What I Am Reading.. John Lennon

I recently completed reading the recently released biography of John Lennon by Philip Norman. I have always been a Beatles fan but especially a Lennon fan. Probably because he was the most political. I got turned on to the Beatles by my 6th grade music teacher, Joe Foss. I still remember many of the things that he told us. What the original name of the Beatles was? How Stu Stucliffe died? He told us about how Ringo wasn't the original drummer, the rumor that Paul McCartney had died, and what brought about an end to the Beatles. This was my first investigation into the various details.

I decided to tackle this immense task knowing that the writer had the approval of Lennon's widow Yoko Ono to write the book. What struck me immediately was the amount of disfunction that existed in Lennon's childhood. A father who left, a mother who died, and numerous up tight aunts who raised him, all impacted his development.

He was by no means a good student although he was blessed with an abundance of talent both musically and artistically and equipped with what we would refer to as a sick sense of humor. He also had problems committing to any long lasting relationship other than with his Aunt Mimi. His relationship with his first wife Cynthia and his relationship with his first son, Julian, were seemingly loveless at times.

The book goes into adequate detail regarding the rise and fall of the Beatles which was what I was really interested in. (Yoko shouldn't get the entire blame for their demise!) It was quite evident that by the late 1960s Lennon was looking for a way out as were the other Beatles. Only Paul seemed to have the motivation to keep the band going.

John and Yoko's relationship was that of soulmates but it was not without its own issues. John's relationship with Yoko was marred by experiementing in the drug culture and a seemingly open marriage. (Lennon was also heavily involved in a variety of drugs during the Beatle days.) Lennon would right many introspective songs during this time period and tackle many political issues of the day much to the dismay of President Nixon and others in Washington. He and Yoko would also welcome their only son Sean into the world as well. Towards the end of his life, John seemed to withdraw from the music scene, and become comfortable being a husband and a dad to Sean and attempting to rebuild a relationship with Julian. The last segment of the book is a touching interview with John's son, Sean.

Throughout the book, Philip Norman draws references to occasions when John himself commented on his fear of dying at a young age or at the hand of an assassin. He was very much afraid of guns. What is said is that in the months before he died John Lennon was more at peace than at any other time in his life. He had come to terms with being an ex-Beatle and with being a husband and father. What the future held for this musical genius is left up to our imagination...

This was a great book...probably one of the best biographies I have read in some time.