7.2 /10 1 Votes
Language English Pages 335 Originally published 1991 Page count 335 Country United Kingdom | 3.6/5 Goodreads Media type Print (hardcover) ISBN 978-0-747-50720-8 Subject Autobiography | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Similar Krishnamurti: The Years of Awake, Krishnamurti, J Krishnamurti: A Biograp, Life and Death of Krishnamurti, Star in the East: Krishnam | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lives in the Shadow with J. Krishnamurti is a 1991 memoir by Radha Rajagopal Sloss (b. 1931). It chronicles aspects of the long, intimate, and ultimately contentious relationship of the author's family with the Indian philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti.
Contents
About the work
The author's father Rajagopalacharya Desikacharya (commonly D. Rajagopal, 1900–1993), and mother Rosalind Rajagopal (1903–1996), were friends and associates of Jiddu Krishnamurti (1895–1986) for four decades, but their personal and business relationships eventually soured permanently. Throughout this time they lived in close proximity with him in Ojai, California, and the author viewed the unconventional Indian philosopher (whom she affectionately called Krinsh while growing up) as a member of her family.
The book is best known for bringing to light details about Krishnamurti's private life, especially his long-term extramarital affair with Rajagopal Sloss' mother. The revelations were met with surprise and consternation by Krishnamurti adherents, and generated a measure of adverse publicity; a Krishnamurti biographer wrote that "history will not view Krishnamurti in quite the same light", yet the same author considered the long-term impact of the revelations doubtful. The book is also known for making a number of allegations and controversial statements regarding Krishnamurti. These provoked rebuttal publications by Krishnamurti associates and affiliated institutions, while one independent source has described the book as "deliberately iconoclastic".
Author statement
Rajagopal Sloss stated the following regarding the work:
This is not only the story of one person. It is the story of the relationships of J. Krishnamurti and people closely involved with him, especially Rosalind Williams Rajagopal and D. Rajagopal, my mother and father, and of the consequences of this involvement on their lives. Recently there have been biographies and a biographical film on Krishnamurti that have left areas, and a large span of years, in mysterious darkness. It is not in the interest of historical integrity, especially where such a personality is concerned, that there be these areas of obscurity.
Publication history
The book was originally published in May 1991, by Bloomsbury Publishing in the United Kingdom. A US edition was published by Addison-Wesley in March 1993. In September 2000, Rajagopal Sloss re-released the work through iUniverse, a US self-publishing company (see below).
Select editions
Reception
The work has been reviewed by among others, Tim Heald in The Times (London), Patricia Beer (London Review of Books), and Firdaus Kanga in the Times Literary Supplement (London).