Our Story
Anthroposophic Press, Inc., working under the name SteinerBooks, is an independent, non-profit publishing company, incorporated in New York in 1928. One of our core purposes is to promote and make available the works of Rudolf Steiner in the English language. Learn more about that project here.
What is today known as SteinerBooks is, and has always been, an independent publishing company both small in relative size and, as is the work of Rudolf Steiner itself, grand in its mission, purpose, and scope.
Incorporated as the Anthroposophic Press by Henry Monges in 1928, "The Press," as it's still sometimes referred to, is, apart from the Anthroposophical Society itself, the eldest ongoing anthroposophical organization in the United States.
The story of The Press, and what it is today, is connected, in many ways, with the stories of anthroposophical and spiritual publishing as a whole in the twentieth century. In fact, one could say that SteinerBooks is now the home of at least three distinct publishing impulses, initiated by unique individuals and carried forward by others. What follows is a first attempt at a basic outline of the story.
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The pre-history ofĀ the Press began when Henry Monges obtained, from one Max Gysi, the copyrights for the five already published English translations ofĀ books byĀ Rudolf Steiner. This was inĀ 1916Ā or 1917 before the U.S. entered the World War. After the War, inĀ 1919, Monges went toĀ Dornach, Switzerland, and spent two years there, meeting with Rudolf Steiner regularly and also improving his German. Returning toĀ the U.S. inĀ 1921, he established aĀ soon-to-be short-lived publishing company with aĀ partner inĀ Chicago called Ā«Anthroposophic Literary Concern.Ā» When this endeavor collapsed, Monges and his wife Maud Monges took what remained ofĀ the book business with them toĀ their country home inĀ Highland, NY, where they continued operations. (Thus, the work-from-home trend heavily present inĀ this organization inĀ recent years isĀ actually aĀ throwback toĀ its roots.)

Henry Monges

Maud Monges
But when the Anthroposophical Society was re-founded byĀ Rudolf Steiner inĀ 1924, the now renamed Ā«Anthroposophic PressĀ» joined the Society atĀ the new headquarters inĀ New York City (then atĀ 20Ā West 70th St.) and Monges ran both, his office handling correspondence for the Society asĀ well asĀ book sales.
AĀ few years later, inĀ February 1928, the Anthroposophic Press was incorporated inĀ New York State asĀ an independent tax-exempt corporation, although the work ofĀ the Press did not become anĀ activity entirely separate from the Society until 1935. This was when Eleanor MinneĢ was hired. Ms. MinneĢ ran the book business for aĀ full thirty years, keeping itĀ going through hard and lean times. According toĀ Gilbert Church, inĀ his account ofĀ the history ofĀ the Press: āher dedication toĀ the work ofĀ Rudolf Steiner was motivated byĀ the courage ofĀ aĀ fighter and she should not beĀ forgotten.ā

Eleanor MinneĢ
Itās atĀ this point that weĀ should mention the first parallel publishing stream, later toĀ join with the one outlined thus far. This stream was born, atĀ least inĀ part, because, while Ms. MinneĢ did indeed ably keep the Press alive and functioning for all those years, she was not inĀ fact very actively engaged in publishing NEW works, byĀ Rudolf Steiner orĀ anyone else. Enter Bernard J. Garber ofĀ Blauvelt, New York.
Bernie was aĀ businessman and aĀ serious student ofĀ Rudolf Steiner who, byĀ the late 1950s, had become strongly convinced that far more needed toĀ beĀ done toĀ raise awareness ofĀ Steinerās work inĀ the United States. HeĀ had enjoyed some success inĀ business and was willing toĀ invest some ifĀ not all ofĀ his earnings inĀ that realm for aĀ spiritual cause heĀ believedĀ in, never mind the immediate monetary returns.

Bernie Garber
Thus, inĀ 1959, heĀ became aĀ publisher, soon producing aĀ regular magazine featuring excerpts ofĀ and introductions toĀ Rudolf Steiner, asĀ well asĀ other authors, called Free Deeds, and undertaking toĀ publish (with the expert linguistic and editorial aid ofĀ his friend Paul Marshall Allen) aĀ series ofĀ books in commemoration ofĀ Rudolf Steinerās hundredth birthday inĀ 1961, including Steinerās Autobiography and his Philosophy ofĀ Spiritual Activity. HeĀ also became aĀ publisher ofĀ old, somewhat forgotten, classics from spiritual literature ofĀ the East and the West.
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Gilbert Church
Meanwhile, inĀ 1965, Gilbert Church took over the management ofĀ the Press, which was still located physically atĀ the Society headquarters (211 Madison Avenue), inĀ aĀ small space rented from the Society. Church updated the old-fashioned bookkeeping system, doubled the inventory, began regular mailings toĀ members (including periodic fundraising letters), and worked toĀ grow and professionalize the business.

Stephen Usher
InĀ 1968, the Press offices (and inventory) moved toĀ aĀ space inĀ the Threefold Auditorium inĀ Spring Valley, NY, separating itself physically from the Society. Church retired inĀ 1981, but not before training his young successor, Stephen Usher.
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The Press continued toĀ grow throughout the 1980s, and, inĀ 1985, running out ofĀ space for inventory, Mr. Usher moved the operation once again, this time toĀ Columbia County, New York, toĀ aĀ 7,000-square-foot warehouse which served asĀ home toĀ both the editorial offices and the shipping operation until around the turn ofĀ the century.
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Christopher Bamford
InĀ 1989, Christopher Bamford, founder ofĀ Lindisfarne Books some years earlier, was hired asĀ editor-in-chief; while Michael Dobson succeeded Usher asĀ managing director. Lindisfarne atĀ this time became anĀ imprint owned byĀ the Press and the titles already published byĀ Lindisfarne became part ofĀ our back catalog, expanding, inĀ aĀ way, the cultural/spiritual scope of what The Press had toĀ offer. (Note: More onĀ the backstory ofĀ Lindisfarne will have toĀ beĀ filled inĀ later.) InĀ 1998, the editorial offices moved toĀ Great Barrington, Massachusetts, and inĀ the year 2000, the warehousing ofĀ inventory and the fulfillment operation was moved toĀ Dulles, Virginia, where itĀ remains, with our much-appreciated partners Books International.

Mr. Dobson remained atĀ the helm until 2003, succeeded byĀ Eugene Gollogly, who was atĀ that time broadly active inĀ New York City publishing and aĀ member ofĀ our board ofĀ directors. Gene brought fire and enthusiasm toĀ the Press, and also something ofĀ the impulse ofĀ Bernie Garber, both spiritually and materially. Gene had, inĀ fact, worked for Bernie Garber for aĀ number ofĀ years asĀ aĀ young man and had inherited the rights toĀ Garberās titles when Bernie died inĀ 1994. Gene soon changed the name ofĀ the PressĀ to (the legal dba) SteinerBooksāa name taken from one ofĀ Garberās many imprints. Itās both easier toĀ say and includes the name Steiner, which, like Bernie Garber before him, Gene was always keen toĀ promote. Gene also resurrected and began using the dodecahedron (also aĀ relic from Garber) asĀ aĀ refurbished, but new, logo. (WeĀ have anĀ even newer and more refurbished one today.)

Gene Gollogly
InĀ 2006, Gene and Christopher Bamford launched the Collected Works ofĀ Rudolf Steiner inĀ English project. With over 350 volumes inĀ the not-quite-yet-completed German edition, this series ofĀ books, translated into English, isĀ aĀ major ongoing project and aĀ core part ofĀ our mission and work.
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Gene Gollogly, along with aĀ small dedicated group ofĀ co-workers, led the Press for the first two decades ofĀ the twenty-first century, and inĀ 2013 John-Scott Legg joined the team asĀ anĀ editor, marketer, and book designer. InĀ 2020, heĀ became Managing Director. Now, asĀ weĀ proceed into the third decade ofĀ this century, approaching the centenary ofĀ our founding, SteinerBooks remains committed toĀ its core mission asĀ aĀ non-profit asĀ well asĀ the continued growth, cultivation, and diversification ofĀ what weĀ have toĀ offer the world.
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STATEMENT OFĀ PURPOSE
SteinerBooks (Anthroposophic Press, Inc.) isĀ aĀ 501c3Ā not-for-profit organization, incorporated inĀ New York State since 1928 toĀ promote the progress and welfare ofĀ humanity and toĀ increase public awareness ofĀ Rudolf Steiner (1861ā1925), the Austrian-born polymath writer, lecturer, spiritual scientist, philosopher, cosmologist, educator, psychologist, alchemist, ecologist, Christian mystic, comparative religionist, and evolutionary theorist, who was the creator ofĀ anthroposophy ("human wisdom) asĀ aĀ path uniting the spiritual inĀ the human being with the spiritual inĀ the universe; and toĀ this end publish and distribute books, utilize the electronic media, hold conferences, and engage inĀ similar activities making available his works and exploring themes arising from, and relatedĀ to, them and the movement that heĀ founded.
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The Spiritual Hierarchies and the Physical World
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Anthroposophy and the Natural Sciences
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Art and Theory of Art
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Becoming Fully Human
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