I went out to the bookstore today in search of the new Lennon biography John Lennon: The Life by Philip Norman. First, let me say that if you live in rural America, you better just buy off Amazon. Because I went to two major shops. No book.Â
I am fascinated by biographies. I cannot get enough of reading the life story of anyone. Specifically, this book intrigues me because the source for most of the information provided to the author was Yoko Ono. She has stated that she is unhappy with the final product and called the book “mean”. So, though she disputes the spirit of the book, it seems like the story written is probably true. And since Yoko granted the interviews, she must have felt that it was a story that needed to be told.
Norman paints a portrait of a different Lennon than the peace-making activist. He claims John was controlling, abusive and a chronic and unflinching cheater.  The book details his cruel demeanor towards those closest to him. It sounds like he was a tortured soul in many ways.
I always struggle with whether stories like these should be left untold once the subject has passed. I believe people are a compilation of their many stories. So should the negative chapters be deleted posthumously? In the name of honesty? Probably not. In the name of compassion for their survivors? Perhaps.
Ack…did I just guilt myself out of ordering this book?
Edited to add: Thank you to Kelley who set me straight on the release date. I read October 8th somewhere which was…you know…four days ago. I have serious instant gratification issues.
Hey Wendie…it doesn’t get released until Oct 28. Hang on just a little longer. That is, if you haven’t already changed your mind.
I watched a doc. a few years back and this was told as well. He abanoded his first son and wife and to this day his first son (Julian) speaks very little of him. Yoko and his other youngest son, are fawned upon. too bad. I was shocked.
Amazon.com is my happy place. I live in a really small town, and I don’t drive. My only immediate access to books? Wal*Mart. Amazon.com quite possibly owns me.
@Wendie
Please don’t assume that the stories in the book are true just because Yoko Ono was interviewed by the author. Unless she had final approval of the text. And even then, it’s just her version of John’s life.
I’m not saying John was perfect. I just wonder if the author chose to emphasize or exaggerate his “bad” behavior in order to sell books.
John Lennon was a tortured soul in many ways, and Yoko was one of his chief torturers. His marriage to Cynthia was one of convenience. He did abandon Julian, emotionally, and lived long enough to regret it. He perceived Sean as his second chance, so to speak. He was a brilliant, comlex man who was consumed by insecurity. There are a lot of unsavory chapters in his life, and he was often cruel. But there was a lot to love as well. And he was an amazing artist.
Some of the truly moving art has been created by the most tortured souls.
People who had to go through great hardships, and most of them had some type of depression.
In the past this wasn’t always diagnosed properly.
It’s believed by some of these people that taking medication often closes the creative doors, and many of them suffer through the mental illness to create their work.
@Tiger. Well said.
beet, i think the truth lies somewhere in the middle.
Beet, stay away from this one!
To give you a heads up he says- Lennon was rather talentless!
So, if that sounds accurate to you, then go ahead, but his writing is mere sensationalism (probably to get people to buy his books).