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18th out of 380 books
—
559 voters
John
Now in paperback, the New York Times bestselling exposé of the real John Lennon
The time has come when I feel ready to tell the truth about John and me, our years together and the years since his death. There is so much that I have never said, so many incidents I have never spoken of and so many feelings I have never expressed: great love on one hand; pain, torment, and hu...more
The time has come when I feel ready to tell the truth about John and me, our years together and the years since his death. There is so much that I have never said, so many incidents I have never spoken of and so many feelings I have never expressed: great love on one hand; pain, torment, and hu...more
Paperback, 320 pages
Published
August 1st 2006
by Three Rivers Press
(first published January 1st 2005)
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It's no secret I adore Cynthia Powell Lennon, and I have for years.
If you come across this book without knowing her, you might expect this to be a trashy exploitative novel on what it's like to be John Lennon's ex-wife. In that case, you're going to be disappointed.
She doesn't shy away from presenting John at his worst, but her story is neither mean-spirited nor vindicative. It is open and honest, a story of the way things were.
//
Her story is classic good girl meets bad boy, only the bad boy g...more
If you come across this book without knowing her, you might expect this to be a trashy exploitative novel on what it's like to be John Lennon's ex-wife. In that case, you're going to be disappointed.
She doesn't shy away from presenting John at his worst, but her story is neither mean-spirited nor vindicative. It is open and honest, a story of the way things were.
//
Her story is classic good girl meets bad boy, only the bad boy g...more
Mar 10, 2008
Brian
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
fans of pop music, the Beatles, John Lennon and the 60's
I actually got this book by accident. I was looking for a recent John Lennon biography (call it a John Lennon kick I was on) and w/o looking at the author I put this one on hold at the library.
The author is his first wife, Cynthia Lennon, who unfortunately has become a footnote in the Beatles/John Lennon history. When I mentioned this to my wife or friends at work when they see what I am reading, they only think of Yoko Ono. About the only way people do know of Cynthia is if you mention "Julian...more
The author is his first wife, Cynthia Lennon, who unfortunately has become a footnote in the Beatles/John Lennon history. When I mentioned this to my wife or friends at work when they see what I am reading, they only think of Yoko Ono. About the only way people do know of Cynthia is if you mention "Julian...more
That John Lennon isn't better or greater, or comparable to Jesus Christ as a person or God as a thing or whatever it is*, this is the feeling you're likely to come away with after reading this biography of Lennon by his first wife, Cynthia Lennon. Since she was with him and knew him best in his early years, the heart of John examines his adolescence and the formation of the Beatles. Being that biographies of his "famous years" are a dime a dozen, what more could one ask for? Keep in mind that it...more
Jan 05, 2008
Rickie Rose
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
someone who is not afraid to hear the truth about John Lennon
Shelves:
great
I have always been a huge beatles fan and John has always been my favorite Beatle! I have always looked up to him and even after I read this book I still do. I have learned that John Lennon is a very complex man with a few "hidden" secrets! He has made plenty of mistakes and some he wouldn't come to grips with. There were times he was in the wrong, did bad things, and hurt those around him. In the end I beleive he was a man with a dream and somewhere in that dream he got lost, stuck, and confuse...more
As a former Beatlemaniac, I was very curious to read this behind the scenes book since Cynthia knew John Lennon from art school and married him just before the Beatles hit the big time. They were married throughout the Beatles' heydey and she was a part of their incredible success and also the unpleasant time when they broke up. I think she did a great job--she was honest about the hurt of their divorce & John's dalliances plus his emotional neglect of their little son, Julian. But it was ve...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
This is the "other-side-of-the-story" story about John Lennon, but, I guess, it's not your typical factual historical tell-alls that are out there.
This one is written by a woman whom became involved with John Lennon BEFORE he became the legendary John Lennon, before he formed The Beatles, before he entered the music business and before "Beatlemania" and that alone makes it worth reading.
A behind the scene books where you as the reader get a very honest look inside what went on when her husband...more
This one is written by a woman whom became involved with John Lennon BEFORE he became the legendary John Lennon, before he formed The Beatles, before he entered the music business and before "Beatlemania" and that alone makes it worth reading.
A behind the scene books where you as the reader get a very honest look inside what went on when her husband...more
I really wanted to like Cynthia Lennon. Being a guy, I never had the knee-jerk reaction of female Beatlemaniacs who wanted to hate her for the audacity of 'trapping' one of the Fab Four and taking him out of circulation. But because of the Beatles management's policy of making Cynthia a non-person for so many years, I never knew very much about her.
Enter the biography.
I was totally sympathetic to her plight as the 'forgotten Beatle wife', and was fascinated by her insight into the relationshi...more
Enter the biography.
I was totally sympathetic to her plight as the 'forgotten Beatle wife', and was fascinated by her insight into the relationshi...more
I loved this book, I'm a huge fan of John Lennon this book totally surprised me. I like Cynthia and really respect her for writing this book, it isn't trashy all it just brought more insight into who John Lennon was and his life with Cynthia and after Cynthia. As well as her life after their divorce, trying to live a normal life with out him trying not to live in his shadow. I read this book about seven years ago and I will still recommend it to anyone that is a fan of John or Cynthia's. Some th...more
more notes than a formal review:
I guess read-order will always influence our reviews. if I were stuck on a desert island or if had first come across this memoir about Lennon without having first read the riveting Norman biography, I probably would be inclined more favorably. as it is, Cynthia Lennon's take is a bit weaker researched, a bit more self-indulgent, a bit truncated in scope (naturally, since the two divorced by 1969).
flip side:
had I read this book ten years ago, as a freshly minted fi...more
I guess read-order will always influence our reviews. if I were stuck on a desert island or if had first come across this memoir about Lennon without having first read the riveting Norman biography, I probably would be inclined more favorably. as it is, Cynthia Lennon's take is a bit weaker researched, a bit more self-indulgent, a bit truncated in scope (naturally, since the two divorced by 1969).
flip side:
had I read this book ten years ago, as a freshly minted fi...more
Cynthia Lennon had an interesting perspective of John Lennon and the Beatles from inception to the break up and beyond. It was interesting listening to how she saw John struggle, before the Beatles broke through. She describes how she saw his personality was formed by his Aunt's upbringing in his young life, and later in his adulthood. Other forces that formed his personality include his father not being in his life, from a young age and his mother, a creative and fun influence being killed too...more
It's been a couple of weeks since I finished this. This was a very entertaining memoir written by John Lennon's first wife. The book starts with her hearing of John's murder, and having to break the tragic news to her son, Julian. It goes back to both her and John's childhoods, how they met in art school, their courtship, and John's musical evolution. You feel her frustration when she has to stay in the background during the Beatles' early years, since their manager felt the band would be more p...more
While I love the Beatles and have most of their albums, my interest doesn't extend much beyond the music. I decided to read this book after viewing "The US vs. John Lennon" (which was awfully shoddy as documentaries go). I'm well acquainted with much of the standard Beatles mythology, but the film still piqued my interest as someone who was a small child during the period it covered. I just wanted to know how a simple aspiring rock musician became a revolutionary cultural icon, and a book by a w...more
This book is really bittersweet. It's obvious that Cynthia loved John, and the way he treated her and his son is truly terrible. It's a shame that more of this didn't come to light during his life - people might have realized his love-ins were more of a sham had they known how unloving he could be.
I haven't read much about the Beatles' early years, so I did enjoy her insights on them. Cynthia is a talented artist (the book includes some of her work) - more so than Yoko, and possibly even John. I...more
I haven't read much about the Beatles' early years, so I did enjoy her insights on them. Cynthia is a talented artist (the book includes some of her work) - more so than Yoko, and possibly even John. I...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Nov 01, 2009
Nyusi
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Lennon fans who can balance it against other Lennon books
This proves an interesting read for John Lennon-ophiles. However, Cynthia Lennon comes across as something of a deluded and unreliable narrator who unwittingly communicates to the reader that she does not have the facility to understand the complex man John was, or have any idea what he was really up to.
Cynthia paints a picture of a dim young lass sat at home with the baby, naively thinking her touring husband was being faithful and was as obsessed with her as she was with him. He wasn't, not by...more
Cynthia paints a picture of a dim young lass sat at home with the baby, naively thinking her touring husband was being faithful and was as obsessed with her as she was with him. He wasn't, not by...more
This is a must-read for anyone interested in the general history of the Beatles or John Lennon in particular. Cynthia Lennon must be the most honest, open, and matter-of-fact ex-wife ever to survive having been tossed aside by her beloved husband. John is a valuable source of entertainment history written by a woman who knew the Beatles as "the boys" and who, in the midst of the biggest media frenzy of all time, only wanted the best of life for her only child.
Jan 12, 2009
Karen
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
autobiography-biography-memoir
Cynthia is an old-school class act. She hasn’t written an ex-husband bashing tell-all, although she’d be perfectly justified in doing so. With warmth and honesty she revisits her relationship with John Lennon from their pre-Beatle whirlwind romance through their marriage and divorce, until his death in 1980. It was no surprise to me to read about John’s dark side. I’ve been a Beatle fan for many years. John is my favorite Beatle and after years of reading anything about the Beatles I could get m...more
I am often reluctant to read memoirs from ex-lovers or ex-spouses of someone quite famous. Sadly, in many cases, it is a desperate cry for fame and “look at me, I know someone famous, you don't” attitude. So I read John by John Lennon's first wife with a weary eye. Little of the information was new to me. I had read much about the Beatles during my History of Rock n' Roll college course many years before (and yes, the class was as awesome as it sounds) but it was interesting to read it from Cynt...more
Aug 22, 2007
Kelly Morgan
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Beatles fans
Shelves:
biographies
I was skeptical reading this book as I felt Cynthia would give a one-sided and cynical ex-wife account of John, but I was impressed to find she told what appears to be an unbiased story. This book made me hate Yoko (I think I was one of the only Beatles fans who didn't mind her). If anything, it's a good read to get some insight on the early days of the Beatles and what it was like to watch them gain success.
This review is available on my site at
http://booksthatrockus.blogspot.com/2...
Not long before John Lennon's death, his first wife Cynthia published a memoir of their marriage called A Twist of Lennon, now out of print. The title provides more than one play on words - Cynthia had been married to her third husband John Twist at the time - and late in her most recent work John she admits that the first memoir wasn't wholly her idea. Strapped for cash, and pressured by Twist, she penned the tell-all...more
http://booksthatrockus.blogspot.com/2...
Not long before John Lennon's death, his first wife Cynthia published a memoir of their marriage called A Twist of Lennon, now out of print. The title provides more than one play on words - Cynthia had been married to her third husband John Twist at the time - and late in her most recent work John she admits that the first memoir wasn't wholly her idea. Strapped for cash, and pressured by Twist, she penned the tell-all...more
last night i saw "nowhere boy" and this book conveniently picks up about where the film leaves off. it was also the only bio on just john i had lying around the house ($1 at john k. king!) so that was convenient too.
my early impression is that we have a lot of cynthia lennon saying "i'm important too, dammit!" which is fair enough.
**post reading: well, this was pretty interesting. cynthia powell lennon apparently got screwed by both her husband and the media. she frequently saw herself portrayed...more
my early impression is that we have a lot of cynthia lennon saying "i'm important too, dammit!" which is fair enough.
**post reading: well, this was pretty interesting. cynthia powell lennon apparently got screwed by both her husband and the media. she frequently saw herself portrayed...more
Let’s get the sad, disgusting part out of the way first. John Lennon was, like so many who went before him and those who will surely follow, simply a hypocrite. The 20th century’s secular deity whose mantra was “All you need is Love” abandoned his own son, Julian - his six year old son. Scoot down Jim Baker, and make room for one more. Now that the ugliness is out of the way, let’s move on.
John, Cynthia Lennon’s account of her relationship and marriage to John Lennon, was a quick and easy read....more
John, Cynthia Lennon’s account of her relationship and marriage to John Lennon, was a quick and easy read....more
It's been about a year since I vowed to find out all I could about the legendary John Lennon. On the anniversary of his death in 2009, someone mentioned that it was that fateful day 29 years hence and, for some reason, it felt like someone had just punched me in the stomach.
So anyway, this was the first book I picked up to learn about someone whose voice has such a weird effect on me, whose songs are filled with love, and whose legend lives on still today.
Cynthia Lennon, the first wife of John,...more
So anyway, this was the first book I picked up to learn about someone whose voice has such a weird effect on me, whose songs are filled with love, and whose legend lives on still today.
Cynthia Lennon, the first wife of John,...more
This is a fairly simple retelling of the Beatles' story from the perspective of John's first wife, Cynthia. While she doesn't really add much to the enduring narrative of the world's greatest pop band, her unique perspective on John and his sometimes confusing, uncaring behavior is occasionally revelatory. I must admit to losing a bit of respect for the man after reading how abruptly he cut off contact and affection for his first family after betraying them with Yoko. In the end, I think Cynthia...more
Sad, sad, sad. He did not treat his first wife very well at all and basically flaunted it in her face that he was cheating on her with Yoko Ono when she came home and they were just sitting in the kitchen, Yoko wearing Cynthia's bathrobe. He also pretty much ignored his firstborn son, especially after Yoko came into the picture.
I read this book for a high school assignment back in the day. The project was to design an end-of-the-year presentation and booklet on something that interests you. At this time I was obsessed with The Beatles, so I decided to read several books about them and the members, and this is one that I ended up buying to use. I loved it. It really showed John's true colors, not the picture that everyone may have of him. He was an amazing man, no doubt, and a culture icon like no other. The truth is, t...more
This is one of my favorite books. The heartbreaking story of an over-idolized and very flawed man, through the eyes of woman who loved him and was discarded by him. Ever since I was old enough to understand who John Lennon was, more than just a Beatle, I have always identified with Julian and Cynthia. To anybody who elevates John in my presence I always say "how can a man who was all about peace and love discard and abandon this wife and son and leave them with nothing?" There is no doubt that J...more
Now, I'll admit it: I got this out of the bargain bin at my local bookstore! But I've always been a Beatles fan, even though George is my favorite.
I thought it would be interesting to learn more about Lennon, as many people prefer him over the over members of the Fab Four.
Although we'll never know how much of this book is actually truth, Cynthia Lennon paints a picture of a jealous and abusive husband. Although it may seem dramatic, while reading it, it seems realistic.
My favorite part would h...more
I thought it would be interesting to learn more about Lennon, as many people prefer him over the over members of the Fab Four.
Although we'll never know how much of this book is actually truth, Cynthia Lennon paints a picture of a jealous and abusive husband. Although it may seem dramatic, while reading it, it seems realistic.
My favorite part would h...more
This was an excellent memoir, sensitively written by John’s first wife, Cynthia. The author comes off as a classy individual; she wisely sidesteps the recent trend of trashy “tell-alls.” Instead, we have the quiet account of a remarkable experience that had its share of good and bad.
Perhaps what drew me in most was the fact that I could so easily relate to Cynthia. In many of the scenes she describes, especially the painful ones, I was shocked at how easily I could see myself reacting in the sam...more
Perhaps what drew me in most was the fact that I could so easily relate to Cynthia. In many of the scenes she describes, especially the painful ones, I was shocked at how easily I could see myself reacting in the sam...more
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Cynthia Lennon (née Powell) was the first wife of musician John Lennon. She grew up in the middle-class section of Hoylake, on the Wirral UK, and gained a place at the Liverpool College of Art.
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Jan 01, 2012 08:41pm