Bookshelf: Lennon Revealed

Lennon Revealed
by Larry Kane

2007
Paperback
US $14.95
CAN $18.00
UK £8.99
ISBN: 9780762429660
ISBN-10: 0762429666
Published by Running Press

Description
A quarter of a century after his death, the questions remain: what was John Lennon really like, what drove him to the heights of creativity and the depths of despair, and why do his music and message still resonate for millions around the world? Now acclaimed broadcast journalist and author Larry Kane uncovers the mysteries of Lennon’s life and implodes the myths surrounding it. Kane definitely has the right credentials for the job. He was the only American reporter to travel in the Beatles’ official entourage to every stop on their history-making first American tours, and he stayed in touch with Lennon until an assassin ended the former Beatles’ life in 1980. Lennon Revealed is filled with revelations about John Lennon’s path from public glory to personal crisis, and ultimately to his inspiring rebirth and the triumph of his spirit. Drawing on extensive personal accounts and extraordinary new interviews with more than 100 confidants-most notably, Yoko Ono-Kane presents stunning revelations and brings the reader closer than ever to the man who, in life and in death, has had an incalculable impact on humanity. Includes an exclusive DVD featuring the final interview with Lennon and Paul McCartney, conducted by Larry Kane.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
In this breezy collection of remembrances, journalist Kane (Ticket to Ride) fondly-if a bit too reverentially-remembers his times with enigmatic Beatle John Lennon. In 1964, Kane, then a radio reporter, was assigned to follow the Beatles in America, beginning a relationship with Lennon that lasted throughout the musician's short life, and one that obviously engendered some real affection. In brisk, entertaining prose, Kane, with a supporting cast of many Beatles associates, assesses the many faces of Lennon from a journalistic yet intensely personal perch. "Was John Lennon a mean bastard? A foolish prankster? An aggressive sex fiend? A musical tyrant? A gay man?" The answers, Kane says, are as complex as Lennon himself. Kane shares his take on the man and the pivotal moments in his life, including Lennon's relationships with his bandmates and Yoko Ono, his involvement in the peace movement, and the infamous "lost weekend" and the Yoko-ordained affair with secretary May Pang. A final chapter of letters written by Lennon fans, however, feels tacked on. There are certainly better books on Lennon, but readers should enjoy Kane's personal, honest recollections. "My reporting of Lennon and his adult life will no doubt vary from others," Kane aptly notes, "but it is mine."
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

From Booklist
Kane met John Lennon when he traveled with the Beatles on their American tours, which he chronicled in Ticket to Ride (2003). Now, 25 years after Lennon's murder, he offers an affectionate but clear-eyed look at the musician's life, based on his recollections and interviews with many of Lennon's friends and associates. Eschewing chronological treatment, Kane proceeds somewhat disjointedly, dividing the book into chapters on such aspects of Lennon as his significant relationships (including with second wife Yoko Ono and paramour May Pang), wild streak, peace activism, love for New York City, and relations with the other Beatles, particularly Paul McCartney. Perhaps because Kane is a reporter rather than a critic, he downplays Lennon the musician; otherwise, he reveals many facets of a complex figure. If the book ultimately doesn't constitute a definitive portrait, it demonstrates why expecting one is probably futile. Yoko Ono told Kane that Lennon "didn't want people to just adore him. He wanted people to know what he [was] made of." Kane's account hews to that wish. Gordon Flagg
Copyright © American Library Association.

Larry Kane

Larry Kane is the “dean of Philadelphia television news anchors,” having had a 45-year career covering domestic and world events. He previously wrote an account of his tour experiences with the Beatles in his book Ticket to Ride. Kane lives in southeastern Pennsylvania.

© Free Rare Mp3 Music Downloads