The Last Days of John Lennon opening lines: He sits in the airplane, inside a cloud of cigarette smoke. He opens his wallet and looks at the permit for his handgun.
My blurb:
Mark David Chapman will be a name a generation of people will never forget. He changed the face of history, and took away hope. With one decisive action, the assassination of John Lennon, he ensured the Beatles would never get back together. But was that his plan all along?
The Last Days of John Lennon
The Last Days of John Lennon is the amazing story of John Lennon’s life and career, from his earliest days up to his last seconds. It tells the story of the most profound rock-and-roll genius of all time – and of the consummate Nowhere Man who took him from us.JOHN LENNON ACHIEVED WITH THE BEATLES A LEVEL OF SUPERSTARDOM THAT DEFIED CLASSIFICATION. ‘WE WERE THE BEST BLOODY BAND THERE WAS,’ HE SAID. ‘THERE WAS NOBODY TO TOUCH US.’In the summer of 1980, ten years after the break-up of The Beatles, Lennon signed with a new label and hired a top producer to recruit the best session musicians, ready to record new music for the first time in years. They were awestruck when Lennon dashed off ‘(Just Like) Starting Over’. Lennon was back in peak form, with his best song writing since ‘Imagine’.Even before Lennon left The Beatles, becoming a solo artist and making a life with Yoko Ono in New York City, Mark David Chapman had become obsessed with murdering his former hero. Chapman was convinced that Lennon had squandered his talent and betrayed fans with messages of hope and peace. In December 1980, Chapman quit his security job in Hawaii, signing out as ‘John Lennon’, and boarded a flight to New York with a handgun and bullets stowed in his luggage. He was never going home again.Enriched by exclusive interviews with Lennon’s friends and associates, including Paul McCartney, The Last Days of John Lennon is a true-crime drama about two men who changed history. One whose indelible songs enliven our world to this day, and the other who ended the beautiful music with five pulls of a trigger.
My verdict:
Having read The Cutting Edge, there was a lot I knew about the history of the Beatles. But, having been born at the very end of the 1960’s there was a lot I did not know. This extremely well written and well researched book delves into how the Beatles came together and how they eventually broke apart. I was hooked from the first page and read the entire 340 pages in one day.
Publishing information:
Disclosure: I was sent the book to review by Penguin Random House South Africa. I was not required to write a positive review. This post is in line with my blogging policy.
Inspiration published on Lavender and Lime March 14:
-
- 2018: Castleview Bed And Breakfast
- 2016: Cauliflower Relish
- 2014: Chocolate Fudge Brownie Ice Cream
- 2013: Wasabi
- 2012: Pomegranate Restaurant
This sounds like a fascinating read, TAndy. Thanks for sharing it here.
It really was fascinating.
this sounds like a great read; thanks for making me aware of it…
It was truly excellent.
This sounds like it would be well worth reading Tandy. thanks for the alert to this book.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did 🙂
Would love to read this.. Nothing better than true crime.. 😉
It is a really good book!