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A review by veritas19
John Lennon: All I Want is the Truth by Elizabeth Partridge
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.