Reviews

"Lennon's eyewitness testimony vividly captures the time and place and the characters . . . her portrait of John is loving but candid." --"Washington Post"
"A welcome window into a period that's typically narrated at breakneck pace, [providing] a gentle reminder that John Lennon was a human being . . . before he was a piece of history." --"Detroit Free Press"
"[Cynthia Lennon's] portrait reveals an immensely talented and driven man who was capable of great passion, affection, and loyalty, but whose inability to handle confrontation and tendency toward flight from painful realities led him to abandon his family when the going got tough." --"Buffalo News" "From the Trade Paperback edition."

Lennon gives her perspective on the Beatles, Yoko Ono, and famous ex-husband, John. A heartfelt introduction, written and read by their son, Julian, reveals that he is understandably conflicted about his father's appalling behavior toward both him and his mom. The author is candid about John's family history and the verbal abuse he suffered from his terrifying Aunt Mimi. She details the whirlwind events that led to the Beatles becoming arguably the chief pop culture icons of the latter half of the 20th century. Her justifiable dislike of Ono is vivid and backed up by a number of events, which, if even partly true, certainly correspond with the controlling image Ono has in the history of the Fab Four. Rosalyn Landor's pacing is excellent, and she is especially good at sounding like the young, na?ve Cynthia. By the end, one feels disillusioned about John and impatient with his lifelong lack of sense regarding spouses, disgusted with Ono, and most compassionate toward Julian. Suitable for YAs, but mostly for adults in public libraries.-B. Allison Gray, John Jermain Memorial Lib., Sag Harbor, NY Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

"From the Trade Paperback edition."