John Lennon: The Life - Hardcover

Norman, Philip

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0385661002 ISBN 13: 9780385661003

Publisher: Doubleday of Canada, 2008

Synopsis

Drawing on previously unknown sources, unpublished letters, and unprecedented access to all the key figures, author and journalist Philip Norman gives us the most complete and revealing portrait of John Lennon that is ever likely to be published.

For this masterpiece of biography, Philip Norman set himself the challenge of looking afresh at every aspect of Lennon’s much-chronicled life. He has not just dug deep into the archives, including his own vast collection of tapes and notebooks dating back to the 60s, but spoken to hundreds of witnesses, from every walk of life and every stage of Lennon’s. The interviewees include Sean Lennon, whose moving reminiscences reveal his father as never before, and Yoko Ono, who speaks with sometimes shocking candour about her marriage to John.

In his brilliant Shout!, we were shown a band; in John Lennon, Philip Norman gives us a portrait of a man. It reconciles as never before the contradictions of this endlessly fascinating character–the volatile and violent hippie, the phenomenally wealthy advocate of no possessions, the family man and junkie–and his journey from Liverpool suburbia to becoming one of the presiding geniuses of pop culture.

About this title

Review:

‘Reading this book brings the John Lennon I knew vividly back to life.’ Bill Harry, founder of Mersey Beat

‘This is the best Lennon book so far’ The Word

‘Norman has written about Lennon twice before but he has uncovered much new material in his research for this impressive and highly readable book... It is greatly to Norman's credit as a biographer that he does justice to all of (Lennon's legacy) in a book whose 854 pages simply fly by.’ Sunday Times Culture

‘Can there be more to find out (about Lennon)? And, can Philip Norman, the author of the new 300,000 word John Lennon: The Life, be serious when he tells The Word magazine, "Lennon deserves a real biography, as if he were John Keats or Mahatma Ghandi. Not a pop person but a major towering presence in his century?"  The answer to both questions is empahatically yes...And yes, Norman has unearthed some startling things.’ The Independent

'Although more than 800 pages long, this book is nicely paced, well researched and will not disappoint.'
Glasgow Evening Times

‘Reading this book brings the John Lennon I knew vividly back to life.’
Bill Harry, founder of Mersey Beat

'This is the first serious Lennon biography for 20 years and unlike Albert Goldman's bilious effort in the 80s, Norman's style is trustworthy, contextual, and plainly told, yet with enough splashes of historical colour...'
The Times

‘A well-written book and almost everything you could want to know [about Lennon] is in there.'
Oxford Times

The New Statesman called the book 'magnetic'.

'Philip Norman's style is compelling', Irish Times

'Norman's mesmerising biography'. Irish Examiner

‘Meticulously researched, compulsively readable book.’
Sunday Times Culture magazine

‘The Rock biography of the Year.’
Metro

‘The best all-round Lennon biography.’
Sunday Herald Magazine

Review:

'Do we need another book on John Lennon?...the answer...is emphatically yes...Norman has unearthed startling things.' - John Walsh

About this edition

• Publisher: Doubleday of Canada
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 0385661002
• ISBN 13: 9780385661003
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 864