I was happily engaged in reading Chris Hedges' "American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America," when I received a notification from the local library that another book I had requested had arrived. My plan was to finish Hedges' book, then dive into the new arrival. However, as I scanned "The Cynical Idealist: A Spiritual Biography of John Lennon" by Gary Tillery, I was captivated and it turned out that I would put the book on the Christian Right on hold!
If you're looking for a typical biography -- one that details every step of a person's life -- Tillery's book is sure to disappoint. While it does provide an ample sketch of John's early life until age 18, there is no thorough discussion of his life as a member of The Beatles nor the rest of his years until he was murdered in 1980.
In place of a blow-by-blow chronology, Tillery seeks to show how Lennon's spiritual and philosophical self grew by starts and stops during the years of his adulthood. He shows what kinds of thinking went into Lennon's songs and activist pursuits. He shows the philosophical perspective that undergirded Lennon's public appeals to peace, love and nonviolence.
There can be no question that John Lennon was a free thinker. He was not one to allow society to dictate how he would interact with the world. While he believed that genuine love was the answer, he refused to allow any specific movement to pen him in. In his song, "Revolution," he basically told all the various groups that wanted the Lennon "seal of approval" to bug off.
Though the word, Taoism, is never mentioned in the book -- not even once -- Lennon's personal philosophy is not so different than that of Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu. He came to believe that the best way to change the world is by changing ourselves. It is when we transform ourselves that our thoughts and actions cause untold ripples that can spread across the globe. A sea of change will occur when many people take this voyage.
Lennon, like the rest of us, struggled with his own transformation. For every step forward, he often took two steps backwards. His drug and alcohol abuse problems are legendary. At the zenith of his popularity with the Fab Four, he struggled with many demons and a sense of emptiness. He had quite a temper and was known to wound people with his biting and acidic sarcasm. In other words, this prophet of peace was FAR from perfect.
What makes Lennon's journey compelling is that again and again he tried to rise above his own foibles. During his last 5 years, he seemed to make progress by leaps and bounds. He "dropped out" of the race to become a househusband and to care for his young son. It was during this period that he wrote some of his most meaningful music.
The only shortcoming of this book is that I wish Tillery would have explored a bit more in-depth some of Lennon's nagging problems. A lot of discussion centers around his forays into drugs and alcohol, while neglecting his temper and issues with women. Tillery certainly doesn't try to hide these issues, but he also doesn't provide much of a glimpse into them either.
All in all, I have thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it highly. It has caused me to enter a period of deep reflection about who and what I aim to be. Like Lennon, I think I am a cynical idealist!
If you're looking for a typical biography -- one that details every step of a person's life -- Tillery's book is sure to disappoint. While it does provide an ample sketch of John's early life until age 18, there is no thorough discussion of his life as a member of The Beatles nor the rest of his years until he was murdered in 1980.
In place of a blow-by-blow chronology, Tillery seeks to show how Lennon's spiritual and philosophical self grew by starts and stops during the years of his adulthood. He shows what kinds of thinking went into Lennon's songs and activist pursuits. He shows the philosophical perspective that undergirded Lennon's public appeals to peace, love and nonviolence.
There can be no question that John Lennon was a free thinker. He was not one to allow society to dictate how he would interact with the world. While he believed that genuine love was the answer, he refused to allow any specific movement to pen him in. In his song, "Revolution," he basically told all the various groups that wanted the Lennon "seal of approval" to bug off.
Though the word, Taoism, is never mentioned in the book -- not even once -- Lennon's personal philosophy is not so different than that of Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu. He came to believe that the best way to change the world is by changing ourselves. It is when we transform ourselves that our thoughts and actions cause untold ripples that can spread across the globe. A sea of change will occur when many people take this voyage.
Lennon, like the rest of us, struggled with his own transformation. For every step forward, he often took two steps backwards. His drug and alcohol abuse problems are legendary. At the zenith of his popularity with the Fab Four, he struggled with many demons and a sense of emptiness. He had quite a temper and was known to wound people with his biting and acidic sarcasm. In other words, this prophet of peace was FAR from perfect.
What makes Lennon's journey compelling is that again and again he tried to rise above his own foibles. During his last 5 years, he seemed to make progress by leaps and bounds. He "dropped out" of the race to become a househusband and to care for his young son. It was during this period that he wrote some of his most meaningful music.
The only shortcoming of this book is that I wish Tillery would have explored a bit more in-depth some of Lennon's nagging problems. A lot of discussion centers around his forays into drugs and alcohol, while neglecting his temper and issues with women. Tillery certainly doesn't try to hide these issues, but he also doesn't provide much of a glimpse into them either.
All in all, I have thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it highly. It has caused me to enter a period of deep reflection about who and what I aim to be. Like Lennon, I think I am a cynical idealist!
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