Lennon: The Man, the Myth, the Music - The Definitive Life

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Lennon: The Man, the Myth, the Music - The Definitive Life

by Tim Riley (Goodreads Author)

3.86 of 5 stars 3.86 · rating details · 151 ratings · 41 reviews

In his commanding new book, the eminent NPR critic Tim Riley takes us on the remarkable journey that brought a Liverpool art student from a disastrous childhood to the highest realms of fame.

Riley portrays Lennon’s rise from Hamburg’s red light district to Britain’s Royal Variety Show; from the charmed naivetÉ of “Love Me Do” to the soaring ambivalence of “Don’t Let Me Dow...more

Hardcover, 784 pages

Published September 20th 2011 by Hyperion (first published 2011)

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Feb 12, 2013 Fred Garnett rated it 5 of 5 stars

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...more

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Aug 01, 2012 Jim rated it 3 of 5 stars

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 indepen...more

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Sep 17, 2011 Lakis Fourouklas rated it 5 of 5 stars

John Lennon has always been one of my favorite musicians. I’ve been listening to his songs since I remember myself listening to music and I’ve always thought him to be a man who during his life, apart from his art, did nothing more than keep searching to find a destination, where he really wanted to be. Whether what he really wanted to do was change the world through his music, become the main spokesperson for the peace movement or just a stay at home dad, I could not really say; not until now.
...more John Lennon has always been one of my favorite musicians. I’ve been listening to his songs since I remember myself listening to music and I’ve always thought him to be a man who during his life, apart from his art, did nothing more than keep searching to find a destination, where he really wanted to be. Whether what he really wanted to do was change the world through his music, become the main spokesperson for the peace movement or just a stay at home dad, I could not really say; not until now.
This new biography by Tim Riley that comes out next Tuesday, the 20th of September, in the U.S. offers many answers to his life’s big riddles and much more than that. According to the author Lennon wanted all the above and much more than that. However, he was not just a man who wanted something, but also someone who lacked a lot, a tortured soul, who’s never managed to get over the traumas of his childhood: his mother abandoning him, the long absences of his sailor father, the oppression suffered in the hands of his aunt Mimi who raised him. If music had not arrived to save him from his own self he was bound to end up in jail or maybe even six feet under very early in his life since, as people say, at that stage he was nothing more than an accident waiting to happen.
The author pays too much attention to the young Lennon, the one before the creation of the Beatles; the time when he used to wander from one place to the next, when there was absolutely no stability in his life, when the music and the arts were his whole world. He “spent his life searching for father figures and mourning his mother,” we read somewhere. And that’s exactly what he did. Lennon seemed to be desperately searching for something or somebody to hold on to, since: “The worst pain is that of not being wanted.” His mother Judy was a shadowy figure, someone who seemed to follow the wind, with a less than settled life, but she did leave him a legacy and that was her love for music. His father Alf was in his own special way a kind of a dreamer, someone who always had big dreams that were never bound to succeed and who used to make big promises that he was unable to keep. And then there was aunt Mimi, the woman who adopted him because she thought his mother unfit, who provided him with a safe home, but at the same time did everything she possibly could to cut his dreams short, to keep him from spreading his wings and flying high and away into the big and wide world.
We meet an adolescent John who’s full of rage but quite funny, pretty smart but restless. He listens to music and draws sketches; he writes lyrics and goes to school if for nothing else to have fun at the expense of the teachers. Some of his practical jokes are really hilarious, but whatever he does he’s always sad, he feels that something is missing. When he starts playing and writing music that gap is somehow filled, but not completely – never completely. In the end it’s his friendships that save him from chaos; firstly and mostly with Stuart Sutcliffe and then with McCartney, while in the face of the Beatles manager, Brian Epstein, he seemed to have met a kind of a father figure; someone he’d nevertheless not hesitate to verbally abuse in the future.
And then came the big breakthrough; the first record, the first decent shows -away from Hamburg’s red light district that is- the success, the fame; and then came the Beatles, the group that was destined to change the face of rock music. Despite everything though, John never felt really happy, never happy at heart. The money, the fame, the drugs and the women, not even the birth of his first son Julian, did not prove enough to appease the restless soul of that arrogant and in many ways humble young man. (As we read he always thought and said that all the other musicians were better than him, even when he was older, and his big influence in the world of music was more than obvious to all who had the eyes to see and ears to listen, which apparently he didn’t.)
As the author implies while Paul was like a spirit of calm and serenity in the group (the favorite of the mothers and the grannies, as he puts it), John seemed to be like a raging stream coming rushing down after a storm of his own creation, thus sooner or later the two of them were bound to clash. The results of that clash are now well known. As it seems John, during the last of his Beatles years, was yet again yearning to find his real self, the rocker, so it doesn’t come as a surprise when we learn that when he saw for the first time the Stones play he said: “I’m in the wrong group!” Instead of finding his real self though he found Yoko, and with her by his side he discovered or rather invented a new, more creative and useful, self. So he started filming experimental movies, creating happenings, clashing with and verbally abusing authority figures and writing some of the songs that would become instant classics and continue to be popular for decades to come. And he did all that before reaching yet again a psychological dead end; before Yoko kicked him out of the house and sent him away to live what became to be known as his lost weekend; before coming back and having Sean with her, the boy that would change his life; and before hearing one more time the call of the muse.
This book is so masterfully written that can be almost read as a novel. The author manages to revive in a wonderful way a whole era, while the way he describes the songs at times sounds almost poetic. Riley seems to muster his subject very well, but that doesn’t mean that he’s handling it gently, as he gives the reader a panoramic image of the man – of John the rebel, of John the humorist, the child and the father, the musician and the actor, of John the lover and the scumbag.
Is this the best Lennon biography? It most probably is. Or at least it is way better than the other three I’ve read so far; and thus it is highly recommended to one and all that ever loved the man and his music, but to every single fan of rock music as well, because despite its title this book talks about so much more than Lennon.
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Feb 18, 2012 Ad rated it 4 of 5 stars

tim riley is very good at anaylizing songs and how they`re put together which i love about this book. the short comming of this book to me is the writing will be going along in a very good flow and then a wrench seems to be thrown in because of language use loses it rythmn and tries to get overally intellectualized. John lennon`s story is so intriguing and then ends so tragically just as he appeared to be getting his life together. As a by product of the details in his life you learn much about...more

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Jan 04, 2012 Tony Nielsen rated it 3 of 5 stars

It hurts a bit to realise that John Lennon was quite often an asshole, but I already knew that. This really is an excellent biography actually, especially for a Beatles nut like myself. Even though it doesn't bring a lot more to the table than Phillip Norman's treatise of a few years ago.
To counter the criticism of some of his less desirable traits this book does lay the foundation of exploring his own dysfunctional family and fraught relationship especially with his mother Julia. Other than tha...more

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Jul 11, 2012 Merja Pohjola rated it 4 of 5 stars

Very thorough, quite fair IMO both in good and in bad; shows Lennon was a human being with his strengths and weaknesses, and so was Yoko, Paul, etc... Doesn't take sides, but introduces different theories and let's the reader make up their own mind, which is rare in biographies. Usually the author just chooses one theory and goes with that. This is how I would like all bios to be written. Professionally, avoid of stupid gossip (leaves out the most outrageous stories I have heard and that have no...more

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Oct 04, 2012 Brent Wilson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: pop-culture

I was so moved by his difficult life-

I kept talking to people about it, who have no interest at all. Embarrassing at times.

And he was such a broken, all-too-human being. I'm glad he found some kind of peace in a second family with Yoko and Sean. I can understand why he clung to that family and made things work. He had never had people stay with him and give him security.

I was gratified to learn more of Cynthia Lennon, his first wife. She sounds amazing in her own way - so liberal in her sympathi...more

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Aug 28, 2011 Marjorie Kehe rated it 4 of 5 stars

Tim Riley has read absolutely everything that there is to read about John Lennon – and talked to as many sources as he could – and has done so very thoughtfully. The result is a very balanced biography that manages to be fair to all the players involved – John himself, Paul McCartney, Yoko Ono, Cynthia Lennon, etc. The book is long and thorough so it's not for those looking for a quick hit. But if you'd like a realistic, balanced account of the life of a superstar who is some ways will always re...more

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Oct 18, 2011 Patrick rated it 5 of 5 stars

About as solid a bio as I can imagine. Lennon was a weird guy, and after reading a bit about his upbringing it's not hard to see why.

I'd like to know more about Yoko Ono's heroin habit.

Very strong on the early Beatles in Germany.

Out of curiosity, and inspired by the account in the book, I found a YouTube clip of John and Yoko playing with Chuck Berry on the Mike Douglas Show ca. 1072. There's a highly comical moment when Yoko starts her patented caterwauling during the break on "Memphis." The l...more

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Feb 10, 2013 Sara rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have always been a fan of The Beatles, but I never got into much biographical info about the band until last year, when I watched the Scorsese film about George Harrison. This book had me adoring John part of the time and hating his guts the rest of the time. He seems like a pretty complex personality, so maybe that is only fitting.

First the adoration. John was obviously an amazing artist. I enjoyed learning about the beginnings of the band, how their image was re-worked to sell records (ditch...more

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Aug 27, 2012 Julie_ian_curtis rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: never-finished, non-fiction

this was a real let down i wanted JOHN, but you had to search thru all this other stuff to get the John info. also i didnt like they way he kept referring to him as 'Lennon'. ok yeah i know thats his name but it was like he was a 'thing' like a cultural item, not a person. Philip Norman's john lennon the life is far better. although i did agree with some stuff - he says everyone ragged on yoko until paul married heather -then paul copped it. this is true. heather/paul was a car crash. also he me...more

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Jan 22, 2013 Christina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography-memoir

Riley's biography of John Lennon is very detailed and comprehensive. I've read several other books on Lennon and the Beatles, yet I learned a great deal from Riley's meticulous work. He presents a clear and honest portrait of Lennon's strengths and weaknesses, but he never stoops to the "gossipy" tone found in so many other books about rock stars. The book mixes biography and music criticism, which is natural given Riley's background as a musician and scholar. I can see how some readers might fi...more

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Feb 25, 2012 Brent rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Ken McCarson

Recommended to Brent by: J. M. DeMatteis

Shelves: biography, music

I really enjoy Riley's musical analysis, as in his earlier, 1980s Beatles criticism in Tell Me Why. Tim Riley It's especially interesting to compare with Philip Norman's Lennon biography from three years ago. They cover the same ground with differing emphases. Norman tells the story with admirable attention to the incidents at the roots of Beatles songs, yet includes no source notes, only citation within the narrative. Riley cites Norman and other writers where appropriate, cuts McCartney's sent...more

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Mar 29, 2013 John rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was an excellent book on the early life of John Lennon. You really got a feel for how he was raised, and lived as a youngster. It started to get shakey for me around the time of "Rubber Soul". From this point on, the author felt the need to give his interpretation of Lennon's lyrics, and reviewed his work. I'm always more interested in facts than the authors opinion of his subjects work. Overall, it was an enjoyable read tho. John Lennon is a great subject.

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Nov 30, 2011 Kiof rated it 3 of 5 stars

Has some great insights into the man's personality, but a wagon wheel falls off around 1970. For all his insight, Riley really doesn't get what the Plastic Ono Band album means, which was always one of the simplest of John's works for me to understand. Riley assumes the album is a lot more ironic than it is, when it's nearly irony-free.

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Mar 03, 2012 Marilyn Guggenheim is currently reading it

Musically inspiring, painstakingly researched: I'm up to 1964, where the Beatles have just burst onto the scene in the US. I've been having lots of fun reading his descriptions of musical sounds and techniques, and listening to artists Riley mentions as Beatle influences and contemporaries.

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Jul 28, 2012 Juliet rated it 4 of 5 stars

It took me a while to plow through this book. It was worth it. Definitive is right. Reading about his childhood really explains his music, addictions and some of his most infamous actions. Overall, an insightful book for those who are interested in this most influential man.

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Aug 20, 2012 James Griffith rated it 4 of 5 stars

Perhaps I shouldn't be surprised, but I walked away from this appreciating the music more and liking the man less. Great read for anyone interested in the Beatles/Lennon. A big plus is that the writer actually knows the music and speaks intelligently about it.

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Nov 24, 2011 Brenda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Exhaustive (sometimes exhausting) life of Lennon. Early years were presented with a little different perspective of mom, Julia. Aunt Mimi was fairly kicked around a bit for her stifling attitudes. Much of the biography centered around the music, which for this author was the most important element to define.

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Jul 07, 2012 Brooke Hundley rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a very amazing book! It has just about every detail of John's life and is extremely long but if you're a huge Lennon fan like me, you'll really enjoy it and I would really suggest reading it.

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Apr 17, 2013 Annie added it

So far this book has been pretty hard to get through. Too much extra information about the music and the times. Not enough about John Lennon as an individual. This author has obviously done a lot of research, but possibly should have written another book about the music of the period instead of including it in a biography.

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Dec 04, 2012 Kate rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favourites

This is my review from an online publication that I write for, HerCanberra - I hope people enjoy it. http://www.hercanberra.com.au/index.p...

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Dec 27, 2012 Tim Snyder rated it 3 of 5 stars

Well researched and a detailed reconstruction of Lennon's life. Some wonderful insights into some of John's songs and the interplay of John's life and the turbulence all around him.

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Feb 05, 2013 Steve Shilstone rated it 4 of 5 stars

Dysfunctional upbringings have consequences, sometimes good (even great), sometimes bad (even ugly), sometimes all of the above.

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Jan 25, 2012 David Welch marked it as to-read · review of another edition

I bought this book in Bangkok on the way home from Rome (to Australia). I haven't read it yet but I am looking forward to it. I will write a review later.

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Jun 19, 2012 Betsy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, memoir, kindle

Fair, well-researched, but too much musical theory for this non-musician.

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Mar 31, 2012 Joe Moffa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Joe by: Rolling Stone review

Good balanced rock bio. Real feel for the times, especially the "early days".

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Nov 12, 2011 Martie Nees Record rated it 3 of 5 stars

Very well researched but I think I just read one too many books on Lennon to really appreciate this one. I did learn his paternal grandparents were Irish but that is about it.

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Oct 11, 2012 Michael Webb rated it 5 of 5 stars

Superb. The best Lennon book I've ever read.

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Jan 29, 2012 Kristin Strong added it

Dear Brain,
Let's pretend this never happened.
Love,
Kris

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About Tim Riley

NPR CRITIC, AUTHOR, PIANIST, and SPEAKER TIM RILEY reviews pop and classical music for NPR's HERE AND NOW, and has written for the HUFFINGTON POST, THE WASHINGTON POST, SLATE.COM and SALON.COM. He was trained as a classical pianist at Oberlin and Eastman, and remains among the few critics who writes about both "high" and "low" culture and their overlapping concerns.

Brown University sponsored Rile...more

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Tell Me Why: The Beatles: Album By Album, Song By Song, The Sixties And After

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