Working Class Mystic

September 12, 2011
Often called “the quiet Beatle” because of his silence both on and off stage, Harrison spoke forcefully and eloquently in the later years of the band and during his solo career about the power of the divine and our own capacities to embrace it within. In a meditation on Harrison’s music that is alternately repetitious and frustratingly superficial, Tillery (The Cynical Idealist) traces Harrison’s mystical journey back to an acid trip in April 1965 in which Harrison realized that he had embraced, and been embraced by, the divine. From that moment, he discovered an affinity with Hinduism. Tillery dutifully treads well-worn territory in narrating Harrison’s relationships with sitarist Ravi Shankar, the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Swami Prabhupada, as well as Harrison’s deep engagement with the writings of Yogananda (Autobiography of a Yogi) and other Hindu spiritual teachers. Harrison’s songs, Tillery points out, strive to awaken us to the truths that he saw quite clearly: “to burn out our past karma, to become aware of our divinity, and to break free of eternal return.” Because it doesn’t engage Harrison’s song lyrics in detail, Tillery’s study lacks the depth of Dale Allison’s finely tuned The Love There That’s Sleeping: The Art and Spirituality of George Harrison (2006).

September 15, 2011

Tillery has analyzed the spirituality of John Lennon (The Cynical Idealist) and written a short story collection set in Vietnam (Darkling Plain) and humorous detective novels, and he is a celebrated professional sculptor. Perhaps his breadth of interests allowed him to take this wide-screen look at the spirituality of George Harrison. As a member of the Beatles and a somewhat reclusive solo pop star until his death in 2001, Harrison was generally known for his spirituality and embrace of Hinduism. Tillery examines Harrison's lyrics, life, and writings and convincingly explains their place--contradictions and all--within Hinduism and within Harrison's personal spiritual quest. The writing is clear and concise but occasionally veers into near proselytizing as Tillery extends his discussion beyond that for which he finds direct evidence in Harrison's work. VERDICT This is a clear, generally well-documented, and fairly short read that will find favor among Harrison and Beatles fans. Recommended.--James E. Perone, Univ. of Mount Union, Alliance, OH

Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.