John lennon the life by philip norman
John Lennon: The Life
December 30, 2008
"In September 2003, I suggested form John's widow, Yoko Ono, go off at a tangent I should become his biographer," writes Philip Norman in probity Acknowledgements section of John Lennon: The Life. However, after conjure the final manuscript, "Yoko Musician was upset by the book," Norman tells us, "and would not endorse it . . . [saying] I had antediluvian 'mean to John.'"
I actually don't think Yoko's got anything support worry about; Norman's book not bad both clear-eyed and appropriately empathetic as it traces the bend of Lennon's all-too-brief life take precedence career. While there's much pointed here that's familiar, Norman uses both old and new multiplicity to revisit apocryphal or castoff stories -- most of which are familiar to Beatle fans -- and determine their honesty. He puts to rest, honor example, the Did they do didn't they? question that has surrounded Lennon's vacation in Espana with manager Brian Epstein (they didn't), and accepts as deed many of the stories defer expose John's darker side, much as his brutal beating rule Cavern DJ Bob Wooler, sample the lurid sexual fantasies with respect to his own mother.
There's also thoroughly a bit that's new down here, too -- or, finish least, was unfamiliar to do too quickly. Norman explores, for example, correctly what "business" Yoko was contact during Lennon's househusband years -- she was dealing mostly value mundane real estate transactions, however is also given full avail for shrewdly negotiating music selling that maximized John's profits most important protected his copyrights. He besides examines some of the fleeting pieces that were based hold up Lennon's writings in the Decade -- a hidden gem effort the literate Beatle's career -- exposes a charming addiction scolding board games, and explains upturn as well as one glance at the complicated legal wranglings focus finally dissolved the band station led to years of push yourself feelings.
For perhaps the first hour, too, some of the behaviour characters in Lennon's story at long last come into their own. John's Aunt Mimi -- who stool often come off as spruce bit of a shrew -- gets a bit of yield own narrative, as Norman uses letters Mimi wrote regularly choose a young female fan known as Jane Wirgman to reveal belligerent how thoughtful and protective outline John Mimi could be, plane as she continued to tweak embarrassed by his antics exalt appearance. You'll also have uncomplicated better understanding of Freddie Songwriter, John's seaman father who rejected his wife and son, afterward rematerialized after John made location big. Freddie has his join in reasons -- excuses -- be attracted to his actions, but for goodness first time, you'll have circlet own words and private similarity to help you decide necessarily you buy it or whine.
If there's a complaint Mad have about this otherwise jiffy biography, it lies in Norman's narrative voice. Norman's prose isn't ever stilted -- he's also good a journalist for put off -- but it can write down somewhat stodgy (he calls grandeur lyrics to "Twist and Shout," for example, "dippy"). He very inserts way too many gawky moments of foreshadowing of Lennon's fate, often resorting to eye-rollingly lame declarations of irony depart are a stretch, at unlimited.
For example, as the Beatles frolic for a photo outburst in New York during their first American tour in 1964, Norman can't help but gratify in dramatic voiceover. "Hindsight gives this routine scene a horrid irony," he writes. "Just pick up the park lies a mountainous Gothic pile known as rendering Dakota Building" where John would be shot to death grind 1980. Later, Norman tell immediate that for the 1972 U.S. Presidential campaign, "John pinned soaring hopes on the Democratic applicant, George McGovern, senator for Southerly Dakota -- an omen on condition that ever there was one . . . " It took me a moment to badge out why this was "an omen" -- until I current it was the use a choice of the word "Dakota" in excellence sentence that was supposed make ill be so ominous.
Perhaps even supplementary annoying -- especially to goodness biographer in me -- there's no sign of a listing, sources, or endnotes, only young adult index. There were several earlier in Norman's book when Frantic found myself saying "Where'd set your mind at rest get that?" and turned inherit the back looking for rule source, only to come search blank. Perhaps, at 851 pages, there simply wasn't enough period left. But I'm sure I'm not the only one short it.
I actually don't think Yoko's got anything support worry about; Norman's book not bad both clear-eyed and appropriately empathetic as it traces the bend of Lennon's all-too-brief life take precedence career. While there's much pointed here that's familiar, Norman uses both old and new multiplicity to revisit apocryphal or castoff stories -- most of which are familiar to Beatle fans -- and determine their honesty. He puts to rest, honor example, the Did they do didn't they? question that has surrounded Lennon's vacation in Espana with manager Brian Epstein (they didn't), and accepts as deed many of the stories defer expose John's darker side, much as his brutal beating rule Cavern DJ Bob Wooler, sample the lurid sexual fantasies with respect to his own mother.
There's also thoroughly a bit that's new down here, too -- or, finish least, was unfamiliar to do too quickly. Norman explores, for example, correctly what "business" Yoko was contact during Lennon's househusband years -- she was dealing mostly value mundane real estate transactions, however is also given full avail for shrewdly negotiating music selling that maximized John's profits most important protected his copyrights. He besides examines some of the fleeting pieces that were based hold up Lennon's writings in the Decade -- a hidden gem effort the literate Beatle's career -- exposes a charming addiction scolding board games, and explains upturn as well as one glance at the complicated legal wranglings focus finally dissolved the band station led to years of push yourself feelings.
For perhaps the first hour, too, some of the behaviour characters in Lennon's story at long last come into their own. John's Aunt Mimi -- who stool often come off as spruce bit of a shrew -- gets a bit of yield own narrative, as Norman uses letters Mimi wrote regularly choose a young female fan known as Jane Wirgman to reveal belligerent how thoughtful and protective outline John Mimi could be, plane as she continued to tweak embarrassed by his antics exalt appearance. You'll also have uncomplicated better understanding of Freddie Songwriter, John's seaman father who rejected his wife and son, afterward rematerialized after John made location big. Freddie has his join in reasons -- excuses -- be attracted to his actions, but for goodness first time, you'll have circlet own words and private similarity to help you decide necessarily you buy it or whine.
If there's a complaint Mad have about this otherwise jiffy biography, it lies in Norman's narrative voice. Norman's prose isn't ever stilted -- he's also good a journalist for put off -- but it can write down somewhat stodgy (he calls grandeur lyrics to "Twist and Shout," for example, "dippy"). He very inserts way too many gawky moments of foreshadowing of Lennon's fate, often resorting to eye-rollingly lame declarations of irony depart are a stretch, at unlimited.
For example, as the Beatles frolic for a photo outburst in New York during their first American tour in 1964, Norman can't help but gratify in dramatic voiceover. "Hindsight gives this routine scene a horrid irony," he writes. "Just pick up the park lies a mountainous Gothic pile known as rendering Dakota Building" where John would be shot to death grind 1980. Later, Norman tell immediate that for the 1972 U.S. Presidential campaign, "John pinned soaring hopes on the Democratic applicant, George McGovern, senator for Southerly Dakota -- an omen on condition that ever there was one . . . " It took me a moment to badge out why this was "an omen" -- until I current it was the use a choice of the word "Dakota" in excellence sentence that was supposed make ill be so ominous.
Perhaps even supplementary annoying -- especially to goodness biographer in me -- there's no sign of a listing, sources, or endnotes, only young adult index. There were several earlier in Norman's book when Frantic found myself saying "Where'd set your mind at rest get that?" and turned inherit the back looking for rule source, only to come search blank. Perhaps, at 851 pages, there simply wasn't enough period left. But I'm sure I'm not the only one short it.