This is the first book on Alexander's technique. It was first published in 1910. It was followed by the booklet "Man's Supreme Inheritance Addenda" (1911) and a small book "Conscious Control"  (1912)  and all three were revised and enlarged for the 1918 edition. The present edition consists of Alexander's authorized 1946 edition with additional material from earlier editions.

It contains two prefaces by Alexander, an introduction by John Dewey, and the section "To My Reader" with appreciations which were included in the 1918 Methuen edition but accidentally left out of later editions.

Ten appendices contain further material which was omitted from earlier editions, reviews of the 1910 and the 1918 editions, extracts from reviews, a printing history and a text comparison table of the 1910, 1912 and the 1918 editions. As well as the original photographs the book contains additional illustrations. Foreword by Walter Carrington.

Note: This book contains outdated attitudes, language and cultural depictions which may cause offence today.

Content

List of Illustrations
Foreword by Walter Carrington
Preface to New Edition (1945)
Preface to First Edition (1910)

To My Reader
Introductory Word by Professor John Dewey
Appreciations from Professor John Dewey, Professor Frank Granger, Rev. J. H. Jowett and Professor H. M. Kallen
A Note on the Text by Jean M. O. Fischer

Part One: Man's Supreme Inheritance

i From Primitive Conditions to Present Needs
ii Primitive Remedies and their Defects
iii Subconsciousness and Inhibition
iv Conscious Control
v Applied Conscious Control
vi Habits of Thought and of Body
vii Race Culture and the Training of Children
viii Evolutionary Standards and their Influence on the Crisis of 1914

Part Two: Conscious Guidance and Control
Introduction to Part Two
i Synopsis of Claim
ii The Argument
iii The Processes of Conscious Guidance and Control
iv Conscious Guidance and Control in Practice
v Conscious Guidance and Control: Apprehension and Re-Education<
vi Individual Errors and Delusions
vii Notes and Instances

Part Three: The Theory and Practice of a New Method of Respiratory Re-Education
Introductory
i The Theory of Respiratory Re-Education
ii Errors to be Avoided and Facts to be Remembered in the Theory and Practice of Respiratory Re-Education
iii The Practice of Respiratory Re-Education
Concluding Remarks

Appendices
a. Text from the 1910 edition of Man's Supreme Inheritance, omitted from later editions
b. A case history from Conscious Control (1912), omitted from later editions
c. Text omitted from the 1946 edition, but which appeared in the 1918 and 1941 editions
d. Excerpts from reviews of Man's Supreme Inheritance (1910)
e. 'Health and Hygiene' – Review of Man's Supreme Inheritance (1910) in The Onlooker
f. Excerpts from reviews and appreciations of Man's Supreme Inheritance (1918)
g. 'Making Over the Body' – Review of Man's Supreme Inheritance (1918) by Randolph Bourne in The New Republic
h. Appreciation of Man's Supreme Inheritance (1918) by Dr A. C. Barnes
i. Printing history of Man's Supreme Inheritance
j. Textual origins of the 1918 edition

Index