This well researched book explores a possible political component to the 1980 murder of john lennon. Incident after incident in goldmans book will be old news to readers of the 1983 book, loving john by may pang, lennons girlfriend during his 1974 lost weekend when he and yoko. Goldmans book is a hitjob, but its a testament to how immense a figure lennon was in our culture in 1988. The lives of john lennon exposed for the first time all of his various lives, from idealist to cynic, from ascetic to junkie. John lennon six years of research and 1,200 interviews are brought together by a lbert goldman to paint a picture of the smart beatlejohn lennon. He was considered an insurgent rebel by many politicos of the day. It is a lasting tribute to his brilliant achievements and a. If you believe goldman, in the interview he did for newsweek when the furor over the book was at its highest pitch, he claims that he went into the project as a genuine fan of john.
The lives of john lennon is quite an expose on the man, his life, his relationships, his derailments, and also of those in his orbit. And you may well find that goldman actually manages to sympathise with the warts and all lennon, saving the major portion of his ire for yoko ono, who if there is a villain of this piece emerges from this book as that villain. The lives of john lennon by albert goldman, paperback. Oct 04, 2008 i t has been 20 years since the last major biography of john lennon, albert goldmans extravagantly spiteful the lives of john lennon. Goldman s biography of john lennon is entertaining but there is a sinister undertone throughout the book. But lennonfor at least half the bookis almost a secondary character. Dec 31, 2018 this book is nothing more than a collection of halftruths and made up or embellished stories about lennon. Goldman, albert harry john lennon the lives of john. If youve ever read the authorized accounts of johns life you will realize just how low and despicable this writer goldman is. Albert goldmans new biography, the lives of john lennon, which portrays the former beatle as a violent, schizophrenic drug addict, leaped into the no. Sep 12, 1988 albert goldmans new biography, the lives of john lennon, which portrays the former beatle as a violent, schizophrenic drug addict, leaped into the no. He is best known for his bestselling book on lenny bruce and his controversial biographies of elvis presley and john lennon. Oct 20, 2008 i think that if one believed the john lennon pr in 1980, then the goldman book seemed like a sledgehammer over the head.
I think that if one believed the john lennon pr in 1980, then the goldman book seemed like a sledgehammer over the head. It was a lot of information in one place and music was the least important aspect. I grant that this book is fairly old, but a decent biography never really ages after the demise of the. Fur goldman war lennon ein zumeist fremdgesteuerter charakter. Excerpted from the book the lives of john lennon to be published by william morrow. Elvis,john lennon and albert goldman steve hoffman music. It is a warts and all rendering of a mans life, who was once a member of the lovable mop tops, the beatles. Albert goldman s new biography, the lives of john lennon, which portrays the former beatle as a violent, schizophrenic drug addict, leaped into the no. A film about albert goldmans book the lives of john lennon sorry for the poor quality, it was filmed on a vhs tape remember them. A look at albert goldmans book about john lennon, youtube. Nov 27, 2007 goldman did, in fact, do massive amounts of intense research and interviews that could have amounted to a stellar account of john lennon s life.
The result of six years of research and some 1,200 interviews, this book takes fans deep into lennon s secretive world, from his traumatic childhood to his beatles. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Given that track record, the multitude of fans of john lennon were holding their breath to see what goldman would come up with this time. Elvis,john lennon and albert goldman steve hoffman music forums.
If youve ever read the authorized accounts of john s life you will realize just how low and despicable this writer goldman is. The book is a product of several years of research and hundreds of interviews with many of lennons friends, acquaintances, servants and musicians. The lives of john lennon by luc sante the new york. The result of six years of research and some 1200 interv. But as soon as goldman starts in with his attempts at psychoanalysis, he reveals more about himself than about his subject. The notion that the book might, indeed, be one vast puton had crossed my mind once or twice while reading it, but the possibility of a joke that large being sustained over seven hundred pages seemed remote. Unlike goldmans nauseating the lives of john lennon, this one is actually fun to read, and is actually remotely believable most of the time, as elvis was known to be, at least some of the time, somewhat out to lunch. But seaman became an acknowledged source for albert goldmans controversial biography, the lives of john lennon the first to portray. Albert goldmans new biography, the lives of john lennon, which portrays the former beatle as a violent, schizophrenic drug addict, leaped.
The lives of john lennon by goldman, albert harry, 1927. Mar 30, 1994 albert goldman, the author of noholdsbarred biographies of lenny bruce, elvis presley and john lennon, died on monday while traveling from miami to london, where he was to take part in a. The book is a product of several years of research and hundreds of interviews with many of lennon s friends, acquaintances, servants and musicians. Notwithstanding, it is best known for its criticism and generally negative representation of. Get cozy and expand your home library with a large online selection of books at. This book is nothing more than a collection of halftruths and made up or embellished stories about lennon. Bonus book john and yokos troubled road part ii by albert goldman. Buy the lives of john lennon new edition by goldman, albert isbn. Albert goldman, biographer, is dead at 66 the new york times. Oct 07, 2019 albert goldmans book dealt with the truth of lennons life which is that he was a disturbed child, a talented but violent youth and finally a drug addled man who was never able to deal with his demons. Goldman did, in fact, do massive amounts of intense research and interviews that could have amounted to a stellar account of john lennons life. When john lennon was shot outside the dakota in december 198, he was one of the most famous men in the world. According to accounts in goldmans book, lennon felt guilty over having attacked a sailor he met during. Liverpool writer ron ellis remembers helping goldman to research the book.
The result of six years of research and some 1,200 interviews, this book takes fans deep into lennons secretive world, from his traumatic childhood to his beatles. Unlike goldman s nauseating the lives of john lennon, this one is actually fun to read, and is actually remotely believable most of the time, as elvis was known to be, at least some of the time, somewhat out to lunch. Revealing all sides of the man from violent pacifist to stoned ascetic, goldman s biography tears down the legend and replaces it with the real lennon. John lennon according to albert goldman, in his book the lives of john lennon john lennon. Goldmans background research was either slovenly or nonexistent. Goldmans biography of john lennon is entertaining but there is a sinister undertone throughout the book. How truthful or accurate is albert goldmans book on john. The lives of john lennon is a 1988 biography of musician john lennon by american author albert goldman. Albert goldmans book dealt with the truth of lennons life which is that he was a disturbed child, a talented but violent youth and finally a drug addled man.
Albert goldman, the author of noholdsbarred biographies of lenny bruce, elvis presley and john lennon, died on monday while traveling from miami to london, where he was to take part in a. Goldmans fascination with lennons sex life is the most bizarre aspect of the book. Ive read that the author started out with admiration for the musician but ended up feeling increasingly negative about lennon. Incident after incident in goldman s book will be old news to readers of the 1983 book, loving john by may pang, lennon s girlfriend during his 1974 lost weekend when he and yoko. The lives of john lennon is a massively detailed book. Pages can include considerable notesin pen or highlighterbut the notes cannot obscure the text. Oct 11, 20 a film about albert goldmans book the lives of john lennon sorry for the poor quality, it was filmed on a vhs tape remember them. The lives of john lennon by albert goldman goodreads. The lives of john lennon by albert goldman librarything. Oct 07, 2005 michel faber wonders if we need another book about john lennon even if it is by cynthia lennon, his exwife michel faber fri 7 oct 2005 19. In his controversial book the lives of john lennon, a book that took author albert goldman six years and almost 1,200 interviews to finish, he chronicled the many instances that john beat and h. Breslers book does an excellent job of following the man who killed john lennon.
Though his years were short and filled with extreme highs and sobering lows and some bewildering activities and habits, if the oftcriticized but thoroughly engrossing albert goldman book, the lives of john lennon, is to be believed, this rollercoasterwith the exception of the tragic ending, of courselargely parallels many. Lives of john lennon goldman, albert 9781556523991. A film about albert goldman s book the lives of john lennon sorry for the poor quality, it was filmed on a vhs tape remember them. John lennon was killed 36 years ago today at the age of forty. Albert goldman s book dealt with the truth of lennon s life which is that he was a disturbed child, a talented but violent youth and finally a drug addled man who was never able to deal with his demons. Sante depicts me as claiming that john lennons successes in life. According to accounts in goldmans book, lennon felt guilty over having attacked a sailor he met during the. Jul 04, 2019 the lives of john lennon is quite an expose on the man, his life, his relationships, his derailments, and also of those in his orbit. But, once he started doing his research and learned more about him, yoko, etc. But lennonfor at least half the book is almost a secondary character.
More of goldmans book comes from another 1983 book, dakota days by john green, yokos tarot card reader. It is a lasting tribute to his brilliant achievements and a revelation of. An embattled albert goldman defends his book on john lennon. Lennon told friends he had beaten another sailor and left him for dead in the street. To me, the lives of john lennon isnt really a music bioits closer to the anticlinton or antihillary or antibush books that are printed. It will come as a relief to many readers to learn that mr. It is a lasting tribute to his brilliant achievements and a revelation of the price he paid for them. The lives of john lennon by albert goldman alibris. He claims to know the number of times lennon and yoko had sexual intercourse during parts of their relationship.
Interviews he did with the his family and close friends were actually conducted with a lot of respect for john, and his estate still has tapes and transcripts of those interviews in their original context. John lennon six years of research and 1,200 interviews are brought together by a lbert goldman to paint a picture of the smart beatle john lennon. Sixteen years after its publication, albert goldmans notorious biography of john lennon still outrages lennon loyalists. I t has been 20 years since the last major biography of john lennon, albert goldmans extravagantly spiteful the lives of john lennon. Jun 03, 2018 if you believe goldman, in the interview he did for newsweek when the furor over the book was at its highest pitch, he claims that he went into the project as a genuine fan of john.
There is much about john lennon in goldmans book that is true that he took drugs, that he was obsessed with the memory of his mother. Albert goldmans searing portrait of lennon upi archives. The lennon companion, edited by elizabeth thomson and david. Revealing all sides of the man from violent pacifist to stoned ascetic, goldmans biography tears down the legend and replaces it with the real lennon. Outspoken and involved in political causes, the late former beatle had a dossier by the fbi. In hamburg, lennon, and his friend pete best, mugged, beat and robbed a drunken german sailor. Adored in life as the magical minstrel who call the tune of the sixties, he was mourned in death as the martyred saind of the international peace.
Before that there was veteran music writer ray colemans. Buy a cheap copy of the lives of john lennon book by albert goldman. Cynthia lennon who refused goldmans repeated requests for an interview says the description of her wedding to lennon, in august 1962, was based on her own book, a twist of lennon. Michel faber wonders if we need another book about john lennon even if it is by cynthia lennon, his exwife michel faber fri 7 oct 2005 19. Sep 01, 2001 this book is nothing more than a collection of halftruths and made up or embellished stories about lennon. Goldmans biography of john lennon is steeped in new york jewish humor. The result of six years of research and some 1,200 interviews, this book takes fans deep into lennons secretive world, from his traumatic childhood to his beatles days to his hidden life with yoko ono. While the lennon of legend enjoyed a gifted and inspired life, the private lennon lived in torment, poisoning himself with drugs and selfhatred. Apr 18, 2000 but seaman became an acknowledged source for albert goldmans controversial biography, the lives of john lennon the first to portray lennon as an eccentric and drugaddled recluse. Albert goldmans notorious biography of john lennon still outrages lennon. Goldman wrote about the culture and personalities of the american music industry both in books and as a contributor to magazines. The lives of john lennon book by albert goldman, 1988 at. The real object of goldmans ridicule and scorn is ono, who married lennon in 1969.
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