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John (平装)
by Cynthia Lennon
| Category:
Biography |
| Market price: ¥ 168.00
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¥ 148.00
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| MSL Pointer Review:
An honest portrayal of John as a human being, a full and truthful story of her time with him. Wonderful sharing of personal memories. |
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AllReviews |
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An American reader (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-12 00:00>
Beatlemania swirled around me being born in 1949. I was in love with all four of them, still am today. As years went by, I had a pretty good handle on what John was all about. Without having even read the book, sorry folks, I can tell you the reviews of the book are more than accurate, they are insightful and moving. Anyone could see John Lennon was twisted. Anyone could see he was angry and that he didn't practice what he preached. It, at times, throughout the years, made me sad and sick and I wondered all these years if anyone else saw what I did. Now, with mixed feelings, I'm happy/sad to see they did. I congratulate Cynthia and Julian for getting this book out. I think it important to open the eyes of those fans who, without a book like this, wouldn't understand their legendary idol was a kick in the ass fraud. I feel for Cynthia & Julian, I've nothing positive to say about the Ono's. An eye opener, John was all too human. I imagine his band mates went through hell. In one of the books written by George, he describes how he felt it important to stay low key because he didn't want to incur John's wrath. George Harrison is a hero in that group, so is Ringo. Paul, you can say what you like about him but I feel he was out for one thing and one thing only..., himself. Still is today. The heros of the group are George & Ringo. George's death devastated me whereas John's didn't phase me. On the path to self-destruct for years, to me, it was just a matter of when someone would pop him, not if. His dynsfunctional childhood got the best of him, caught up to him. My condolences to the greatest group of four young men that ever came down the pike and turned into such a sad sad ending. I'll get around to reading the book, eventually. I don't have to though. Thanks everyone for the lovely confirmation. My heart is in my stomach. |
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An American reader (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-12 00:00>
"The first time I saw him I thought, 'ugh, not my type!'" And yet, Cynthia (Powell) Lenno became a vital and longstanding part of John Lennon's life. His first true love and wife, they shared the birth of The Beatles, a son and his entrance into the drug culture that ultimately ripped them apart. Her longstanding love for him shines yet, through other marriages and many hardships, John will forever be the love of her life.
I must first commend "Cyn" for opening up her old wounds again to let those of us who love and mourn John Lennon to see him for the truth of his humanity and reveal all - good and ultimately bad. I don't think anyone can fully comprehend her long suffering in the public eye; from their public breakup, the knowledge of John's infidelity, her bravery in raising Julian on her own and seeing him long for his father, to all the speculation still occuring more than 25 years after his murder.
This book really didn't change my feelings towards John, and I feared it would. I was afraid she would reveal too many awful things about his character, possibly a meanness or uncaring that would destroy the loving, insightful and encouraging messages in his songs. In short, I was afraid what she had to say would make him into a hypocrite. To my infinite relief this was not so. Some scenes are so painful, so hard to understand why he behaved the way he did and yet was able to write and sing such powerful messages they still reverberate today and into the future.
Still, we have an inkling. Cynthia delves deep into her own past and John's, right into their childhoods. I was relieved to have the true story of why John was raised by Aunt Mimi. For a long time, I couldn't understand why he loved his mom, Julia, so much if she had abandoned him. Now I see Mimi took him almost by force, as a small child ripped from his mother and her one day commonlaw husband who could have been a new father to him. The revelation of Mimi's seemingly often and outrageous, controlling behavior definitely gives insight into John's rebeliousness, his temper and his tendency to run from a problem. Rebelliousness and unwillingness to face problems is often symptomatic of an ultra controlled childhood.
Cynthia's continuing love for John is evident throughout the book. Through all the descriptions of their pains, struggles and disconnects she does her best to understand why things were the way they were. She finds reasons for his behavior and in an amazingly fair analysis, she puts blame on her own behavior. Saying that if she'd just stood up to him sometimes instead of always giving in to his every whim, he might have responded. As John was accustomed to a strong woman raising him, a little steadfastness in Cynthia may have been good.
There is also the inevitable price of fame. Too much too soon became overwhelming. Cynthia describes fans haunting their homes, and John himself once spoke of how he was always tired after being on tour and coming home, Julian would want to play and all he wanted to do was sleep. Everyone wanted a piece of John, so sad that touring and fans took him away from his own family. His insecurity played into this as well, his own lack of self esteem hidden behind a brash exterior - this became a secret belief that he could not and did not know how to take care of the tiny human who was his son. John once referred to Sean as his second chance, to start over and do all the things right he didn't do for Julian. Older and wiser, unfortunately cut off from the son he always felt he had let down. We read this in his own words in the copy of a letter her wrote to Cyn and which she includes in this book.
Not all was bad times though, John's careless attitude freed Cyn from her shy, reserved manner and in the early years of their relationship, she describes the happiness and love they felt, even making sure we knew that her and John always intended to marry, the pending birth of Julian just make it sooner rather than later. Keep in mind also that they were together for several years before the birth of Julian. For those who would like to relegate Cyn and Jules to a brief point in history, remember that she was there with John for 10 years, a fourth of his life! They were together from the birth of The Beatles right up until the final phase.
Then, came drugs. John's experimentation with LSD was the first major fissure in their lives. Cynthia speaks of his increasing fascination with the drugs and its visions, her fear and the withdrawal into drugs which Cyn was unwilling to follow. Then, the fateful meeting with "the woman with hair like a dark cloud" and her introduction of heroin to John. The painful moment when Cynthia finds her in their house, wearing her own bathrobe. Cyn expresses her views on the effect of Yoko Ono on John's relationship with Julian, the control she took of his life and the doubt and mistrust she planted in his mind. Yoko had what Cynthia lacked, a strong will and commanding attitude, something John clung to as his own life felt spun out of control.
I'll leave it up to the reader to form their own opinion, but I will just say that I stand on the side of Cyn in this issue. I believe she has been fair and insightful, doing her best to explain, not dramaticize or sensationalize their life together. She does not set out to vent her anger, monstracize John or set the blame on him now that he is unable to defend himself. She loved him, she still does and she wishes only to dispell the ugly rumors and let the people who love him know the love of her life for who he was.
Altogether, this has been a revealing but kind look into the mythic life of John Lennon. Letting us see the man through the legend. Even through all the pain, Cyn never attempts to turn him into a monster, she shows us his soft side and vulnerabilities; the humanity of a celebrity we sometimes forget was a mortal man.
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Bouffard (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-12 00:00>
By the time the Beatles appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show in February 1964, I was madly in love with them and their music. Paul McCartney was the love of my 13-year-old life, so it never bothered me that John Lennon was married and had a child. To my friends who were ardent Lennon fans, this fact was unacceptable. There were times I wondered how John's wife, Cyn, felt about all of this. After reading her memoir, entitled John, that question has been answered -- along with many others.
First and foremost, the reader should pick up this book expecting to read about love, happiness, frustration, pain, hurt, anger, tears, and conflict -- all of the things you would find in any relationship that is put under a non-stop eye of media scrutiny. No matter what you've read about the Beatles over the past 43 years, this story is different because it's told by someone who wasn't in the machine that made the Beatles a success. We've all read stories about John, Paul, George, and Ringo as told by everyone from their roadies to their contemporaries. Now we get to hear from the woman John married first and who was an unsuspecting participant on the ride of insanity known as Beatlemania.
When I began this book I was looking forward to hearing Cynthia's side of the story. I knew there would be some bitterness against Yoko, some anger towards John, comments on the use of drugs, cashing in on her marriage to him, and perhaps some self analysis in the process. She is only human and the journey of writing this book had to be a painful one for her, even all these years later. Yes, all of that is in her book. She is honest in her narrative and admits there have been times she's cashed in on the Lennon name to support herself and Julian. Anyone who's been a single parent with a child to support can understand that.
Now, let's move on to the positive aspects of this book. Cynthia weaves a wonderful picture of the Liverpool that was in the late 1950s/early 1960s. From her first meeting of John at Liverpool Art College through the early days of their romance, she shows us all the colors of John's character. She spends time discussing his early life with his family ... the father who deserted him, the mother who died tragically, life with his Aunt Mimi and Uncle George, his half-sisters, and his other aunts and uncles and cousins. Through these descriptions, you get a feel for the loving family he had around him. You also begin to see how John built walls around himself to keep out the pain created by certain events in his childhood. His acerbic wit, jealousy, temper and creative genius all stemmed from his insecurities.
Some of the funniest bits of the book are when she describes the early stages of their romance. She talks about some of the letters John sent to her from Hamburg, Germany and how some were so risque she had to hide them so her mother wouldn't see them. I enjoyed how she shared John's romantic side, such as the card he made her for their first Christmas together, or the things he wrote on the envelopes of his letters, such as "Please Mr. Postman, don't be slow, I'm in love with Cyn so go, man, go." She also quotes bits of his letters to give us a picture of the John she knew and with whom she fell in love.
Cynthia portrays herself as a rather shy girl, full of insecurities, that carried over into her adult life. She is blunt about saying she wanted a "normal" life with John. Obviously, they never had a chance to be normal. Several times, Cyn mentions that LSD and drugs were a big contributor to the break up of their marriage. I will let you draw your own conclusions on that. Her description of finding out that John and Yoko were a couple is heart-wrenching. I could feel her pain in her words.
Probably the most important aspect of this book is the glimpse of Julian's childhood. He was always sheltered from the press as much as possible, so it was interesting to get her perspective on how his life was affected by it all. She is fiercely proud and protective of her son. Julian writes the foreward for this book, and likewise he is fiercely proud of and loyal to his mum. Cyn's descriptions of how John's death affected both she and Julian are sad, touching, and painfully honest.
John was everything I expected and then some. For any Beatles fan, it's worth the read.
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Dee Thurman (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-12 00:00>
It's so sad to think that most of us think of John Lennon and his other half as being Yoko Ono. That indeed was the later side to his life. What most people neglect to pay attention to is the John Lennon before he and Paul, George and Ringo made it big time! Cynthia, John's first wife, was there from the beginning. Unfortunately due to their fast rise to fame, the media put a hush on all girlfriends and wives so as to ensure the girl's frenzy in America. Cynthia was there along with their son Julian, who John pretty much disowned after Yoko came into the picture. After reading this book I received a much clearer picture of the complex man, John Lennon. Does anyone know that John and Yoko were at dire straits in their relationship at the time of John's death and that divorce lay ominously in their near future? John and Yoko didn't even share the same bed, let alone the same bedroom for months before he died. Who gets all the acclaim since his death, Cynthia? Julian? No it's still Yoko banking in on the name of John, and so is Sean Yoko and John's son. One of the questions Cynthia answers at the end of her all-telling book is, "Would I do it all over again, knowing what I know now about life with John Lennon?" And she answers, "With the exception of having Julian with which her life has been truly blessed, No. I would not do it over again!" It's an easy enjoyable read. I was also surprised and perplexed at to why Paul and Jane Asher broke up, it was mentioned, but not explained, I assume because this book wasn't about them, but about Cynthia and John and the relationship between them and her relationship with the other Beatles. I highly recommend this daring autobiography. It opened my eyes to someone who has always been up way too high on a pedastal most of my life! |
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Mark (MSL quote), Canada
<2007-01-12 00:00>
Let me preface my review by saying that I'm a 53 year old man who came of age in the early/mid sixties. And, in common with millions of people around the world, I loved The Beatles, their music and their impact on the culture, which is even felt to this day. Specifically, though, I was a huge fan and admirer of John Lennon. I liked Paul, George and Ringo, but it was Lennon and his music / points of view that I was most drawn to and along with Bob Dylan, he was the musical figure I admired most.
However, having said this, I can now make a distinction between the "pop star" and the man and in many ways, I'm sad to say that the latter was not a terribly admirable character.
Clearly, John Lennon was an incredibly complex individual whose behaviour and outlook on life was largely shaped by his early years, which sadly included the early death of his mother and having the misfortune of having a father who really didn't seem to care about him. These types of life-altering events can't help but have an impact on who he or we are later in life.
There was nothing in this book that came as a huge surprise to me, however, I was "saddened" by Cynthia's first hand account of John's indifference to his own son.
I don't care how "tough" your formative years were - we all have our crosses to bear - there's absolutely no excuse to treat your son the way John treated Julian.
And while I can "understand" or justify John's lack of contact with his son during the years when the Beatles were riding the crest of the greatest wave in the history of pop music (alot of young men put their careers ahead of everything else), I certainly can't understand his complete indifference to Julian during in the years following the breakup of the band or his inability to provide more for his son financially in his will.
Good lord, here's a man whose estate was worth hundreds of millions of dollars in the mid to late seventies and his own son (and ex-wife) are skimping to make ends meet?
Despite my admiration for John, I was NEVER a fan of Yoko Ono - in fact, I'll go so far as to say that I think she was probably the WORST possible person to come into his life.
It's true that I wasn't personally privy to their relationship, however, I've read enough first hand accounts from friends and family who knew John long before he became a famous Beatle and I can't recall a single instance where anybody had something positive to say about Yoko Ono. In fact, everybody implies that after meetting Yoko, the "old" John - the gregarious, funny, witty guy - just disappeared. And Cynthia echos this common refrain.
As far as I'm concerned, the day she cast her spell over John was the day she hit the lottery. And Cynthia says nothing in this book that dispels my feelings about Yoko Ono. In fact, she essentially depicts Yoko as a controlling, manipulative and possessive woman who must have seen John's numerous insecurities very early in the game and played on them. Today, of course, this "avant garde" woman whose idea of art is a half eaten apple on a pedestal is perhaps one of the richest women in the United States.
I felt sorry for Cynthia in this book and felt she deserved better. She certainly didn't deserve to treated as shabbily as she was by John. Julian seems to have grown up to become a very likeable and well-adjusted man and much of the credit has to go to Cynthia. In view of the incredibly shabby treatment that he endured from both John and Yoko, it would be understandable if he grew up to be as "nutty" as John did.
I can still listen to "A Day In The Life" or "I Am The Walrus" or countless other John Lennon songs and fully appreciate and admire the musical genius behind these songs.
But as a human being - a husband and a father - John Lennon was not even close to genius.
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Michael Stout (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-12 00:00>
In an era where John (as well as many others) has been reformatted, remixed, repackaged and re-released, that this book should appear isn't much of a shock. Unsurprisingly it is more or less the same as Cynthia's earlier "A Twist of Lennon" with a few extra nasties about Mimi and Yoko thrown in. In fact, "Twist" is probably a more worthwhile read just because it came first.
Cynthia is a sympathetic figure, no doubt, but unless you really want to do the psychoanalysis on her, her kid or her ex-husbands, I say you can give this one a miss. In the end, John was a big boy and was controlled by no one, not Mimi, Yoko, Paul, Magic Alex nor anyone else. John would tell you so himself, if he were here. Because he's not, I suppose this justifies the four and five star reviews you see here.
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Candace Scott (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-12 00:00>
I have ambivalent feelings about this book. On the one hand, it's one of the most searing indictments of John Lennon ever written, with agonizingly personal insights. It depicts a man beset with his fair share of demons: drug addiction, depression, cruelty and insensitivity on a monumental scale. It's basically a negative portrayal of John, and Cyn admits on the last page that she wished she never would have met him.
On the other hand, Cynthia Lennon has already told this story. This book is essentially the same book she wrote about John in the late 70's, "A Twist of Lennon." The same stories and same words are used throughout, especially the chonicle of the early Liverpool days.
It's disingenuous in the extreme that she acts as if this book never existed and it's doubly maddening that she's raking in more money from the sale of a book identical to one she wrote 30 years ago. I'm thoroughly familiar with the previous book and precious little new is revealed here. The only new nuggets are surprisingly deft recollections of John's Aunt Mimi and of Yoko Ono, who is accurately portrayed as a wickedly cruel and manipulative witch. It's also interesting to see what she omits. In "A Twist of Lennon" she admits that John told her he'd cheated on her with "450 women." In this new offering, she leaves out that point.
I have loved John all my life, but the book was terribly sad. He was clinically depressed and it went undiagnosed. He chose to self-medicate with massive amounts of drugs, his caustic wit and self-loathing. He turned his back on on the three people who loved him unconditionally. This includes Paul, Julian and Cyn, who loved him as much as anyone.
The saddest and most eloquent parts of the biography are about Julian. In a way, it's hard to feel sorry for Julian, who ultimately inherited 40 million bucks from John's estate, but money is meaningless in the grand scheme of things. It never buys you happiness and this is true with John's son. John's treatment of Julian is despicable, particuarly when he screamed at him not to laugh because it irritated him. Cyn poignantly adds that since that reprimand, Julian hardly ever laughed again.
What an irony that Paul paid more attention to John's son than Lennon did himself.
However, Cyn does little self-examination and eternally plays the vistim. I like Cyn, but she's traded on her marriage to John again and again through the years. She sold his love letters when she was down and out, she has written two books about him to cash in on her marriage (pretending the first one didn't exist). She also makes ridiculous errors in the book, such as claiming John wrote "All My Loving" for her. Any casual Beatle fan knows this is a Paul song, written for Jane Asher.
I guess it's a sad indictment to admit that Beatle-besotted souls like myself will still defend and love John even though he was wicked S.O.B. Cyn goes out of her way to show John as a drug-addicted wastrel, horrible neglectful father and manipulated weakling. I'm sure it's all true but to those who love the boys, we'll always excuse and defend them, particularly the one cruelly gunned down on a New York City Street in December, 1980. |
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Donna Watson (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-12 00:00>
I am not a huge Beatles fan, however, I love Julian Lennon and the history of the Beatles. How dare Julian attempt music and actually be a better writer than his father! He is. Listen to Photograph Smile. It's an absolute masterpiece and he is amazing. This book, from an original Beatles wife, is a very honest depiction of the early days of John, his life and his family, his history. It takes you through her personal journey of fun, frivolity, pain and disdain, fortunes and poverty with one of the world's most reknown rockers. I wanted to read her story because she and Julian were totally pushed aside by John, his followers and the media.
Frankly, I was sick of always hearing that Yoko was the love of his life and "Cyn" was nothing more than his first wife. I detested that he left his first family, leaving them with little money all the while the media would look at her as a golddigger whenever she embarked on something new. That market is cornered by Yoko. Cynthia's story is so tender, so honest and does not criticize Yoko, not like you would think. If anyone has a right to be bitter, it's Cynthia. But she's not bitter. I have high praise for anyone who survived what she has and I appreciate her courage to finally tell her side of the story. A story that has been too long silent. A story that I thoroughly enjoyed reading and you will, too. |
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Simpson (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-12 00:00>
Every year at the anniversary of John's death, my songwriting partner and I arrive at the Dakota and play our song entitled "Yesterday Beth" written for John. It always feels wonderful and we get the people outside as well as the gate-keeper in a fine mood. I have always heard of John's temper especially after a few drinks and thought it made him more human than some people perceive him. In this book, it made me wonder if performing in front of the Dakota was such a great idea anymore. John was just a man, a great performer and a master at publicity. A real dare I say "guy" who really makes big mistakes and puts his life in the hands of a real manipulating lady. I always thought that if John loved Yoko so much, she must be some amazing poet, artist, sexual being that brought out magic in a man such as John. The book although changes your mind. John and Yoko did alot of drugs, escaped from reality alot and become a really dependent couple, not so healthy. Reading Yoko actually never spent too much time in the main apartment at the Dakota leading up to John's death also paints the picture that their relationship wasn't so great anymore. Cynthia at times makes you insane that she wasn't a little more assertive or strong when it came to dealing with John, but women were like that then and they learned the hard way. She is one strong woman now and hopefully Julian will continue making music all can enjoy. |
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An American reader (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-12 00:00>
I have just finished reading John by Cynthia Lennon and I can't tell you enough how enjoyable I found it. Through this book,John's first wife at last opened my eyes to a few bits of Beatle history I never could understand.
I was about 13 years of age when I first heard of the Beatles and I, along with most of my generation, became intensely devoted fans. Today, I still view the band as the most important musical group of the last 50 years. I read the books about them. I read all of the interviews I could find. I played in a band and we did Beatle songs.
When John was murdered, one of my old musician friends phoned to grieve with me. He gave me an observation that struck home and I can remember to this day: "We know more about his life than we know about our own..."
This was true - for the most part but one thing had always mystified my friends and myself: "Why would John Lennon give up a woman like Cynthia for someone like Yoko?" Thanks to this book, I now have an answer and a deeper understanding of the Lennon mystique. I won't say why - I think people should read the book and make up their own minds.
I read John in about a day, on and off. I've heard most of these stories before but this book showed me something I never understood. I now believe that John Lennon's greatest talent was that of inspiring extreme loyalty to himself in others. Certainly, the behaviour of those closest to him bears this out especially in light of how he treated them.
I am not denigrating the songwriting talent, the musical ability, or any of those qualities that made John Lennon a great performer. I am saying though that the sheer power of his personality has been greatly understated. I read once that he said something to the effect of: "The Beatles were the best band in the world because I believed they were." I now believe that is probably true.
Like Van Gogh, John Lennon is wonderful to read about but I wouldn't have wanted to live with him. Rabid Lennon/Beatles fans will find this book, at least, disturbing, and those who are or were anti-Lennon will try and twist it to their own ends.
For my part, I applaud the former Mrs. Lennon for all that she did and endured. Thank you Cynthia [and Julian!] for a great read and good insights! |
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