The First and Last Freedom was first brought out in 1954 by a British publisher in response to demands from all over the world for a comprehensive book on Krishnamurti’s teachings. The value of the book was enhanced with Aldous Huxley writing a masterly Foreword, in which he says: ‘In this volume of selections from the writings and recorded talks of Krishnamurti, the reader will find a clear contemporary statement of the fundamental human problem, together with an invitation to solve it in the only way in which it can be solved – for and by himself.’

If truth can set us free, where do we find it? In The First and Last Freedom, Krishnamurti argues that we will not find truth in formal institutions, nor in organised religions and their dogmas, nor in any guru or outside authority; for, according to Krishnamurti, truth can only be realised through self-understanding.

Controversial and challenging, yet always enlightening, Krishnamurti guides us through society’s common concerns, such as suffering and fear, love and loneliness, sex and death, the meaning of life, the nature of God, and personal transformation – consistently relating these topics to the essential search for pure truth and perfect freedom. This classic philosophical and spiritual study offers wisdom and insights particularly suited to our own uncertain times.