“Although deeply sympathetic to Steiner, Lachman brings to this immensely readable study the balance of one who is on familiar terms with the whole range of esotericism. Reading his account of Steiner’s life and ideas, you feel you are in safe hands.” – Colin Wilson, author of The Outsider

“This eminently fair, balanced and enlightening biography probably marks a further step in a process of increasing awareness of Steiner, brought about largely by the growth of Waldorf education. Given that much biographical writing on Steiner has been the work of anthroposophists, Lachman’s introduction probably represents a partial ‘secularisation’ of anthroposophy, in that he writes as an outsider. Colin Wilson has been described as “unable to enter into the true meaning of the work” for his sympathetic though critical writing on Steiner. It would be interesting to know how the same commentators might react to Lachman, with his cautious open-mindedness.

The signal service this biography renders is to place Steiner in a broader philosophical, historical, social and cultural context than it has until now been possible to see him in, thus satisfying a long-felt need to ground Steiner more recognisably in his times.” - John Lanigan in Philosophy Now. Read the review.