Editor's Page

The Old Way and the New Way

Dear Readers,

Sorry not to be able to offer the succinct words of wisdom that usually adorn this page. Instead, News, which I hope will interest many of you, both those who have been with us many of these 14 years and the newbies who have discovered SouthernCrossReview.org more recently.

The news is that SCR has become an quasi honest-to-goodness publisher. The oxymoronic “quasi” indicates that our publications are paperless – but far from clueless. Almost from the beginning we have offered e-books, but in a rather haphazard, even primitive way, ignoring copyright and sending the gems by email. This Old Way will continue for a while for some books, but the New Way is via Amazon Kindle e-books. Whether of not you have a Kindle Reader is immaterial in the sense that you can also read the book with other kinds of readers or tablets, or even on your PC – although the painless download of an app is necessary to do so. Ironically, I don't have a Kindle myself yet, because if I order one directly from Amazon it will surely wind up in the infernal Argentine customs bureaucracy, if it arrives at all, that is, if it isn't stolen or lost somewhere in the process. They (probably the same ones stolen in the mail or in customs) can also be purchased through “Mercado Libre”, the Argentine version of Ebay, at three times the Amazon price. For some reason I am wary of this option.

The SCR e-books available right now are the following (click on the title for the link to amazon):

Translations -- (For some of "my own stuff", see below.)

Esoteric Lessons for the First Class of the Free School for Spiritual Science by Rudolf Steiner - Volume One


After the re-founding of the Anthroposophical Society at Christmas 1923, Rudolf Steiner began giving esoteric lessons to members of the Free School for Spíritual Science at the Goetheanum in Dornach, Switzerland. His original intention was that the Free School was to have three classes. However, due to Rudolf Steiner's untimely death in March of 1925, he was only able to complete the first of the planned three classes. This first volume comprises Lessons one through nine. Volumes two and three are being translated and will be published when completed. Translated by Frank Thomas Smith.
(price: $7.00)

Favela Children by Ute Craemer

Ute Craemer is an educator and social worker who has dedicated over thirty years of her life teaching and nurturing the poor children of the favelas (slums) in Brazil. As an experienced Waldorf teacher, she has been able to understand the needs of the children and their families and provide them with the spiritual nourishment they cry out for. Favela Children is a moving and informative account of Ute's Craemer's work in the favelas and of her personal development. Everyone interested in education and social development will want to read this book. It was originally published in German and went through several editions. It is published here for the first time in English. Translated by Frank Thomas Smith
(Price: $5.00)


Basic Issues of the Social Question by Rudolf Steiner

Basic issues of the Social Question was written in 1919 for the German-speaking peoples of central Europe. It deals with the social problems of that time and suggests solutions. The question therefore arises: Is this book still relevant today, in a new millennium, for a worldwide readership? In order to answer this question, let us first look at the book's very last paragraph: “One can anticipate the experts who object to the complexity of these suggestions and find it uncomfortable even to think about three systems cooperating with each other, because they wish to know nothing of the real requirements of life and would structure everything according to the comfortable requirements of their thinking. This must become clear to them: either people will accommodate their thinking to the requirements of reality, or they will have learned nothing from the calamity and will cause innumerable new ones to occur in the future. ” Translated by Frank Thomas Smith
(Price: $3)


Anthroposophical Guidelines by Rudolf Steiner

185 Guidelines and short essays which Rudolf Steiner gave to members of the Anthroposophical Society in 1924 and 1925, that is, until his death. Number 1 can be called a definition of anthroposophy: "1. Anthroposophy is a path of knowledge which would guide the spiritual in the human being to the spiritual in the cosmos. It manifests as a necessity of the heart and feeling. It must find its justification in being able to satisfy this need. Only those who find in anthroposophy what they seek in this respect can appreciate it. Therefore only those who feel certain questions about the nature of man and the world as basic necessities of life, like hunger and thirst, can be anthroposophists." Translated by Frank Thomas Smith
(Price: $3)


The History and Actuality of Imperialism by Rudolf Steiner

In 1920 Rudolf Steiner had already foreseen that the future imperialism would be economic rather than military or nationalistic. In these three lectures he describes the history of imperialism from ancient times to the present and into the future. The anglo-american would play an increasingly important role in furture developments, so the English visitors who attended must have been especially attentive. Translated by Frank Thomas Smith
(Price: $3)


My Own Stuff

The Magic Mound by Frank Thomas Smith

"The Magic Mound" is for children age 9 and up - all the way up, as many parents who have enjoyed the book in Spanish have informed me. An illustrated Spanish translation was published in a print version in 2000 by Longseller S.A., Buenos Aires. It was a favorite Argentine Waldorf primary school reader. Now the English original is available as an e-book. It's about two brothers from a Brazilian favela (slum) who stumble into a fantasy land where they are charged with rescuing a girl from...Well, it's all in the book. We guarantee that both you and your children will enjoy it.
(Price: $3)


Knock on Wood / Tocad Madera

A bilingual (English - Spanish) story describing Pinocchio's life after he becomes a real boy and continues his acting career. It is post-war Italy and the ex-puppet is forced to be a bicycle thief. But a sympathetic American soldier adopts him and brings him home to America. In the New York theater he discovers adventure, sex and his old nemeses, the fox and the cat. Hilarious in whichever language you choose to read it.

Edición bilingüe (inglés-español) de un relato que describe la vida de Pinocho al convertirse en un niño de carne y hueso y prosiguir con su carrera de actor. Es la Italia de posguerra y el ex-títere se ve forzado a ser ladrón de bicicletas. Pero un soldado norteamericano se apiada de él, lo adopta y se lo lleva a los Estados Unidos. En un teatro de Nueva York descubre la aventura, el sexo y a sus dos némesis, el gato y el zorro. Divertido en cualquiera de los idiomas.


Sir Gawain and the Dragon / Sir Gawain y el Dragón by Frank Thomas Smith

A bilingual (English-Spanish) Children's book about Sir Gawain, the most dashing member of King Arthur's round table, when he was a boy and just starting out on his career of saving damsels from dragons and giants. This little book has been found to be an excellent assistant for teaching both English and Spanish as foreign languages.
Edición bilingüe (inglés-español) de un relato para niños sobre Sir Gawain, el más gallardo de los caballeros de la Mesa Redonda del Rey Arturo, cuando era niño y se iniciaba en su carrera de salvar damiselas de dragones y gigantes. Este pequeño libro ha resultado ser una excelente herramienta para la enseñanza del inglés y del español como lenguas extranjeras.
(Price: $3)


We Are the Lucky Ones / Nosotros somos los afortunados by Frank Thomas Smith

A bilingual (English-Spanish) essay about mortality and the possibility of immortality through reincarnation . A manuscript by the enigmatic “Z”is found in Argentina by a boy who is walking with his dog in the woods. It deals with existential themes such as life, death and reincarnation.
(Price: $3)




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