John Dewey and the Alexander Technique
Literature Resource Information
Recommended Introductions to the Alexander Technique
Freedom to Change by Frank Pierce Jones. London: Mouritz, 1997. (First published under the title, Body Awareness in Action, 1976.) Available from Mouritz and Amazon.
A comprehensive account of the Alexander Technique, this book includes a substantial amount of information on John Dewey and the Alexander Technique.
The Alexander Technique: Freedom in Thought and Action by Tasha Miller and David Langstroth. Audio book on YouTube. Audio download available from Spotify. Nous Publishing, 2007. ISBN 9780973978629.
Indirect Procedures: A Musician's Guide to the Alexander Technique by Pedro de Alcantara with foreword by Sir Colin Davis. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1997 edition. ISBN 0-19-816568-4 [0-19-816569-2, paperback]. Available from Amazon.
The Alexander Technique by Chris Stevens. Rutland, Vermont: Charles E. Tuttle Company, Inc., 1987, 1994. ISBN 0-8048-3006-1. Available from Amazon.
A brief, easy-to-read introduction.The British Medical Journal wrote: “It [the Alexander Technique] is difficult to explain without practical experience, but Chris Stevens provides an excellent introduction.”
Books and Writings on the Alexander Technique by F.M. Alexander
Articles and Lectures: Articles, Published Letters and Lectures on the Alexander Technique (1894-1950). Jean Fisher (ed.), London: Mouritz Press, 1995. Available from Mouritz.
Man's Supreme Inheritance with Introduction by John Dewey, 1918. Current edition: London: Mouritz Press, 1996. Available from Mouritz. “Alexander's authorized 1946 edition with additional material from earlier additions.” Includes “ten appendices omitted from earlier additions, reviews of the 1910 and 1918 editions, extracts from reviews,” etc.
Constructive Conscious Control of the Individual with Introduction by John Dewey, 1923. Mouritiz edition 2004 (recommended). ISBN 0-9543522-6-2. Available from Mouritz. Free audio book download from LibriVox
The Use of the Self with Introduction by John Dewey, 1932. Available from Amazon.
The Universal Constant in Living 1941. Current edition: London: Mouritz Press, 2000. Available from Mouritz.. This hardback edition contains a wealth of explanatory background information in the editor's notes. Also included are a number of photos, an appreciation by scientist George E. Coghill, and sixteen appendices written by various authors, including Aldous Huxley.
Other Literature
Link for descriptions of the following literature:
John Dewey and F. Matthias Alexander edited by Alexander Murray (booklet).
John Dewey and F. Matthias Alexander II edited by Alexander Murray (booklet).
John Dewey and F. Matthias Alexander III edited by Alexander Murray (booklet).
John Dewey and F. Matthias Alexander IV edited by Alexander Murray (booklet.)
A Neglected Influence: Frederick Matthias Alexander and John Dewey by Eric David McCormack. 1958. Ph.D. thesis, University of Toronto. (London, Mouritz: 2014). Foreword by Alexander Murray. Available from Mouritz.
Connecting Links (booklet) by Irene Tasker. 1967. Reprinted by Mouritz
“Alexander, Dewey, Jones, and McCormack: A Circle of Influence” by Jo Ann Boydston. Text of keynote address at the 1996 NASTAT annual meeting. NASTAT News (newsletter of the North American Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique) #34, 1996.
The Expanding Self by Goddard Binkley. London: STAT Books, 1993. Available from Mouritz.
“Connecting Links” by Alexander Murray. NASTAT [AmSAT] News. #16, 1992.
“Frank Pierce Jones's Life and Work” by Missy Vineyard. Address at 1996 NASTAT Annual General Meeting, NASTAT News, 1994, #36.
“When FM met John Dewey” by Malcolm Willimanson. This paper includes the following: "How did the two men meet?"'; "Progressive education"; "The individual in society"; "William James' theory of habit"; "Learning by doing"; "Childhood Experience"; "Duality: mind-body, object-subject, knowing-doing, reason-emotion, self-non-self, theory-practice, means-ends, being-becoming, etc."; "Dewey's writing style"; and "Mankinds future." Link to pdf
“When FM met John Dewey.” by Malcolm Williamson. Video interview with Malcolm Williamson from 2021.
“John Dewey's Influence on F M Alexander.”by Malcolm Williamson. Paper.
F. M. The Life of Frederick Matthias AlexanderThis biography of Alexander by noted biographer Michael Bloch includes substantial information on Dewey and Alexander: how Dewey became a supporter of Alexander; Alexander's influence in the writing of Human Nature and Conduct; Dewey's writing the introductions to three of Alexander's books; Dewey's attempts to promote Alexander Technique research; and Dewey's quarrels and reconcilation with Alexander.
“Dewey and the Alexander Technique: Lessons in Mind–Body Learning.” by C. Woods, M Williamson, J Fox Eads. Ruth Heilbronn, Christine Doddington and Rupert Higham (eds) (2018) Dewey and Education in the 21st Century: Fighting Back. Emerald Publishing, Chapter 4, pp. 83-100.
Alexander Technique: The Insiders’ Guide
“Dewey's introductions ... to Alexander's books ... together with the chapter on 'Habits and Will' in Human Nature and Conduct still provide the best introduction to Alexander's work.” ~Frank Pierce Jones
John Dewey and the Alexander Technique
Website. Created 1997 by Marian Goldberg.
Website maintained by Marian Goldberg,
Alexander Technique: The Insiders’ Guide.
Website created and maintained by Marian Goldberg,
Alexander Technique Center of Washington, DC:
info@alexandercenter.com