John Lennon

The final word on music’s greatest legend, in which Philip Norman reveals a John Lennon the world has never seen. With ground-breaking insight into the pain, beauty and frustration that shaped the genius of modern music, John Lennon: The Definitive Biography redefines a legend.

John Lennon – the iconic songwriter, composer and one quarter of The Beatles – was a giant of the twentieth century. As the founding member of the world's most successful group ever, he changed lives. The popularity and significance of The Beatles is beyond comparison in our age – in the UK alone, they released more than 40 number one singles and albums.

But their impact extended well beyond their music. Their clothes, hairstyles, statements, and even their choice of instruments made them trend-setters from the 1960s to this day, while their growing social awareness – reflected in the development of their music – saw their influence extend into the social and cultural revolutions of the 1960s.

Following the painful collapse of The Beatles, John came out a wiser but angrier person. Together with his wife Yoko Ono, he attempted to transform the world through non-musical means. Their bed-in in Amsterdam and Montreal, their black bag appearances on stage, their innocent flirting with political activists and radicals, all received massive media attention. These events were in search of world peace.

John Lennon was shot dead by a mentally disturbed fan outside his New York apartment building on December 8, 1980.

Featuring previously unseen photographs, this truly is the definitive John Lennon.

Reviews

‘Reading this book brings the John Lennon I knew vividly back to life.’ Bill Harry, founder of Mersey Beat

‘This is the best Lennon book so far’ The Word

‘Norman has written about Lennon twice before but he has uncovered much new material in his research for this impressive and highly readable book… It is greatly to Norman's credit as a biographer that he does justice to all of (Lennon's legacy) in a book whose 854 pages simply fly by.’ Sunday Times Culture

‘Can there be more to find out (about Lennon)? And, can Philip Norman, the author of the new 300,000 word John Lennon: The Life, be serious when he tells The Word magazine, "Lennon deserves a real biography, as if he were John Keats or Mahatma Ghandi. Not a pop person but a major towering presence in his century?" The answer to both questions is empahatically yes…And yes, Norman has unearthed some startling things.’ The Independent

'Although more than 800 pages long, this book is nicely paced, well researched and will not disappoint.'
Glasgow Evening Times

‘Reading this book brings the John Lennon I knew vividly back to life.’
Bill Harry, founder of Mersey Beat

'This is the first serious Lennon biography for 20 years and unlike Albert Goldman's bilious effort in the 80s, Norman's style is trustworthy, contextual, and plainly told, yet with enough splashes of historical colour…'
The Times

‘A well-written book and almost everything you could want to know [about Lennon] is in there.'
Oxford Times

The New Statesman called the book 'magnetic'.

'Philip Norman's style is compelling', Irish Times

'Norman's mesmerising biography'. Irish Examiner

‘Meticulously researched, compulsively readable book.’
Sunday Times Culture magazine

‘The Rock biography of the Year.’
Metro

‘The best all-round Lennon biography.’
Sunday Herald Magazine