John - Softcover

Cynthia Lennon

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0340895128 ISBN 13: 9780340895122

Publisher: Hodder Paperbacks, 2006

Synopsis

One of the closest witnesses to the events that have became part of music legend, Cynthia Lennon was John's first wife, and their relationship spanned ten of the most important Beatles years. In this book, she sheds new light on her relationship with John, providing a revealing portrait of one of the most iconic figures in music.

About this title

Review:

This isn't Cynthia Lennon's first book about her legendary ex-husband. A Twist of Lennon--a slim volume that John tried to suppress on grounds of libel--came out in 1978. But now, 25 years after his death, she finally feels ready to tell the "full and truthful story" of their life together. Why? In his foreword, son Julian writes of their being "dismissed or at best treated as insignificant bit players" in the story of John's life; it's Cynthia's goal, with John, to set the record straight. She does make a case for being more than just "the impressionable young girl who fell for him, then trapped him into marriage," and it's moving to read, in his own words, of John's love for his son. And while there's nothing new in her account of the Fab Four's rise to fame, as the greatest success story of the rock era, it's a legend that bears retelling. But most salient of all are Cynthia's sketches of pain, regret, and intimidation. John was indeed a brilliant, loving man, but he was also "passionately jealous," "verbally cutting," sometimes abusive, and often neglectful. (It is hinted that his behavior may have paralleled that of the woman who raised him, his Aunt Mimi.) Unfortunately, Cynthia's "response to John's provocative and cruel behavior was to stick by him more solidly than ever...[feeling] that if he could trust me and believe that I loved him he might soften."

It's not this dysfunction, however, but rather John's use of LSD, on which she blames the emotional "chasm" that led to the failure of their marriage. And though the Lennons' divorce comes relatively late in the book, the pages that follow are by far the saddest, as they chronicle John's increasing distance from and neglect of his former family--especially Julian, who would only see his father three times after he moved to New York in 1971. It's no surprise that Cynthia lays much of the blame for this at the feet of Yoko Ono, who is described as controlling and insensitive, especially in the wake of John's murder. But even though there's a lot of bitterness and resentment in these pages, it's not overwhelming, being offset by Cynthia's fierce love for her son and her continuing affection for her ex-husband. A full picture of John Lennon's life will never exist as long as Ono judges herself unable to write about their time together, but John goes a long way toward improving the situation. --Benjamin Lukoff

About the Author:

Cynthia Lennon was born in Blackpool in 1939 and brought up in Liverpool. She went to Liverpool's Junior Art School and graduated to Liverpool College of Art in 1957. There she met John Lennon, whose rebellious style, caustic wit and passion for rock and roll already marked him out. In their second year at college John and Cynthia fell in love. They married in 1962 and in 1963 their son, Julian was born. The Lennons moved to London in 1963 and then to Surrey, where they lived during the years of Beatles fame. In 1968 their marriage broke down and they were divorced in 1969. Julian remained with Cynthia, but saw John in London and later in New York, where he moved with his second wife, Yoko Ono. Cynthia now lives with her husband Noel Charles.

About this edition

• Publisher: Hodder Paperbacks
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0340895128
• ISBN 13: 9780340895122
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 416