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Book Description
This insightful new biography follows George Harrison's early life and career, his often underrated contribution to the Beatles' legacy, and the musical and spiritual journey that shaped his life.
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'The soundtrack of [Harrison's] spiritual journey begins with the explosions of battle and ends, fifty-eight years later with the harmonies of eternal peace. And like all good stories, this one starts when the hero was just a child.'
In Here Comes the Sun Joshua Greene sheds new light on the most mysterious of the Beatles, George Harrison, and provides a unique portrait of the man through his music and his spiritual quest.
As Greene looks back at Harrison's early life and the years he spent growing up in an impoverished, post-war Liverpool, he follows the path taken by the quietly rebellious teenage, the experiences and friendships that helped to shape his destiny and, of course, explores Harrison's rollercoaster ride to fame as a member of the legendary Beatles. He also draws on scores of previously unpublished transcripts of recorded conversations, first-hand accounts and fresh anecdotes about Harrison and other musical greats such as Dylan and Presley.
Poignant, insightful, and written with an immediacy that captures the very essence of the 'quiet one', Here Comes the Sun gives us an unprecedented close-up of Harrison's often underrated contribution to the Beatles' legacy, and his spiritual awakening through Indian music, mysticism and meditation.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
36 of 37 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
As much as I enjoyed this book, I will suggest that readers go in knowing that it is really not for those who aren't Beatle experts. This does not offer much in the way of new information in re the Beatles and there are a few errors which Beatle Literati will pick up immediately.
What makes this book wonderful and distinct is that it explores the influences that helped George Harrison develop, share and explore his spirituality. In fact, it is this very sharing on George Harrison's part that makes his music so distinct.
The few errors contained are nothing on the level of those in Bob Spitz' biography. Spitz' errors are so glaring that you wonder how on earth he could write it without checking. To add insult to injury, Spitz has taken personal issue with critics and Beatle experts who have called him on these errors and purports to have written the "definitive" Beatle biography.
I like the way this author hones in on why George's spiritual hunger was not satisfied by material success while living in the Material World. George's spiritual Long & Winding Road took him through Hindu teachings as well as the Hare Krishna devotees. At no time did George commit himself to any one faith or expression of faith; as stated in his own song, "if you don't know where you're going, any road'll take you there."
It has been well documented that the former Beatle was at home with Hindu teachings and philosophy; yoga; mediatation and the traditions of each. Even so, he kept his mind open to new and different ideas and possibilities. Greene does an excellent job of exploring and examining this aspect of the man's life. Greene also does an excellent job of explaining what rituals George practiced and his rationale for the forms these expressions took. This is very interesting.
One thing I would like to see discussed and explored was George's view of Catholicism in adult life. He had a statue of the Blessed Mother at his Friar Park home which suggests that the seeds of Catholicism which had been imparted to him early had taken root and borne fruit. He was even baptized in the Catholic church as an infant. George even said in an interview that, as a young boy he attended the Catholic masses, but later became disenchanted when people were there about showcasing their clothing. He even said he enjoyed the services, but had trouble believing that only Jesus was God's child. I found it interesting that George even said that he would get confirmed later, but for whatever reasons never did.
I like the way this author informed readers of Prabhupada and his private contact with George and the Vedic precept that the sacred chants are gifts from God to be shared.
Instead of being a rehashing of well documented facts such as Mark Shapiro's books and the poorly written tabloids by Geoffrey Guiliano, this is a work to be taken very seriously. It stands apart from other biographies of the youngest Beatle in that it digs deeply into his spiritual quest and explains in good detail the aspects of religions George followed. This book shares a place of honor with Simon Leng's book and George's autobiography. This is a book Harrison fans will undoubtedly treasure.
What makes this book wonderful and distinct is that it explores the influences that helped George Harrison develop, share and explore his spirituality. In fact, it is this very sharing on George Harrison's part that makes his music so distinct.
The few errors contained are nothing on the level of those in Bob Spitz' biography. Spitz' errors are so glaring that you wonder how on earth he could write it without checking. To add insult to injury, Spitz has taken personal issue with critics and Beatle experts who have called him on these errors and purports to have written the "definitive" Beatle biography.
I like the way this author hones in on why George's spiritual hunger was not satisfied by material success while living in the Material World. George's spiritual Long & Winding Road took him through Hindu teachings as well as the Hare Krishna devotees. At no time did George commit himself to any one faith or expression of faith; as stated in his own song, "if you don't know where you're going, any road'll take you there."
It has been well documented that the former Beatle was at home with Hindu teachings and philosophy; yoga; mediatation and the traditions of each. Even so, he kept his mind open to new and different ideas and possibilities. Greene does an excellent job of exploring and examining this aspect of the man's life. Greene also does an excellent job of explaining what rituals George practiced and his rationale for the forms these expressions took. This is very interesting.
One thing I would like to see discussed and explored was George's view of Catholicism in adult life. He had a statue of the Blessed Mother at his Friar Park home which suggests that the seeds of Catholicism which had been imparted to him early had taken root and borne fruit. He was even baptized in the Catholic church as an infant. George even said in an interview that, as a young boy he attended the Catholic masses, but later became disenchanted when people were there about showcasing their clothing. He even said he enjoyed the services, but had trouble believing that only Jesus was God's child. I found it interesting that George even said that he would get confirmed later, but for whatever reasons never did.
I like the way this author informed readers of Prabhupada and his private contact with George and the Vedic precept that the sacred chants are gifts from God to be shared.
Instead of being a rehashing of well documented facts such as Mark Shapiro's books and the poorly written tabloids by Geoffrey Guiliano, this is a work to be taken very seriously. It stands apart from other biographies of the youngest Beatle in that it digs deeply into his spiritual quest and explains in good detail the aspects of religions George followed. This book shares a place of honor with Simon Leng's book and George's autobiography. This is a book Harrison fans will undoubtedly treasure.
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Speaking from the point of view of being a great fan of George Harrison (the man and most of his music) I was looking forward to a good read about his Spiritual and musical life. Certainly the book goes into great detail about his Spiritual life which has filled in a few gaps for me, but in some ways this is overdone. There is a great emphasis on George's involvement with the Krishna movement - appropriate one may think as he was a considerable supporter and devotee - but the author himself has stated his own involvement, at least in the past, with this movement and the bias does come across. There is also relatively little information on his musical influences and his unique contribution to both the Beatles as one quarter of the band and as a guitarist. Also his musical legacy is not discussed at all.
For quite a lot of the book there was a growing unease for me that this was a book putting George up on a pedestal he would not have wanted and I almost gave up reading it because of this. For me, a person's greatness is as much about personal achievement in the face of difficulty and human frailty as anything else, maybe more.
George was not perfect; as Jeff Lynne, his good mate said, 'He wasn't a Saint, he could be grumpy at times.' This makes George one of the human race which of course is what he very much was. He needs no deifying and don't believe he would want it.
George loved his garden and renovating his house and grounds; some more of the humour that was a huge part of the man and how he expressed this in his life and his home would not have come amiss.
Having said all that, it was a good read and there are things in the book I haven't read elsewhere, and I've read a lot about George. The minor mistakes about the Beatles which as another reviewer has said Beatles fans will pick up on immediately, are only mildly irritating but leaves me wondering what other inaccuracies are there in the lesser-known material.
Enjoyable, worth buying/reading.
The enormous Spiritual legacy that George left is largely unacknowledged and it's good to see the balance somewhat corrected.
I have re-read the book and stand by the comments above but would like to add that the inspiration the author manages to give through these pages recounting George's life is considerable, and my recommendation is higher now than it was at first. On second reading I found I was moved far more . . . a good reason to read most books more than once.
Maybe the frame of mind I was in first time round had something to do with it!
For quite a lot of the book there was a growing unease for me that this was a book putting George up on a pedestal he would not have wanted and I almost gave up reading it because of this. For me, a person's greatness is as much about personal achievement in the face of difficulty and human frailty as anything else, maybe more.
George was not perfect; as Jeff Lynne, his good mate said, 'He wasn't a Saint, he could be grumpy at times.' This makes George one of the human race which of course is what he very much was. He needs no deifying and don't believe he would want it.
George loved his garden and renovating his house and grounds; some more of the humour that was a huge part of the man and how he expressed this in his life and his home would not have come amiss.
Having said all that, it was a good read and there are things in the book I haven't read elsewhere, and I've read a lot about George. The minor mistakes about the Beatles which as another reviewer has said Beatles fans will pick up on immediately, are only mildly irritating but leaves me wondering what other inaccuracies are there in the lesser-known material.
Enjoyable, worth buying/reading.
The enormous Spiritual legacy that George left is largely unacknowledged and it's good to see the balance somewhat corrected.
I have re-read the book and stand by the comments above but would like to add that the inspiration the author manages to give through these pages recounting George's life is considerable, and my recommendation is higher now than it was at first. On second reading I found I was moved far more . . . a good reason to read most books more than once.
Maybe the frame of mind I was in first time round had something to do with it!
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