Heavy on pictures, extremely light on text, "George Harrison: Living in the Material World" is the coffee table tie-in to Martin Scorsese's enjoyable but rambling documentary film of the same name.
If you're looking for deep insights into Harrison's life and thoughts, or even seeking a good overview of his musical career, there's not much detail here. But if you're a longtime fan who already knows that stuff, you'll find a wealth of pictures you've never seen before -- many of them from George's own camera: On tour with the Beatles, on holiday around the world and on pilgrimage in India.
There's a lot to say about Harrison. His influence on society -- beyond just his role in the Beatles -- is enormous. The spiritual openness and flexibility present in the West today is largely a result of his influence. The Transcendentalists and Beats all sought insights in Hinduism and Buddhism, but George was far more popular and culturally visible. He opened the doors for many would-be seekers to make their spiritual quests. The popularity of meditation and yoga are largely due to his influence, too.
And then there's world music. The Beatles use of sitar and other instruments, mainly due to Harrison's influence, helped open our ears to music from around the globe, and inspired other musicians in the West to explore sounds of other cultures and absorb their influence.
But you won't read about that here. However, you will get snippets from Harrison's diary entries and letters home to his parents, and all those pictures. It's not the first book you'd add to a Beatles library, but definitely not one you'd want to skip.
