Rudolf Steiner - His Life and Work by Gilbert Childs (Floris Books, £7.99)

FOR a man whose thinking spread across an enormous range of subjects and philosophies this may appear to be a less than fulsome tome.

But thankfully, Gilbert Childs' writing is succinct and lively, providing the reader with enough detail to explain Steiner's basic ideas on education, religion, art, agriculture, social order and everything else!

Philosopher, Steiner, was a remarkable man, acclaimed as one of the most original thinkers of the 20th Century.

The basis of his research was the science of the spirit that he called anthroposophy.

This is a concise introduction to anyone who wants to know more about the man and his thinking, written by a man who has taught at Steiner schools both in Germany and England and has clearly discovered a way of making Steiner's ideas accessible to all.

Jackie Harris