Contents
An annotated table of contents for The Annie Besant Shrine: A Bibliography of Annie Besant (1847-1933).
Introductory Essay: Why a Shrine? An explanation of the purpose and method of compiling and arranging The Annie Besant Shrine: A Bibliography of Annie Besant (1833-1947).
Chronology. A year-by-year list of the principal events of Annie Besant's life, specially keyed to The Annie Besant Shrine.
Sources. A list of books, articles, and internet resources that have contributed to The Annie Besant Shrine.
I. First Publications (1873-77). Annie Besant's earliest books and pamphlets, primarily published by T. Scott and C. Watts. 28 items.
II. Pre-Theosophical Publications (1877-1892). Freethought Publishing Company books and pamphlets, with a few other socialist publications. 97 items.
III. Translations (1875-81). From French and German. 5 items.
IV. Theosophical Books (1892-1934). Annie Besant as author, collaborator, and editor of the works of others. 35 items.
V. Theosophical Society International Convention Lectures (1894-1931). Honoring the anniversary of the Theosophical Society, offered yearly in December at various locations in India, and published in book form the following year. Annie Besant was the preferred speaker. Each series examines a single theosophical question from a variety of perspectives, often building on the subject of the previous year. These lectures are the backbone of Besant’s teaching, demonstrating her evolution as a theosophist and social thinker. 32 items.
VI. Other Theosophical Lecture Series (1895-1930). Presentations for theosophical congresses and lecture tours throughout the world, including the almost yearly Queen’s Hall lecture series in London. The latter explain and popularize Theosophy or explore theosophical questions more deeply, in the manner of the International Convention Lectures. 41 items.
VII. India Books (1895-1932). Written to revive Indian cultural and spiritual traditions, examine political and social questions, and campaign for Indian self-government. 36 items.
VIIa. The Birth of New India (1917). An itemized list of this book's contents, organized by date of first publication to show the evolution of Besant’s thought. 38 items.
VIII. Contributions (1889-1933). Individual essays, articles, and lectures contributed to larger works; and forewords, introductions, and notes provided for the works of others. 59 items.
IX. Compilations and Collected Editions (1897-1932). Single and multi-volume works consisting of previously published quotations, extracts, lectures, essays, and articles. 27 items.
IXa. Essays and Addresses (1911-13). An itemized list of the contents and sources of the four volumes issued under this title, organized by date to highlight Besant’s intellectual and spiritual development within each volume’s overall theme: 1) Psychology; 2) The Spiritual Life; 3) Evolution and Occultism; and 4) India. 51 items.
X. Theosophical Pamphlets (1891-1932). First publication for some lectures; mostly reprints of articles and lectures that appeared in various theosophical journals. 134 items.
XI. Benares Pamphlet Series (1895-1907). Two pamphlet series, both published in Benares, the first ("Pamphlet Series") in 1895, the second ("Benares Pamphlet Series") beginning in 1903. Some titles appear in both series, with the same or different numbers. Library catalogs do not distinguish between these series, creating the illusion of different titles with the same number, or the same title with two different numbers. These series are comprised of first publication for several lectures, reprints of articles and lectures that appeared in various theosophical journals, and several previously published pamphlets. 34 items.
XII. Adyar Popular Lectures Pamphlet Series (1908-1916). First publication for a number of individual lectures and two lecture series simultaneously published in pamphlet and book form (See Other Theosophical Lecture Series); several reprints of articles and lectures that appeared previously in The Adyar Bulletin. 31 items.
XIII. Adyar Library Pamphlet Series (1911-36). Reprints, mostly drawn from the three previous categories, with some articles from theosophical journals. 73 items.
XIV. Miscellaneous Theosophical Pamphlet Series (1892-1920s). First publication for several lectures; some reprints of articles and lectures that appeared in various theosophical journals, as well as one previously published pamphlet. Incomplete. 17 items.
XV. Later Political Pamphlets (1915-30). Mostly dealing with India, especially questions of self-government. Several incomplete series, and many miscellaneous titles. 69 items.
XVI. Periodicals Edited by Annie Besant (1878-1933). Listed by date of founding or first involvement. 18 items.
XVII. Selected Articles from Lucifer (1889-97). Published monthly from London. Source of a number of pamphlets listed previously and serializations of several major theosophical books. 78 items.
XVIII. Selected Articles from The Theosophical Review (1897-1907). Formerly Lucifer. Published monthly from London. Source of a number of pamphlets listed previously and serializations of several major theosophical books. 80 items.
XIX. Selected Articles from The Theosophist (1889-1947). Published monthly from Adyar, Madras (now Chennai), India. Source of a number of pamphlets listed previously; and, after Besant assumes editorship in 1907, serializations of several major theosophical books; as well as several posthumously published articles. This listing ends with the Besant Centenary issue of October 1947. 344 items.
XX. Selected Articles from The Hollywood Theosophist (1930). Published monthly from Hollywood, California for one year. Source of an article later reprinted as part of the Adyar Library Pamphlet Series. 10 items.
XXI. Selected Articles from The Adyar Bulletin (1908-29). Published monthly from Adyar for countries unrepresented by national or regional sections in the TS. Source of a number of pamphlets listed previously, the serialization of one theosophical book, and the presidential addresses for each year’s International TS Convention in India. 102 items.
XXII. Selected Articles from The Link (1908-12). The quarterly newsletter of the Esoteric School (ES, formerly the Eastern Section or Eastern School) of the TS, published from Adyar. Includes one posthumously published pamphlet. 35 items.
XXIII. Biographical Publications (1893-1947). Includes autobiographies, correspondence, interviews, and selected reminiscences, tributes, and contemporary and posthumous biographies. 46 items.
XXIV. Posthumous Publications (1934-2013). Includes The Besant Spirit Series, in 12 volumes, as well as a few previously unreleased books and pamphlets, and some earlier publications reissued under new names. 218 items.
XXV. Bibliographies (1924-94). Previously published bibliographies of Annie Besant and works containing useful bibliographic information. 4 items.