Reviews (3)

A Fresh View of John Lennon
John's sister, Julia Baird offers a unique perspective of John's life and his relationship with his Liverpool family. Other biographies merely gloss over John's family (with the exception of Mimi). I found out some interesting facts about the Stanley sisters.
If you're a big John Lennon fan and you already know a lot of Lennon trivia, read this book for a fresh view point.(...)

The unknown side of John Lennon
This is a very interesting book about the family man John Lennon. His sister Julia tells all the true about the relationships between John and his mother, his stepfather, his little sisters, the tragedy when their mother was killed by a drunk policeman, and the beginnings of the group that four years later became the greatest phenomenon of the popular music, The Beatles. Also, Julia remembers for us, the phone conversations with John in the late 70's, near to John's death, and the feelings of all family when John was tragicly death by the gun of an out of mind man.Great book.

Sheds some light
This is certainly the best book that writer Guiliano has ever been involved in. It is interesting to hear about this untold side of John Lennon's family life, straight from a real member of that family. Nice. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

The Birth Of A Legendary Team
In the all-time gallery of Beatles photographs, there are several that have achieved iconic status. The one on the cover of this book is probably the earliest. It was taken on July 6th, 1957, and shows John Lennon and his original group, the Quarrymen, performing at the St. Peter's Parish Church Garden Fete. Among those watching the performance was a young man who would be introduced to Lennon later that day. It was one of those meetings that changed history, because that young man was Paul McCartney.

For all that's been written about the Beatles, it's amazing how much of their history has been obscured. The year of the Lennon-McCartney meeting has been variously published as 1955 and 1956, in addition to the correct 1957. In this volume, O'Donnell gets the year right--and a lot more. "The Day John Met Paul" is a vivid, hour-by-hour recreation of that momentous day in music history. O'Donnell's exhaustive research also allows the reader to understand the city of Liverpool, the skiffle music craze, and all the other elements of the world of 1957 that came together to create the Beatles. O'Donnell pulls this all together with a spellbinding storytelling technique. "The Day John Met Paul" is a must for anyone who wants a better understanding of the birth of the Beatles.--William C. Hall

Best book ever written about the Beatles!
"The Day John Met Paul" reconstructs one day in the lives of the Beatles: July 6, 1957, the day that Lennon and McCartney met in Liverpool. This book really makes you feel as if you're actually there, watching it happen! You think you're in Liverpool! I've read a lot of Beatles books, starting with Hunter Davies' authorized book in the 60s, but this one takes it all. It's right up there with books by Coleman and Lewisohn--no, it's even better. You won't be able to put the book down

A wonderful gem
I couldn't stop reading once I started this gem, and of the many Beatles books, I'd rate this as one of the best. For pure literary artistry, it ranks high: the descriptions are vivid and bring you completely into that fateful day (one moment stands out in which the Quarrymen go on their second, evening, show and a minute into the set, a rare Liverpool lightning storm sweeps through the town, knocking out the power, leaving John and his bandmates in darkness for a moment...
the proverbial, but in this instance real, "lightning flash" of greater things to come?!)
Definitely recommended to any Beatles fan.

Odd book
This book describes an important day, to be sure, and does so with careful research into all that is known about that particular day. Unfortunately, there isn't quite enough known to make a whole book out of, and the author is forced to pad the book with seemingly irrelevant details like the barometric readings of each hour of the day, simply because these facts are available. A little bit of the book necessarily seems like speculation, and reads like fiction - "he wiped his forehead" or some such unknown detail. Where it sticks to first-hand accounts of what happened that day, the book is a welcome triumph and an amusing read for obsessed fans.

One Of The Best Beatles Books Out There
Through descriptions only, the author traces the events that led to Lennon and McCartny's first meeting. The descriptions are amamzing. You get a very clear picture of the day. Also the book gives insight into the personalities of John and Paul. He also uses words from the time and place to set the mood. This book was amazing. He really did his research, and it shows. This is worth reading for any Beatles fan. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Climbing up the Eiffel Tower with John Lennon
Pete Shotton was John Lennon's best friend throughout his life, and this book gives a positive upbeat and revealing look at that friendship.

Starting from their rebellious childhood antics in Woolton and Quarrybank we are taken on a "Magical Mystery Tour" through the Quarrymen formation and onto Beatles superfame. Throughout it all Pete was the sane down-to-Earth component of John's life. Here's a glimpse of the Real John Lennon from getting every bird around (and the rest) to going off the deep end with Acid. It's sure to entertain you and keep you laughing with uncanny Lennon humor. The book is no whitewash, but neither is it the blackwash of Goldman's book. It's basically as close to the truth as a good friend can get. I also recommend The Man who Gave the Beatles Away and the new book, Lennon in America. I await the release of John's Diaries.

Hard To Beat
There are only three decent books on John Lennon: Albert Goldman's, Ray Connelly's and Pete Shotton's "In My LIfe". This book is almost completely free of the schmalz that ruins other biographies. It's truthful and frank and is quite fascinating. A good thing about the book, is that it focuses on the man rather than the music. From reading it, you do get an idea of what he was really like. Regrettably, I lent my copy to a friend who promptly left it on a table in a cafe or hostel in Paris (early '96). So if you found it - I want it back!

John Lennon In My Life is a riot
I very highly recommend this book to any Lennon/Beatles fan with a good sense of humour and an open mind. I Loved Every Page Of It. You wont be able to keep a straight face while you read it. What A Clown!

A very revealing book
This book is a revealing look at John Lennon's personal life. It shows his fans that they don't know as much about the "real" Lennon as they think they do. It shows the man behind the legend. It seems as though the book contains many ideas that one might not want to accept as reality, so it is easy to dissmiss some of the book as false. All in all this is a terrific book about Lennon.

IN MY LIFE
A GREAT BOOK. IT DESCRIBES IN GREAT DETAIL, A FRIENDSHIP THAT LASTED FOR OVER 30 YEARS.. IT GIVES A DECENT ACCOUNT OF JOHN LENNON FROM A FRIEND'S POINT OF VIEW NOT FROM A TRASHY AUTHOR. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

many wonderful photos...brillant song..a door way to lennon
a life captured in less than 30 pages.. truely brillant....a wonderful song...lennon is the ruler of rock...I was brought to tears ... Read more

Reviews (13)

fredric seamans personal experiance makes this book.
writing from his experiance as well as his heart fred seaman brings to life in this book tons of personal information about john lennon and yoko ono.having to keep a very heavy load taking care of johns every need,studio one office duties and yokos wild request,seaman is able to capture life at lennono at its best and worst.fred tells of johns wierd obsessions with cults,clothes,fear of fans,and even death.this book also tells of john lennons comeback,the writing of new songs in bermuda,recording double fantasy,how the album got its name,problems in the studio with yoko,on and on,all the way up to johns death.the last days of john lennon is worth every penny.i read it from cover to cover,it was hard to lay it down.i have always been a beatles fan.i have always been a john lennon fan.now i can say that i am a true fredric seaman fan.fantastic job fred! buzz sawyer

The Guy Was There
Interesting book. Yoko Ono's character here is shrewdly personified. "Imagine", that she was trying to really force her 'music' (warble screetch) on to Double Fantasy. This is while she was having affairs, milking the Lennon fortune, drinking and living like a pack rat-and heavily abusing narcotics. Her songs had to be pitch shifted, note by note just to stay in the key. Sad, that Lennon would refer to her as "mother' in a maternal way.I am not trying to trash Ono. Seaman's insights are vivid-in a documentary style of recorded events. One has to take notice.

Reading this book, you get inside Lennon's day to day behavior.

The Bermuda trip, is especially interesting. Here is a guy, trying to avoid the "mania" of fans (everywhere on the planet) and Seaman for me describes what that was really like. Upon recognition-they are in shock, then they try and get a piece of him, then Lennon moves on, oblivious to their existence and the loss of his essence, seems to be even more of a shock. Beatle mania-and Lennon awe, continued to grow in the 70's as had it first started in the early 60's.

I have read this book 3 times over the last 5 years, and each time it takes you to a different place. Lennon felt the Beatles peaked in 1961 and this comment, and many like this -show how good the group really was, just as they were recording those early mono albums. Raw, full of energy, romantic to the hilt, and with a backbeat you couldn't lose.

When Seaman is beaten by Yoko's bodygard thugs (ex-police officers) you really feel for the guy.It was more torture than just a mere beating. Further more, you certainly can empathize with Julian Lennon and even Paul McCartney who would have to deal with the calculating coldness of Yoko Ono.

Seamen is abit of dweep through out this narrative. (playing bongos and keeping a beat, while Lennon works out a few new songs in Bermuda.) Lennon, coming out of 5 year sleep, is full of creative juice, influenced by Bob Marley raggae to the B-52s-while covering his ears-when he hears the rock wallop and head bang of early Led Zeppelin on the radio. I am not writing this to praise Seaman but the guy should be awarded some attention for keeping diaries and copies (the originals were stolen by Yoko's thugs in a burglary) as well as his keen powers of observation, from a guy that was truly there. Right to the end of Lennon's life.

Particularly sad is the fact, that Yoko dismissed any form of protection for John when he would walk into the Dakota Apts-which perhaps would have (think of Reagan's attempted assassination) saved his life. This book may give you dreams at night.

Yoko Won the Lawuit, What a Shame
I've read many Lennon bios, from Goldman to Coleman...John has been my favorite Beatle, and human being, since I was about 15 (I'm now 29)...and I feel sorry for Yoko that she has to stifle this book. This is an entirely human account of the life John and Yoko led in the last year or two of John's life...written by the guy who was a staple in their everyday living, ordering the groceries, setting up flights, witnessing his own Aunt Helen trying to control the young Sean, as his nanny...There is no vindictiveness in this book...it's a loving account of John as a real man. I never, ever, in reading this got the feeling that Seaman was some kind of pariah bent on reaping the profits of a world famous man...Just a mere recording of daily events...with John a central presence....one sequence that stood out was John hearing Paul's song "Coming Up"....and remarking that it was a song he could not get out of his head..he asked Seaman to get hold of the latest McCartney album..."McCartney II'...
a riveting account of a man we all admire, but whose faults are there, in full display.....still feeling for his past, wanting more...this book is a display of passion, a true gem....

My favorite
This is by far one of my favorite Lennon books...(I have read every one!!!)
Fred really brought to light the last years of Johns life and his relationship with Yoko...I know most fans don't believe but if you read all the biographies most all ring the same tune.
Fred recently lost a court case with Yoko Ono ...he was convicted of stealing and planning to write a book from the very beginning of his employment. I am glad he had the nerve to stand up to Yoko...Go Fred...wish you could write more.

The books was well wrtten in great humor and you could feel Fred really did love Lennon.

Good
Technically, this book is good. I mean, wow, Fred Seaman wrote (with such amazing detail) and kept and collected everything what should have been very private about John Lennon , including John's shopping lists. That guy knew what to do from the start (since he was hired as john's assitant) just for his own good (in my opinion). Well, this is really a sellout. John, wherever he is now, will surely be [mad].
(Positive side, though: this book shows that Yoko wasn't what I thought she seems [or seemed]) ... Read more

Book Description

Out of the hardscrabble port city of Liverpool, England, there emerged a rock 'n' rollgroup that would become the most celebrated of all time. And the soul of that groupwas John Lennon, "the Smart Beatle," who with his mates changed the way the worldlooked, partied and lived. From the days in a Hamburg basement club to the Ed SullivanShow to the movies to the White Album, the music traced a phenomenal trajectory. Alongthe way came his beloved Yoko and sons Julian and Sean, the breakup of the Fab Four,the fascinating solo albums, and finally, in the end, an assassin's bullet. Life was therewith John and the Beatles from their first visit to these shores till the final days. Thisexultant tale is told in vivid photography and words, as John is brought to life in a truly special volume from the editors of Life. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The 'Real' J.L.
In the decade that elapsed between the Beatles' dissolution and his death in 1980, John Lennon wrote songs that were inspired by events which affected him personally. Here some light is shed on the biographical background to his solo work by veteran music journalist, Du Noyer, whose 'Q' and 'Mojo' credentials shine through in the magazine-style form and glossy photos.

Marvelous - how is it out of print so quickly?
I don't think that the author is necessary conflicted between the Coleman and Goldman views of Lennon's life so much as looking from the outside, considering all possibilites without claiming to "know" anything. Not as good as A Hard Day's Write, true, but still a very excellent companion to Lennon's life and works.

Interesting....but Disappointing
This book is pretty much a sequel of sorts to Steve Turner's "A Hard Day's Write," which remains the definitive book on the background of the Beatles' songs. Du Noyer was right to decide that Lennon's solo work deserved a similar reference of its own, but, unfortunately, it doesn't measure up to the Turner book. Using the same format, and even some of the same photos, Du Noyer takes us through Lennon's mainstream albums from Plastic Ono Band to Milk & Honey, but in the end can't come up with anything new; it's all a retread of the same old story - and Du Noyer can't decide whether he wants to believe Ray Coleman or Albert Goldman, so he just chooses to dodge the delicate question of whether Lennon, as a person, was an all-around wonderful guy (the 'St Lennon' of rock'n'roll myth) or a deranged, self-destructive hypocrite. Even worse, Du Noyer can't decide whether he's a fan of the music or not. He intersplices fan-like gushing over Lennon's best songs with snide put-downs directed at most of the rest of the repertoire. In the end, there's not much here for either the devoted Lennon fan or the newcomer, who may wonder what all the fuss is about if so much of Lennon's music merits all this criticism.

Lennon rediscovered!!
Finally the comprehensive book on John lennon's much undeservedly neglected solo work. Du Noyer takes us on a trip like no one has before. Through the mind of John Lennon, when he was composing hits like 'Instant Karma'(which definitely has got to be his best solo work),'Imagine', 'Jealous Guy' and the poignant love songs from the 'Double Fantasy' album. What makes the book really worth many reads is the fact that at no point does Du Noyer make an attempt to glorify all that Lennon composed after breaking up with the Beatles. He is dispassionately unbiased while separating the non-inspiring works like Some Time In New York City from classics like Imagine, Plastic Ono Band etc. A must read for any Lennonophile. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

John Lennon 101
Musicians, writers, artists and fans alike should read this candid biopic into the lives of John & Yoko during the prime of their lives and populariy. They were involved. They were controversial. They were naive. They were important and outspoken... and most of all, vulnerable. Anthony Fawcett was more than sympathetic... he was privileged to find himself involved at a time when the magic of John Lennon transcended who he even thought he was. Forever dispells the silly myth that Yoko, Linda or anything other than John's decision broke up the Beatles. ... Read more

Book Description

Once the Beatles split up, John Lennon found time to explore his strong political activist side. Moving to New York City, he and wife Yoko Ono befriended a host of activists and writers with a variety of agendas, encouraging and supporting them to such an extent that the FBI took notice. What followed was an escalating, and often bizarre, series of harassments – apartment bugging, deportation orders, attempted declaration of the Lennons’ "insanity," concert embargoes, a set-up pot bust, harassment of friends like David Bowie, culminating, the authors argue, in the Beatle's death. The strange and sinister story of the U.S. government’s secret war on the Lennons is dramatically told in this book based on recently released documents from the FBI’s own archives. Included are photographs as well as new information from Lennon's music peers and fellow activists. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Meandering with moments of interest.
"John Lennon and the FBI Files" suggests that Lennon's assassin was not a deranged fan, but a programmed killer. Despite being this being the main objective of the book, it only occupies the latter third of the book's content. The majority of the book outlines the history of the CIA and FBI organizations and the various theories about mind control and programmed killers as pertaining to the Kennedy and Martin Luther King assassinations.
By comparing Lennon's murder to the murder's of JFK and MLK it only exposes the lack of tangible evidence. While there's much evidence to help fuel the conspiracy theories of those assassinations, there's not a great deal of evidence in the Lennon shooting. The authors make a rather thin case in this book for a conspiracy. It's an interesting idea, but the most interesting portion of this book is dealing with the history of the CIA, which is better discussed in other books. ... Read more

Book Description

EPOCH MOMENTS AND SECRETS - JOHN LENNON AND THE BEATLES AT THE MIRROR OF MAN'S DESTINY, with the help of the author, will take you on a journey THEN [The Sixties], NOW, and into the TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY.

THE BEATLES have affected mankind. The total Trilogy work will expose the real story - the life and times [THEN & NOW] of THE BEATLES' legacy, and of their history - and how it is woven into the fabric of what is being reported by media, newsgroups, government, universities, internet and discussed by world citizens.

While all the other BEATLES books TALK about the parties, TALK about the drugs and TALK about the band's life backstage and on the road, Richard Warren Lipack's THE LAST CONCERTS, the first installment in THE BEATLES' TRILOGY - SHOWS IT - with no holds barred!

EPOCH MOMENTS AND SECRETS is drawn from the single most important extant photograph collection on THE BEATLES in the world. Many of the incredible photographs in this book are reproduced for the first time ever. There are well over 150 photos alone - all BEHIND-THE-SCENES - of THE BEATLES during the last days of their live performing career - up to that moment they retired from the concert stage, in August of 1966.

It is significant to note that comprised within the monumental 367 page coffee-table book: THE BEATLES ANTHOLOGY, released by THE BEATLES and APPLE in the year 2000, only a scant TWO (2) photographs are reproduced treating the period of the band's 1966 last concert. These consisted of previously published images by San Francisco lensman Jim Marshall.

Within the present realm and scope of THE BEATLES own vast and mighty resources, it is absolutely amazing that so little treating the time of the band's last concert came to be gathered and reproduced in THE BEATLES ANTHOLOGY - in an effort to tell this part of the story of what is obviously the epitome of their live performing career!

The Trilogy work however makes the reader witness to the odyssey of a major pivotal event in history as it ACTUALLY unfolds! This is done through the painstaking state-of-the-art digitally enhanced reproduction of action photographs arranged in sequential order according to the sequence of the negative film frames - all as they had been clicked-off by the roving camera - over the tour period. The methods employed to reproduce these images include the rare and lost art of maintaining the halftone dot in the shadow area comprised within the black and white photographs found in EPOCH MOMENTS AND SECRETS.

As well, a special "Quadtone Process" is used to make black and white images into those of striking colors and hues. This is all in an effort to re-create for the reader's eye the vividness of like what THE BEATLES themselves saw during this historic vector-point in time - as they found themselves heading towards destiny and their last live stage show ever - while under the influence of the illicit drug L.S.D. 25.

There are some 35 out of 45 FULL COLOR images reproduced in EPOCH MOMENTS AND SECRETS that show THE BEATLES during the period of their last concerts, while THE BEATLES ANTHOLOGY only shows but one!

The text to THE LAST CONCERTS segment of EPOCH MOMENTS AND SECRETS has been researched and executed over a span of nineteen years. And with this, no stone has been left unturned. Here for the first time, the reader and devotee of THE BEATLES can begin to understand their effect on modern society. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A "bible" book on the reality of the world
I"m glad to meet R. Lipack . His book look like
a nightmare .. but it is only a true analysis of
the real world you're living today ....
Big Brother is alive now , more terrific than
you can imagine...
Thanks Mister Lipack for open our eyes.

This book shows how the Beatles are tied into conspiracies
The Beatles were more than just a rock band. In historical context, they were part of a huge government engineered social event which has been overseen through the years by secret societies and unknown branches of U.S. and British governments. The engineering continues to evolve today.

As John Lennon has stated, one moment they were playing all kinds of seedy bars, strip joints, and dance clubs across the UK and Europe. A gritty covers band with an attitude and ability to play. The next thing he knew, they were meeting the Queen of England and heads of state across the globe as they toured. Transforming them from a heavy rock band into a cute, loveable teen sensation almost overnight was what their manager Brian Epstein did, as he promised if they did this they'd be rich beyond their dreams and be bigger than Elvis. But it went way beyond even that as their importance ballooned into political issue and their effect on the 'youth culture'. Heads of state took notice of their citizen's enchantment with the band. The 'clean' image Epstein marketed got them into family rooms around the globe; where for the band was where the money they were promised was; and for Tavistock, a worldwide opportunity to capture the minds of the entire world's youth.

What the Beatles got themselves into through Epstein's contracts and guidance, unbeknownst to them, was a role in the New World Order's plans to test out mass mind control. You'll learn about England's top secret Tavistock facilities (which as predicted in the book, now monitors all communications passing in and out of England), and how it secretly helped engineer the Beatles 'invasion' of the U.S. and then the world and why. A discussion of the Beatles' early music, and it's hypnotic "12-atonal" quality attempts to explain the reason their music seems to elicit senses within the brain common in many humans, especially those in a certain age group.

The subject of the group's decision to use and publicize their use of LSD and cannabis marijuana as they began to move in their own direction beyond their manager's initial Beatlemania-era "cute" image, and into the psychedelic-rock/hard rock era, is discussed in detail. Previously unpublished photos of the band using LSD and them performing at their last concerts appear in the book for the first time.

Secret documents are exposed from FBI, CIA files. Social engineering, the mark of the beast, Waco, black choppers, militia, mind control, the drug trade, Nazi connections, UFO and alien appearances, backwards messages. The modern multimedia presentation of music and marketing began here.

The book is not extremely organized in a comprehensible manner. It's best to take this book a chapter at a time. It seems the author may have crammed too much in one book that might have been meant for three since it says this is a trilogy. However you will learn so much more than you may want to know about how the Beatles fit into the cosmic conspiracy that you'll scare yourself. I think every major conspiracy theory is touched upon.

The book seems to weave in and out in this manner, to some great stories about the Beatles on tour and behind the scenes, with previously unpublished photos.

If any of this sounds slightly interesting, believe me, it is quite fascinating, and you should read this book immediately. What you think and saw was happening on the outside, was happening because of some very bizarre coincidences.

Interesting addendum: In 1996 An episode of the TV series "Dark Skies" was based on this book's chapter about the Beatles' first U.S. appearance on a live broadcast of the Ed Sullivan Show in February of 1964. Seen by 73 million viewers across the nation, (that's almost everyone who had a television set then), it was the perfect time to implant the message and test mass mind control. Was it Tavistock who masterminded it all? This book has the answers, and raises even more questions that still don't but one day we may know the answer as more government documents become declassified regarding these operations. (I'm hoping to see parts 2 and 3 of this trilogy get published with all of the events in Beatles and world history that have taken place since the book first came out in 1996.) ... Read more

Reviews (2)

One of the best Lennon books out there
The pseudonymous John Robertson is one of the few writers on John Lennon (or the Beatles) who doesn't subscribe to any of the myths that clog this important artist's legacy. This book and his later chronology "Lennon1940-1980" are essential reading for any serious fan, bothscrupulously researched and entertaining, scholarly yet readable. FromLennon's teenage scribblings to his first recordings with the 'Quarry Men',to the years of Beatlemania and psychedelic experimentation, to Yoko Onoand avant-garde wackiness, to the 'Lost Weekend' and the shut-in Dakotayears, to Lennon's final, sudden burst of creativity before the end - everytwist and turn of this bizarre, brilliant career is chronicled with asharp, critical but loving eye. There was a lot more to Lennon than'Imagine', and a lot of it was truly surreal - whole books ofstream-of-consciousness, pun-laden nonsense; 'art' exhibits filled withgrapefruit, spoons and sponges; endless avant-noise recordings and liveperformances that came close to absolute madness; reviews,self-advertisements and letters to the editor; spoken word tapings, eroticlithographs and off-the-wall cartoons (Dali as done by Thurber) - theaesthetic debris cast off by a whirling dervish of creativity, a man whooften did nothing but sleep for months on end but somehow could neversquelch his burning desire to create and perform, the spark that draggedhim from 'Please Please Me' to 'Cold Turkey', and then to 'Double Fantasy'.A definitive study of Lennon would require several volumes; in about 200pages, Robertson provides a better (and mercifully shorter) analysis thanalmost anyone else so far.

For Any John Lennon Fan Out There
This is a vital book for any fan, every piece of art & music JohnLennon has ever done.John Robertson does a good job which other Lennonbooks miss:Detailed Account to all the art done with Yoko, solo music,and tour information.One of the best highlights is all the lost sessions,including the five year seclusion while John was house husband.Robertsoncovers so many songs that John has recorded that are not even released tothis day. Robertson's book judges the man not for his mistakes, but for theworks of art and music John Lennon has left behind for us all. ... Read more

Book Description

The John Lennon Encyclopedia is the most comprehensive book about John Lennon ever produced. By best-selling author and Beatles expert Bill Harry, this A-Z guide will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about one of the twentieth century's most talented and enigmatic figures. From his difficult childhood to his early days with the Beatles, and from his groundbreaking solo projects to his work with Yoko Ono, this book reveals in intimate detail the man behind the myth, helping to explain Lenon's enduring status as a popular icon. It contains every track Lennon ever wrote or worked on, every gig he every played, and full biographies of everyone who was involved in his life story.

This is the most comprehensive guide ever published to the guiding genius of the world's greatest band. It comes in at almost one thousand pages, and half-a-million words, this is the ultimate celebration of all things Lennon. This unique book is the sister volume of Bill Harry's The Beatles Encyclopedia (0753504812), updated in Fall 2001. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Everything but the Glasses
The John Lennon encyclopedia, a book literally as thick as a brick, has probably everything a Lennon or Beatle fan will ever want to know about John Lennon. Within its 1002 pages you'll find information about John's life (childhood, Beatlehood & solo), origins of songs, the books he wrote in the early 1960s, origins of films he worked on with Yoko, relatives, friends, his children, celebrity accquaintences, TV appearances, autobiographies written about John, songs written about John, short stories about John, even messages that psychics claim to have come from John beyond the grave. Yep, absolutely everything about John there was up to the point of publication. The only thing I couldn't find was the origins of John's glasses!

Like the title suggests, the book is written like an encyclopedia. Facts about John have been given a title ("Drugs", "Epstein, Brian", "Mind Games", etc), and arranged in alphabetical order. This makes it very easy to find exactly what you want to know, as well as easy to read. You can dip into it and read as much or as little as you like. It's a good bedtime read for Beatlemaniacs like myself, and makes quite a hefty coffee table book.

This isn't a cash in by some puffed-up biased journalist, like a lot of Lennon nonfiction. This is Bill Harry, a man who not only went to the same art school as John, but was a good friend of his. Bill Harry as accurate and as thorough as he can be, and modest. If you look up "Bill Harry" in the encyclopedia, you won't find it, and when he is mentioned in the various entries about his art college years, Bill Harry talks about himself in the objective third person. Superstar biographies could learn a lot from this one.

An interesting read for the hardcore Beatle fan, and the trivia buff. A casual fan might want to start with the "The Beatles Anthology" instead, as that's written in order, and you'll have a place to start rather than being thrown into John's world. However, if you only want one Lennon nonfiction, this is the one to get.

COULD'VE BEEN SO MUCH BETTER!
This book has its moments, but I couldn't recommend it to anyone. It is full of errors, contradictions, omissions, misspellings, etc. Having previously read another of Billy Harry's books,("The Ultimate Beatles Encyclopedia") I knew that he wasn't too keen on hiring a good proofreader, but the Lennon book is just too much!!

The ultimate book on the magnificent John
Everything Bill Harry publishes on the Beatles is always a high quality, well-researched effort and this is no exception. It's not hyperbole to say that this book contains virtually everything you ever wanted to know about Lennon; the details are prodigious, and it spans over 1,000 pages of text. It's an almost day by day chronicle of Lennon's life from 1940 until his tragic death in 1980. Casual fans might suffocate under the weight of all this info, but for Lennon fanatics, like me, this is nirvana.

The book is equally divided between personal material about John, his relationships, marriages, divorce, and two sons, and his professional career. His partnership with Paul is explored in exhaustive and fascinating detail and no discernible bias can be seen. Bill Harry has written about all of the Beatles but one can never tell which one is his favorite. That's a notable strength in his writing, he has no agenda or axe to grind, he just presents the glorious facts of the Fab Four. The index is easy to follow and cross-referenced so you can easily find what you're looking for.

If you are a serious fan of John Lennon, this is an indispensible guide to his songwriting, personality and his life. If only he had been allowed more than 40 years on earth, how many more classic songs would he have written? Sadly, we will never know, but this celebration of his life is as good as it gets. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

John Wenston Ono Lennon's life from beging to end
Most biographors who have written about Mr. Lennon ether tell you very little or they tell you too much about his private life. This book did not do that it told you about his acheivements and it also told you about his faults. When Mr. Coleman wrote this book he showed his love for the person and not the name. There have been writters who have written in envy or hate. There is not one part in this book that is written under thoes pretences. This book helps you see his human side and how giving, caring, and how loving this man was. It told you about his life from childhood right up to his death. I would not recomend this book for any one who can not stand to read a verv long time but if you really are interested in John Lennon, out of all the books I've read this would be the one I would recomend ... Read more

Book Description

Imagine: John Lennon, authorized by Yoko Ono and drawn extensively from material in the late Beatle's personal archives, is more than a tribute to his timeless legacy. Rare film footage, photographs, and the words of family and friends--plus a wealth of Lennon's own quintessential wit and candor--paint a uniquely intimate portrait of the man behind the legend. Here is the poignant story of the tough Liverpool kid who conquered the world with his music, from childhood through dank Hamburg and Liverpool clubs to Beatlemania, from global fame and wealth to a never-ending search for fulfillment as an artist and a man. It charts his loves--for his first wife, Cynthia; his sons, Julian and Sean; and his great collaborator Yoko Ono--and his passions, art, music, and above all his work for peace.From Lennon the performer, in spectacular shots by the world's top rock photographers, to Lennon the lover, father, and human being in intimate family photographs (many never-before published), Imagine captures the man who was the touchstone for his generation. Originally published as the companion to a film biography of Lennon, the book is a handsome tribute to his life and art, and will make an elegant gift for Beatles fans and all admirers of John Lennon's music and imagination. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

biop of lennon
a great visual journey into john lennon's life with plenty of intimate photographs

Amazing
i bought this book after seeing the rave reviews it got, thinking it was a real reading book. turned out to be a HUGE, glossy pictorial account..... but it's just as good probably better. awesome rare photos and quotes by the man and friends, and packed full of priceless memories. get it.

Beautiful Book!
All I can say is that this book is the best I've ever owned on any member of the Beatles. Jammed full of pictures and a detailed bio, this book is everything that you need to know about John Lennon's life, work, and social standings. I give it an A++++. Forwarded by Yoko Ono.

A Big, Beautiful Book
The perfect coffee-table book for fans of John Lennon and his music. Lots of lovely photos and illustrations, plus commentary from Lennon & those closest to him. Includes a very useful chronology & dscography. Highly recommended, as is the film upon which it is based.

I loved it!
This is really a great book. It gave me allot of facts. Not just about the working John but also the person John Lennon. The picuters are big and very well taken. It's pictures we have seen before from the Beatles time. But also pictures from his personal life with his sons and wives. It's a wonderful book and a great tribution to John. I loved it. ... Read more

Book Description

Considered one of the most innovative artists in the history of popular music, John Lennon is also a fascinating example of the relationship between rock music and celebrity. Through investigation of the cultural and historical background of his stardom in England and the United States, this book explores why John Lennon became a much-debated celebrity and why he remains so. Lennon’s career from the 1960s until his tragic death in 1980, and even beyond, demonstrates how different expectations articulated by the star, the music industry, the media, and the fans form relations which change in terms of time and place. Using a multidisciplinary approach and intriguing case studies, this book also examines cultural identity, authenticity, and gender in popular music stardom. ... Read more

Book Description

Published to coincide with the 25th anniversary of John Lennon's death and the 65th anniversary of his birth, this is an intimate album of photographs, most never published before, of Lennon in his last decade.

A musical genius, an innovator, a peace activist-John Lennon was all these and more, and he continues to be revered a quarter century after his shocking murder in New York elevated him to mythic stature. Published to coincide with the 25th anniversary of Lennon's death, this intimate album of 150 photographs-most of which have never been published before-offers a very personal view of the rock legend in his last decade by someone who had astounding access to his private life.

Bob Gruen first photographed Lennon in 1971 and became his personal photographer and close friend shortly thereafter. Over the course of the next nine years, right up until Lennon was killed, Gruen would photograph him extensively. This book assembles the most revealing of those images, taken during Lennon's years in New York, together with Gruen's reflections on the circumstances surrounding the photos, including John's relationship with Yoko, how he dealt with fame, and his experiences with fatherhood. The result is a remarkable behind-the-scenes look at John Lennon as a performer, a legend, and a person. ... Read more