Theos-Talk Archives (March 2007 Message tt00286)

Hi Marie,

I went to college in Texas near Dallas. 

Some of the Theosophical books I read were in the college/university 
libraries.  That's where I read my first two books on Theosophy:  
Ancient Wisdom by Mrs. Besant and A Textbook of Theosophy by C.W. 
Leadbeater.  Others I purchased from Wheaton TPH and some I borrowed 
by mail from the Wheaton TS Olcott Library.

Then when I moved to Arizona in 1972, I read books in a local TS 
branch library.  Also at the large University of Arizona library.  
Also had old outofprint books photocopied for me by the Theosophical 
Library Pasadena California.  Also borrowed hundreds of books thru 
interlibrary loan.  Of course continued to borrow books from the 
Olcott Library, Wheaton.

I remember in the early 1970s, I somehow got in contact thru the 
United Lodge of Theosophists in New York City with Anita Atkins (aka 
Sylvia Cranston).  I remember her sending me a photocopy of the 
rare "book" by Margaret Thomas "Theosophy or Neo-Theosophy".

You can see I love books and by profession I'm a librarian.

Daniel
http://hpb.cc


--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, MarieMAJ41@... wrote:
>
>  Daniel, may I ask where it was that you went to college [the 
state], and which library or bookstore were you able to get the books 
that you mention below? I feel it a distinct benefit of my good karma 
that I have access to the Wheaton TS library. They are also available 
on line now, and when I ask them they mail me books. What a wonderful 
life! Elizabeth Trumpler was a great asset as their long time head 
librarian, now retired.
> Marie
>  
>  
> -----Original Message-----
> From: danielhcaldwell@...
> To: theos-talk@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Thu, 15 Mar 2007 1:36 PM
> Subject: Theos-World The first books I read on Theosophy
> 
> 
> The first books I ever read
> on Theosophy in college were:
> 
> THE ANCIENT WISDOM
> by Annie Besant
> 
> This was followed by
> 
> A TEXTBOOK OF THEOSOPHY
> by C.W. Leadbeater
> 
> Then probably:
> 
> A STUDY IN CONSCIOUSNESS
> by Annie Besant
> 
> FOLLOWED BY (not necessarily
> in order of how I read them)
> 
> THE GNOSIS OR THE ANCIENT WISDOM
> IN THE CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES
> by William Kingsland
> 
> ESOTERIC CHRISTIANITY
> by Annie Besant
> 
> THE MAHATMA LETTERS TO A.P. SINNETT
> 3rd edition
> 
> AN ABRIDGEMENT OF THE SECRET DOCTRINE
> edited by Elsie Benjamin and Christmas Humprheys
> 
> The Mahatma Letters book was the most confusing
> book to read!!!! The letters were NOT in
> any chrono order. It was a frustrating struggle trying to
> understand what was being conveyed in the letters BUT
> it soon became one of my favorite books!!!
> 
> I haven't thought about this for years but during this
> time period I remember underlining in the Mahatma Letters
> every passage that gave practical and spirtual advice to
> the newcomer. I even typed up all the quotes in a
> binder. 
> 
> It was the reading of the MLs and
> the Abridgement of the SD that made
> me first think there were definite differences
> between what Blavatsky/the Mahatmas taught
> and what was later given out by Mrs. Besant
> and Mr. Leadbeater. 
> 
> At first I was simply puzzled by this and thought
> I was misreading something somehow!
> 
> Other books read during this period of
> time (1968-1972) when I was in college
> were:
> 
> THE SCIENCE OF YOGA
> by I.K. Taimni
> 
> MAN, GOD AND THE UNIVERSE
> by I.K. Taimni 
> 
> A SHORT HISTORY OF THE THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY
> by Josephine Ransom
> 
> THE MATHEMATICS OF THE COSMIC MIND
> by L. Gordon Plummer
> 
> THE HIDDEN WISDOM IN THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, Volume 1
> by Geoffrey Hodson
> 
> MAN, THE MEASURE OF ALL THINGS
> by Sri Krishna Prem
> 
> MAN, SON OF MAN
> by Sri Krishna Prem and Sri Madhava Ashish
> It must have been about 1971 (summer time)
> that I somehow contacted Geoffrey Barborka
> and wrote him about the view given in
> MAN, SON OF MAN about the root races.
> 
> DID MADAME BLAVATSKY FORGE THE MAHATMA LETTERS?
> by C. Jinarajadasa
> 
> WHEN WE DIE (1st 1967 ed.)
> by Geoffrey A. Farthing
> 
> THE HALL OF MAGIC MIRRORS
> by Victor Endersby
> 
> THE HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF THE METAPHYSICAL
> MOVEMENTS IN AMERICA.
> by J. Stillson Judah
> Chapter III on "Theosophy and Its Allies" was
> an eyeopener. I believe it was probably this
> book that lead me to realizing that there were other
> branches of the Theosophical Movement other than
> the Adyar Theosophical Society.
> 
> It was probably also during this same time period
> that I also read:
> 
> CHRISTIAN DEVIATIONS: THE CHALLENGE OF THE NEW
> SPRITUAL MOVEMENTS 
> by Horton Davies
> 
> and 
> 
> THESE ALSO BELIEVE: A Study of Modern American Cults 
> & Minority Religious Movements 
> by Charles Samuel Braden
> 
> Thess "cult" books prompted me to study the Theosophical Movement
> within the larger "metaphysical" movement of cults, etc.
> 
> Three more books which were not necessarily "Theosophical" but
> had a lasting influence on me were:
> 
> THE EXPANSION OF AWARENESS 
> by Arthur Walter Osborn
> 
> and 
> 
> THE COSMIC WOMB
> by Arthur W. Osborn
> 
> and 
> 
> THE IMPRISONED SPLENDOUR
> by Raynor Carey Johnson.
> 
> These three books lead me to pursue my studies in psychical 
research 
> (parapsychology), mysticism and spiritualism.
> 
> This four year period of time (1968-1972) was a very exciting
> period of my life at least as regards pursuing these interests! 
> 
> Daniel
> http://hpb.cc
> 
> 
>  
> 
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