In this book by Krishnamurti, a selection of texts from speeches, discussions, and writings that have as their central theme the "self" has been made. These texts cover a very long period of fifty-one years of his work, from 1932 to 1983. The end of the "self" or "the coming out of the river," as Krishnamurti otherwise calls it, seems to be the deepest and central theme not only of this book but of his entire teaching; it seems to be the key to another quality of inner tranquility and life.

The title of the first chapter of the book, from a speech in 1949, expresses exactly this, and in the best way: "Freedom from the 'self' is the real purpose of human life."

Finally, in the introduction of the book, Krishnamurti answers a provocative question that was asked of him, where someone tells him that "self-knowledge" has a parasitic nature that touches every thought, word, and action, resulting in losing interest in life.