by David Sheff
First published 1982
David Sheff captures John Lennon and Yoko Ono in their final major interview, conducted just before Lennon's murder in 1980. The conversations reveal a revitalized artist emerging from five years of public silence. Lennon discusses the creation of Double Fantasy, his comeback album with Yoko. He recounts his troubled "lost weekend" period in Los Angeles with Harry Nilsson and examines his complex family relationships. The interviews expose surprising Beatles history, including the night he and Paul McCartney nearly reunited on Saturday Night Live after producer Lorne Michaels offered the band $3,200 to perform. Yoko's presence adds tension as she raises uncomfortable topics, including their schemes to kidnap her daughter from her former husband. Lennon provides detailed explanations of famous Beatles songs, revealing "Hey Jude" as Paul's comfort to Julian Lennon during his parents' divorce and "Strawberry Fields Forever" as a complete childhood memory. The book captures an artist bursting with creative energy and happiness, making his death days later all the more tragic.
Genres: biography, 20th-century, non-fiction, music, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: celebrity, interview
Period: 1980
208 pages · Paperback · New English Library Ltd