Lennon biographies
Posted by Charlie Gordon on 3 April 2008 - 1:25pm.
Just bought two biographies of Lennon: Ray Coleman's which is as near to official as possible and therefore likely to steer clear of any fun and games and Albert Goldman's Lives of Lennon which is apparently chock full of muck.
Knowing Word bloggers to be very pro-Fabs, which one will give me a better picture of the man? Of course I could read them first and decide for myself but would love some prior opinion..
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I've read them both.
I know that Goldman was from the Kitty Kelley school of biographers, but I enjoyed his Lennon book. It didn't seem so outlandish that I didn't believe what was in it. It all sounded perfectly plausible.
The Coleman book, on the other hand, I can't remember anything about at all.
Slightly OT, but I also recommend Many Years From Now, McCartney's book written with Barry Miles, which I've now read twice (that doesn't happen often). It's very strong on McCartney's involvement with the London Avant Garde art scene (he was far more a part of it than Lennon ever was), and also on how he and Lennon wrote songs together, and who wrote what.
Worrying...
..when the Coleman book cannot be remembered and is 600 pages long!!
I suspect the Goldman book will confirm the view that Lennon was probably not just "caustic wit" (always used to describe him)and batty political views but had the same petty prejudices/foibles that we all have. I think Yoko has been pretty ruthless in controlling the accepted version of Lennon's 1970s (especially late decade)
Sometimes I sympathise that McCartney must be frustrated that Lennon is seen as a God but he has an extra 30 years of often embarassing baggage although the recent court case shows how affectionately the public treats a Beatle whatever the problems.
Never read the Coleman book but...
I threw the Goldman book away. I mean literally, in mid-page. I threw it across the room and never picked it up again except to deposit it in the nearest bin.
Forgive me if I have mis-remembered this as I partially read it once about 25 years ago but the bit that got my goat was when he was talking about John's raging homosexuality. He was blah blah blahing about Lennon and Brian Epstein, to the extent he had a recreation of their pillow talk. I'd like to know his source for that.
I'd heard that piece of gossip before so I kept reading. The section that made me dispose of the book was when he mentioned that John went on a holiday to Thailand. Goldman basically said "They have all-male brothels there, draw your own conclusions."
I concluded the book was trash and not worth another second of my time so I hoicked it. The book is just shabby.