From Steve Hebel
Let me tell you something about "Monkey On A Stick" .... I cooperated with John Hubner because I knew that with or without my input he was going to write his book ... and write it he did. He and his co-author took a lot of liberty with the facts. In his book he has me thinking, saying and doing things that I have never thought, said nor done in my entire life. When the book came out I called him and told him I was disappointed and even found a caption that was wrong (under Jayapataka's photo it said it was Bhavananda.. or some such error). He told me that the first manuscript he submitted to the publisher was rejected because it didn't have enough drama in sensationalism so he had to go baqck and to a lot of alterations and so doing he found himself (against his own desires) playing fast and loose with the facts. At the beginning of the book he actually writes a sort of disclaimer saying that many of the scenes and conversations, etc. were exaggerated or even fabricated for dramatic effect. The book went out of print two years after it was released and I think at least 50% of those who even read it were devotees. Even the title of the book is weird. Anyway -- that's my feedback for what it's worth.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!!
-- Swarup das
Replies
I used to have a copy of that book. Also had the "Dial Om for Murder" magazine. Read them, and threw them out shortly thereafter, in 1989-ish. Felt depressed for about fifteen years afterwards.