Quick Look
- A classic work describing personality traits caused by birth order
- Explores the characteristics of first-, second- and third-born people, without discounting individuality
- This third edition includes two new essays, some of Karl König's lecture notes and transcriptions
Third edition of a classic reference on child development which explains the characteristics of first-, second- and third-born people.
Description
'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 behaviour and mannerisms, so our place in the family also determines how we encounter life.
This book is a fascinating handbook for parents, teachers and carers. 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.
Reviews
'Readers will approach this book from their respective family positions, which in my case is the first of four. 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'
Author
Karl König (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 Rudolf Steiner's insights into human development, the special education schools for children and villages for adults with special needs are now established in many parts of the world.
Richard Steel, born 1952 in Oxford, England, completed the Camphill seminar for Curative Education at Föhrenbühl 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 König's estate and runs the Karl König Archive in Berlin.
Links
See a full list of the books in the Karl König Archive series
