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Lennon: The Man, The Myth, The Music - The Definitive Life (2011)

by Tim Riley(Favorite Author)

3.88 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

1401324525 (ISBN13: 9781401324520)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Hyperion

review 1: Terrific book by the music journalist Tim Riley on Lennon. Particularly good on Beatles music, as you'd expect from the author of Tell Me Why and insightful in the manner of Kenneth Womack (Please Please Me sounded less like a follow up to Love Me Do that a career fuse being lit). Unlike Philip Norman he didnt have Yoko's backing and so is free to focus on what he wishes to, which is Lennon's music- making. Having read Norman's book on Lennon I didnt think there could be a more thorough work on him, but Riley shades it if you are a music fan. I've pretty much read all the books on the Beatles as I write a blog A Beatles YouTube Album, based on 9 after 909, and there is no more satisfying book on The Beatles music, it is up the with Revolution In The ... moreHead.
review 2: Riley breaks from a lot of the traditional lore about Lennon and judges everything for himself. I didn't always agree, but he made me question some of my assumptions. Lennon comes across in this book as very complex, with many demons and also a sincere drive to better himself. One really funny scene: an LSD-wired Lennon calls a Beatles meeting to announce that he is the resurrected Jesus Christ. The rest of the band kind of nods and lets it go. He never brings it up again. Riley also has independent opinions on Lennon's music and makes a persuasive case for neglected songs off of "Mind Games" and "Sometime in New York City." This is the best Lennon bio so far, and I think I've read most of them. less

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