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Search for liberation: Featuring a conversation between John Lennon and Swami Bhaktivedanta
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66 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1981
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47 people want to read
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John Lennon
763 books1,973 followersJohn Winston Ono Lennon, MBE, was an English singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, and together with Paul McCartney formed one of the most successful songwriting partnerships of the 20th century.
Born and raised in Liverpool, Lennon became involved in the skiffle craze as a teenager, his first band, The Quarrymen, evolving into The Beatles in 1960. As the group began to undergo the disintegration that led to their break-up towards the end of that decade, Lennon launched a solo career that would span the next decade, punctuated by critically acclaimed albums, including John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band and Imagine, and iconic songs such as "Give Peace a Chance" and "Imagine".
Lennon revealed a rebellious nature and acerbic wit in his music, his writing, on film, and in interviews, and became controversial through his work as a peace activist. He moved to New York City in 1971, where his criticism of the Vietnam War resulted in a lengthy attempt by Richard Nixon's administration to deport him, while his songs were adapted as anthems by the anti-war movement. Disengaging himself from the music business in 1975 to devote time to his family, Lennon reemerged in October 1980 with a new single and a comeback album, Double Fantasy, but was murdered weeks after their release on the sidewalk outside his home in the Dakota. Ironically, "Imagine" (imagine all the people, living life in peace) was a featured cut from this album.
Lennon's album sales in the United States alone stand at 14 million units, and as performer, writer, or co-writer he is responsible for 27 number one singles on the US Hot 100 chart. In 2002, a BBC poll on the 100 Greatest Britons voted him eighth, and in 2008 Rolling Stone ranked him the fifth greatest singer of all time. He was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1987 and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.
--Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia --
Born and raised in Liverpool, Lennon became involved in the skiffle craze as a teenager, his first band, The Quarrymen, evolving into The Beatles in 1960. As the group began to undergo the disintegration that led to their break-up towards the end of that decade, Lennon launched a solo career that would span the next decade, punctuated by critically acclaimed albums, including John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band and Imagine, and iconic songs such as "Give Peace a Chance" and "Imagine".
Lennon revealed a rebellious nature and acerbic wit in his music, his writing, on film, and in interviews, and became controversial through his work as a peace activist. He moved to New York City in 1971, where his criticism of the Vietnam War resulted in a lengthy attempt by Richard Nixon's administration to deport him, while his songs were adapted as anthems by the anti-war movement. Disengaging himself from the music business in 1975 to devote time to his family, Lennon reemerged in October 1980 with a new single and a comeback album, Double Fantasy, but was murdered weeks after their release on the sidewalk outside his home in the Dakota. Ironically, "Imagine" (imagine all the people, living life in peace) was a featured cut from this album.
Lennon's album sales in the United States alone stand at 14 million units, and as performer, writer, or co-writer he is responsible for 27 number one singles on the US Hot 100 chart. In 2002, a BBC poll on the 100 Greatest Britons voted him eighth, and in 2008 Rolling Stone ranked him the fifth greatest singer of all time. He was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1987 and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.
--Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia --
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 16, 2020
I picked up Lennon '69: Search for Liberation Featuring a conversation between John Lennon and Swami Bhaktivedanta [1] over thirty years ago as a rejected library donation. It was from the old Central Library in Mississauga so it must have been before 1991. A small tract of 66 pages from 1981, I suppose I avoided reading it because it was published by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness and didn't want to deal with religious theory. When I pick up a book I read it cover to cover, so just reading the conversation transcripts was never an option. The conversation involved not only John Lennon but also George Harrison and Yoko Ono. Ono was the most inquisitive, often challenging Śrīla Prabhupāda for clarity and never accepting his dogma as is.
Lennon, Harrison and Ono were not religious scholars--although George would become more learned--so the conversation turned comical at times. Instead of nodding in reverence they often wouldn't let certain statements pass. In a conversation about the English translations available of the Bhagavad-gītā, many of which are supplemented by the translator's own notes, Śrīla Prabhupāda tells John about the importance of reading it unencumbered by any author commentaries at all, for they are biased and taint the text. He recommends:
"If you seriously want to understand this, you should study the original Sanskrit text."
to which John replies:
"Study Sanskrit? Oh, now you're talking."
In another irreverent example of John's humour, one of Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples compares what it says in the Bhagavad-gītā to what it says in the Bible:
"In Psalms it says, 'Praise the Lord with every breath. Praise the Lord with drum and flute.'"
To which John replies:
"But they haven't got very good tunes. They haven't been passing on any good chants, have they? [Laughter.]"
In spite of my initial fears of this religious book, it was not plodding and Śrīla Prabhupāda's preaching and quotes from the Bhagavad-gītā made for a flowing read. However I can see how John and Yoko grew disillusioned with the swami as John did with the Maharishi. They wanted more evidential proof and were not a couple to sit back and accept any dogmas without a challenge of ideas.
[1] The first printing has this title, yet by the third printing, which I also own, the names are reversed: Lennon '69: Search for Liberation Featuring a conversation between A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda and John Lennon.
Lennon, Harrison and Ono were not religious scholars--although George would become more learned--so the conversation turned comical at times. Instead of nodding in reverence they often wouldn't let certain statements pass. In a conversation about the English translations available of the Bhagavad-gītā, many of which are supplemented by the translator's own notes, Śrīla Prabhupāda tells John about the importance of reading it unencumbered by any author commentaries at all, for they are biased and taint the text. He recommends:
"If you seriously want to understand this, you should study the original Sanskrit text."
to which John replies:
"Study Sanskrit? Oh, now you're talking."
In another irreverent example of John's humour, one of Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples compares what it says in the Bhagavad-gītā to what it says in the Bible:
"In Psalms it says, 'Praise the Lord with every breath. Praise the Lord with drum and flute.'"
To which John replies:
"But they haven't got very good tunes. They haven't been passing on any good chants, have they? [Laughter.]"
In spite of my initial fears of this religious book, it was not plodding and Śrīla Prabhupāda's preaching and quotes from the Bhagavad-gītā made for a flowing read. However I can see how John and Yoko grew disillusioned with the swami as John did with the Maharishi. They wanted more evidential proof and were not a couple to sit back and accept any dogmas without a challenge of ideas.
[1] The first printing has this title, yet by the third printing, which I also own, the names are reversed: Lennon '69: Search for Liberation Featuring a conversation between A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda and John Lennon.
February 5, 2023
Good! A collection of 1960s conversations about the Hare Krsna spiritual belief system. The inquisitive guests include: John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and George Hamilton.
The book has engaging writing and draws upon Vedic literature and the Bhagavad-gita. There is only a little comparative religion analysis. Overall, an interesting read.
🌷Book Quotes:
"To be a serious student means to acquire knowledge."
"Foolish so-called civilized men are claiming proprietary rights on the property of God because they have now become godless."
"I can see you have an English or an Indian body, but what are you?"
"Milk touched by the lips of a serpent has poisonous effects."
The book has engaging writing and draws upon Vedic literature and the Bhagavad-gita. There is only a little comparative religion analysis. Overall, an interesting read.
🌷Book Quotes:
"To be a serious student means to acquire knowledge."
"Foolish so-called civilized men are claiming proprietary rights on the property of God because they have now become godless."
"I can see you have an English or an Indian body, but what are you?"
"Milk touched by the lips of a serpent has poisonous effects."
December 10, 2025
Grifter alert
January 14, 2021
I really liked it, but only because it showed that I'm not the only one frustrated with Prabhupada's circularity and inability to really address the concerns that a Western audience are actually raising. Many times in this book, candid interviews with John Lennon and especially with Yoko Ono show him unable to really understand their questions and this book gets 4 stars only because at last I felt that my frustration wasn't my fault. George Harrison is clearly along to try to cover for Prabhupada when he says something absurd, jumping in to his defense to make something unpalatable that he says more palatable.
It is worth reading, especially if ISKCON material you've found before this one confuse you and frustrate you in obfuscatory lecturing that fails to elucidate the material in any regimented way.
Much, if not all, of the interview material is reprinted in Chant and Be Happy.
It is worth reading, especially if ISKCON material you've found before this one confuse you and frustrate you in obfuscatory lecturing that fails to elucidate the material in any regimented way.
Much, if not all, of the interview material is reprinted in Chant and Be Happy.
January 31, 2018
Some interesting philosophy here, but this guru guy can sure talk a lot of rubbish!
November 24, 2024
A great piece of Beatles memorabilia I found at a record shop. Its contents were alright. However I find a great irony in Swami Prabhupada’s assessment that all the other teachers of the Gita were quote “bogus”. Very typical of this sort of work.
However the interview with John, George, and Yoko, as a Beatles fan, was fantastic to read. John and Yoko displayed their trademark skepticism, while George displayed his earnest skepticism.
Overall a great piece of memorabilia for me as a fan of The Beatles but as far as what the book had to say, while there was some good explaining about spiritual concepts, overall I find Prabhupada a bit hypocritical.
However the interview with John, George, and Yoko, as a Beatles fan, was fantastic to read. John and Yoko displayed their trademark skepticism, while George displayed his earnest skepticism.
Overall a great piece of memorabilia for me as a fan of The Beatles but as far as what the book had to say, while there was some good explaining about spiritual concepts, overall I find Prabhupada a bit hypocritical.
January 10, 2020
Swami is an intense human, not my cup of tea, but interesting.
October 17, 2020
More of John's Hare Krishna phase.
March 11, 2023
Amazing!!! Srila Prabhupada instructing by example how to preach in modern-day. His Divine Grace, as a disciple once said, looks like [and for me, is, a model] CEO of the Universe.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews