Brothers and Sisters: The Order of Birth in the Family: An Expanded Edition

by Karl Konig, Richard Steel (Introduction)

Overview

A classic work describing personality traits affected by birth order

'There can be no doubt that special traits of character and mental make-up are found in children and adults who belong to the different ranks in the order of birth.'

In this classic work, Karl König attempts to explain the various characteristics of first-, second- and third-born people, without losing sight of the tremendous individuality of the human being.

Just as our environment shapes our language, social behavior and mannerisms, so our place in the family also determines how we encounter life.

This book is a fascinating handbook for parents, teachers and caregivers. Over the years it has become a definitive reference on the subject of child development.

This newest edition in the Karl König Archive series includes a new introduction by series editor Richard Steel; an extended introduction by Karl König; two new essays: 'The Two Sisters', and 'Brother and Sister' ; some of Karl König's lecture notes and transcriptions, and an essay by A. Limbrunner about the significance of König's work on family order for today.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780863158469
Publisher:	Floris Books
Publication date:	11/15/2011
Series:	Karl Konig Archive , #11
Edition description:	Revised
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)

About the Author

Karl Konig (1902-66) was well-known as a physician, author and lecturer. He began his work at the Institute of Embryology at the University of Vienna. In 1940 he founded the Camphill Movement in Scotland. Based on the educational ideas of Rudolf Steiner, the special education schools for children and villages for adults with special needs are now established all over Britain and Europe, North America and Southern Africa. He is the author of The First Three Years of the Child (Floris Books). Richard Steel, born 1952 in Oxford, England, completed the Camphill seminar for Curative Education at Fohrenbuhl at Bodensee (Lake Constance), Germany, in 1975. He lived and worked there with his family in one of the households for children with special needs. Since 2008, he has shared responsibility for Karl Konig's estate and runs the Karl Konig Archive in Berlin.

Table of Contents

An Evergreen Piece of Pioneering Work Alfons Limbrunner 7

Brothers and Sisters

Introduction 25

The Only Child 31

The First Child 43

The Second Child 58

The Third Child 76

About This Edition by Richard Steel 91

Work on a Future Edition

Proposed chapter titles for the intended book 105

Brother and Sister (Fighting the Dragon) 107

The Two Sisters 110

Notes for Lectures 135

From König's Letters 159

Introductions to Other Editions 165

Proposal for the American edition 165

Introduction to the German edition, 1964 171

Notes 179

Bibliography 181

Index 183

Editorial Reviews

'Readers will approach this book from their respective family positions... It was striking to see the first-born characterised as a defender of faith, tradition and the family against new ideas and action. Surely the balance is critical here.'
– David Lorimer, Scientific & Medical Network

'For me the most telling aspect was how much König's descriptions of the first, second, third child and so on fitted so closely with characteristics we'd noticed in our children.'
– Education Otherwise

'A pleasure to read this important work again.'
– Camphill News NI

'A profound and insightful book.'
– Perspectives

'Fascinating.'
– Desmond Morris, author of The Naked Ape

From the Publisher