Scan barcode
roseleaf24's review
3.0
This book is informative and clearly, understandably written, but I didn't find it particularly engaging. Lennon had never been my favorite Beatle, and this didn't really do anything to change my mind. He was influential, talented, and brilliant in ways, but he was also a mess of a human being who did a lot of damage on a personal level.
trisha_thomas's review
4.0
When I put a hold on this at my local library, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. It was for a book club so I thought I'd give the book a try.
I have an ugly confession - I'm not a very big fan of the Beatles. Not my era? Not my genre? I don't know, I just know that I've never really listened to their music or gotten to know their band members. So, I went in to this book pretty fresh not really knowing much about the story. My only experience was visiting Central Park in New York city where there is a very big tribute labyrinth and rose garden to Lennon. It was a beautiful site in the park, but the person behind didn't mean anything to me.
Although it's not my type of book, I actually thought it was very good. I thought the book did a great job of touching on the whole life but not bogging down in the details too much. It gave just enough of the story, atmosphere, and people to keep me interested without losing me in information overload. The story was fascinating, even to someone that wasn't huge on appreciating his art or craft. And the photos were intriguing and really made it all come together.
I'm glad it was nominated, I would have never read it without this club.
Thanks Carrie! ;)
I have an ugly confession - I'm not a very big fan of the Beatles. Not my era? Not my genre? I don't know, I just know that I've never really listened to their music or gotten to know their band members. So, I went in to this book pretty fresh not really knowing much about the story. My only experience was visiting Central Park in New York city where there is a very big tribute labyrinth and rose garden to Lennon. It was a beautiful site in the park, but the person behind didn't mean anything to me.
Although it's not my type of book, I actually thought it was very good. I thought the book did a great job of touching on the whole life but not bogging down in the details too much. It gave just enough of the story, atmosphere, and people to keep me interested without losing me in information overload. The story was fascinating, even to someone that wasn't huge on appreciating his art or craft. And the photos were intriguing and really made it all come together.
I'm glad it was nominated, I would have never read it without this club.
Thanks Carrie! ;)
annebennett1957's review
5.0
This Printz Honor book was just what I needed to fill in some of the gaps in my knowledge of the Beatles, especially John. Well written and documented it is a credible source of information. Lots of photographs makes John's story come alive.
sc104906's review
4.0
The life and times of John Lennon. Pictures are included throughout the book to enhance the writing. While reading this novel, I also listened to the various songs it referenced. It was a great experience. I knew nothing about John Lennon or really even the Beatles before reading this book, but now I am open to finding out more. I really liked this book. It kept me interested and I feel informed.
librarianlorianna's review
4.0
John Lennon, musician, artist, and leader of the Beatles, was one of the most iconic and influential figures in the history of popular culture. In Elizabeth Partridge’s photographic biography, she tells his life story with a tween and young adult audience in mind. From John’s childhood in Liverpool, to forming the Quarrymen (who later became The Beatles), to falling in love with artist Yoko Ono, this biography gives a complete look at Lennon’s life. The text is accompanied by wonderful photographs of all the people and places mentioned.
I have been a huge Beatles fan for many years, so I thought I didn’t have much else to learn about John Lennon before reading this book. However, I enjoyed this biography a great deal. It gave a lot of good insights into his life growing up, and described John Lennon as a man who was troubled, but very relatable. I appreciated that, although this book is written for a younger audience, it does not talk down to its readers. This biography gives a pretty complete version of Lennon’s life, not glossing over or seeming preachy about issues like sex and drugs. I think tweens and teens will appreciate the straight-forward way in which the information is presented.
I have been a huge Beatles fan for many years, so I thought I didn’t have much else to learn about John Lennon before reading this book. However, I enjoyed this biography a great deal. It gave a lot of good insights into his life growing up, and described John Lennon as a man who was troubled, but very relatable. I appreciated that, although this book is written for a younger audience, it does not talk down to its readers. This biography gives a pretty complete version of Lennon’s life, not glossing over or seeming preachy about issues like sex and drugs. I think tweens and teens will appreciate the straight-forward way in which the information is presented.
laleha's review
5.0
Found this while going through my school library's biography collection. Great YA biography of Lennon. I don't know that there was anything new for me, but it was really engaging and informative for the intended audience.
veritas19's review
3.0
Allison Freeman
APA Citation:
Partridge, E. (2005). John Lennon: All I want is the truth. New York: Viking
Genre: Biography
Format: Print
Selection Process:
Johnson, S. (2008). John Lennon: All I want is the truth Florida Media Quarterly, 33(4), 18-19.
Review:
John Lennon was a fascinating, intelligent and troubled man. Elizabeth Partdridge expertly transports readers to Liverpool, England in 1940 for the birth of a legend and deftly describes the transition through his tumultuous childhood, defiant teenage years, his successful years as a Beatle all the way up to his tragic death through masterful storytelling, black and white photographs, interviews and from the John Lennon himself in his own words. Mrs. Partridge begins his story at his birth in Liverpool, England during an air raid in 1940. In his early years, Lennon dealt with an absentee father, a flighty mother who wanted to be his friend, and a strict aunt and uncle Mimi and George Smith, who were more a parents to him then his own flesh and blood. His mother bought him his first guitar and John was a natural musical genius who spent more time writing, playing and collaborating with his best friend Paul McCartney to bother doing well in school. Eventually, he began to collect other blokes to join him in his band called the Quarrymen. Their name slowly spread throughout Liverpool and eventually they would play to sell out crowds in basements to screaming fans. Once the Quarrymen became The Beatles at their new manger Brian Epstein’s suggestion, they were boomeranged into the national spotlight and Beatlemania began. The Beatles became one of the most popular bands of all time through John Lennon’s lyrical brilliance, his collaboration on songwriting with Paul McCartney and playing long sets in a club in Hamburg, Berlin. John Lennon spent many years with the Beatles but they eventually broke up and he began a solo career, actively involved in activism, and even drugs like LSD for a time. John Lennon was married to and had a son with Cynthia Powell before his controversial relationship with Yoko Ono, which contributed to their divorce. John Lennon and Yoko Ono were married which also contributed to the Beatles breakup because Yoko rarely ever left his side, which annoyed the other Beatles including Paul. In the end, John Lennon lives a lively, exciting and a roller coaster ride of a life that ended tragically when he was shot and killed by Mark David Chapman. Elizabeth Partridge did a fine job of accurately portraying John Lennon, his life, the people that were closest to him and the many events that shaped him. The pictures and especially the parts that were in John Lennon’s own words were some of the most poignant moments in the book. The audience learned a great deal about the members of the Beatles and their interactions, sometimes negative, with the volatile personality of a controversial music savant. John Lennon was an intriguing man and through adept story telling and through the use of interesting and viable primary and secondary sources, the reader learns a great deal about the life and times of John Lennon. Recommend.
APA Citation:
Partridge, E. (2005). John Lennon: All I want is the truth. New York: Viking
Genre: Biography
Format: Print
Selection Process:
Johnson, S. (2008). John Lennon: All I want is the truth Florida Media Quarterly, 33(4), 18-19.
Review:
John Lennon was a fascinating, intelligent and troubled man. Elizabeth Partdridge expertly transports readers to Liverpool, England in 1940 for the birth of a legend and deftly describes the transition through his tumultuous childhood, defiant teenage years, his successful years as a Beatle all the way up to his tragic death through masterful storytelling, black and white photographs, interviews and from the John Lennon himself in his own words. Mrs. Partridge begins his story at his birth in Liverpool, England during an air raid in 1940. In his early years, Lennon dealt with an absentee father, a flighty mother who wanted to be his friend, and a strict aunt and uncle Mimi and George Smith, who were more a parents to him then his own flesh and blood. His mother bought him his first guitar and John was a natural musical genius who spent more time writing, playing and collaborating with his best friend Paul McCartney to bother doing well in school. Eventually, he began to collect other blokes to join him in his band called the Quarrymen. Their name slowly spread throughout Liverpool and eventually they would play to sell out crowds in basements to screaming fans. Once the Quarrymen became The Beatles at their new manger Brian Epstein’s suggestion, they were boomeranged into the national spotlight and Beatlemania began. The Beatles became one of the most popular bands of all time through John Lennon’s lyrical brilliance, his collaboration on songwriting with Paul McCartney and playing long sets in a club in Hamburg, Berlin. John Lennon spent many years with the Beatles but they eventually broke up and he began a solo career, actively involved in activism, and even drugs like LSD for a time. John Lennon was married to and had a son with Cynthia Powell before his controversial relationship with Yoko Ono, which contributed to their divorce. John Lennon and Yoko Ono were married which also contributed to the Beatles breakup because Yoko rarely ever left his side, which annoyed the other Beatles including Paul. In the end, John Lennon lives a lively, exciting and a roller coaster ride of a life that ended tragically when he was shot and killed by Mark David Chapman. Elizabeth Partridge did a fine job of accurately portraying John Lennon, his life, the people that were closest to him and the many events that shaped him. The pictures and especially the parts that were in John Lennon’s own words were some of the most poignant moments in the book. The audience learned a great deal about the members of the Beatles and their interactions, sometimes negative, with the volatile personality of a controversial music savant. John Lennon was an intriguing man and through adept story telling and through the use of interesting and viable primary and secondary sources, the reader learns a great deal about the life and times of John Lennon. Recommend.
heykellyjensen's review
3.0
I love how Partridge gets to the whole of a person -- there's no shying away from the negative bits of John and his choices. This isn't a "look how amazing he is" kind of biography. This is a "he did amazing things but he was imperfect and flawed, too" biography. GREAT photos, good story, strong source materials in the end.
I just hate the trim size so, so much. It's not easy to hold or read.
I just hate the trim size so, so much. It's not easy to hold or read.
squishkilldieew's review
1.0
I got this for Christmas one year from my mother in-law. Neither she nor I realized it was a kid's biography. It used highly dumbed down language; it was painfully obvious that it was not much more than a picture book. If you have kids who like the Beatles, they might enjoy it; however, it's not so great to read as an adult.