Guidance of Man and Humanity,
  • The Spiritual Guidance of the Individual and Humanity.

1912

• The Guardian of the Threshold [Bn 14.3]
  The Guardian of the Threshold is the third in a series of four Mystery Plays. (from The Four Mystery Dramas [GA/Bn 14] )
• A Road to Self-knowledge [GA/Bn 16]
  This book is an “amplification” of the book entitled Knowledge of the Higher Worlds and Its Attainment, [GA/Bn 10]. It consists of eight “meditations”:
  • The Physical Body,
  • The Etheric Body,
  • Clairvoyant Cognition of the Elemental World,
  • The Guardian of the Threshold,
  • The Astral Body,
  • The Ego Body or Thought Body,
  • The Character of Experience in the Supersensible Worlds, and
  • The Way in Which Man Beholds His Repeated Earth Lives.
• Calendar of the Soul [GA/Bn 40]
  This book contains Steiner's collection of 52 meditative verses that will enable the soul to participate actively in the progressing life of the year as it unfolds from week to week. Many translations exist, including Owen Barfield's, The Year Participated.

1913

• The Soul's Awakening [Bn 14.4]
  The Souls' Awakening is the fourth and last of the Mystery Plays. (from The Four Mystery Dramas [GA/Bn 14] )
• The Threshold of The Spiritual World [GA/Bn 17]
  A small book containings 16 short sections, each section dealing with one or another aspect of Spiritual Science. The last section discusses the relation between this book and two others which deal with similar topics: Theosophy and Occult Science. Also published as A Way of Self-knowledge.

1914

• The Riddles of Philosophy [GA/Bn 18] The full title of this book is, The Riddles of Philosophy Presented in an Outline of Its History. It is not a “history of philosophy,” although the approach is historical. It is a review of historical and present-day world conceptions. Originally, this work appeared in two volumes in the German language. The first English edition appeared in 1973 and is bound as one volume.

1917

• The Case for Anthroposophy [GA/Bn 21] The Case For Anthroposophy contains English translations of eight of the eleven essays appearing in the German original entitled Von Seelenraetseln. The three sections in the German original which do not appear in the English translation are: Max Dessoir on Anthroposophy, Franz Brentano (a memorial address), and The Separation of the Psychological from the Non-Psychological in Franz Brentano. The book was edited by Owen Barfield.

1918

• Goethe's Standard of the Soul [GA/Bn 22] This treatment of Goethe's mystic/esoteric philosophical outlook approaches questions by examining two of his literary masterpieces, Faust and the fairy tale, The Green Snake and the Beautiful Lily. (individual articles are listed in ARTICLES section)

1919

• Towards Social Renewal [GA/Bn 23]
  This work, written late in the life of Rudolf Steiner, makes use of a threefold analysis of the human individual and of human society. Man as an individual or in a group functions basically in three modes: thinking/perceiving, feeling/valuing, and willing/planning/acting. A unit of functioning, whether a part of an individual or part of a society has its proper role. Each role needs a certain respect from other areas if it is to function properly. Each role should be appropriately related to the other two roles or functions. In society, the three partitions are: the cultural-spiritual, the production-economic, and the "sphere of rights" including legal rights. As the analysis unfolds, it may be noticed that there is seldom a "pure case" but there are various mixes with one aspect often predominataing. The manner in which the three aspects of society relate to the three aspects of the individual is a fascinating and intricate one, and one which has an important bearing on the future of human society. (Full text, previously under titles including:
  • “The Threefold Social Order” (abbreviated),
  • “The Triorganic Social Organism”,
  • “The Threefold State”,
  • “The Threefold Commonwealth”, and
  • “Basic Issues of the Social Question”)

1922

• Cosmology, Religion and Philosophy [GA/Bn 25]
  Each chapter of this book was originally a part of a series of ten lectures given at the Goetheanum in September of 1922, known as the “French Course.” These lectures were revised by Steiner for printed form and were published as a book. The individual lectures are a part of GA/Bn 215.

1924

• Anthroposophical Leading Thoughts [GA/Bn 26]
  This book contains 185 “Leading Thoughts,” many of which are accompanied by letters to the members. The overlap is great between this book and the two entitled:
  • The Life, Nature, and Cultivation of Anthroposophy [Bn 26.1]
    (also called “Letters to Members, Vol. I”) and
  • The Michael Mystery [Bn 26.2]
    (also called “Letters to Members, Vol. II”)
  (recent editions include “The Michael Mystery” )
• The Life, Nature, and Cultivation of Anthroposophy [Bn 26.1]
  A collection of 18 letters written to the members of the Anthroposophical Society in 1924. These letters first appeared in a supplement to the German language periodical “Goetheanum Weekly” and in the English language version “Anthroposophical Movement.”
  (also called “Letters to Members, Vol. I”)
• The Michael Mystery [Bn 26.2]
  A collection of 29 letters to the members of the Anthroposophical Society. These letters are in addition to the 18 letters contained in [Bn 26.1], mentioned above.
  (also called “Letters to Members, Vol. II”)

1925

• Fundamentals of Therapy [GA/Bn 27]
  This book, written in a very condensed, almost meditative style, is a step toward revitalizing the art of healing with the spiritual awareness it once possessed. The intention is not to underrate the scientific and technological medicine of today, but to lift it beyond its present materialist outlook with a deeper realization of the nature of the human being. It is the only book in which Rudolf Steiner shared the authorship: with Ita Wegman, M.D.
• The Story/Course of My Life [GA/Bn 28]
  The 38 short chapters of this autobiography originally appeared serially in the German publication, Das Goetheanum, 1923-25. Collected together, they form an interesting look at a fascinating human being. (also published as “Rudolf Steiner, An Autobiography,” )

Wahrspruchworte — selections in English have appeared in two forms:

• Verses and Meditations, translated by George and Mary Adams
• Truth Wrought-Words and Other Verses translated by Arvia MacKaye Ege