Lennon on Lennon: Conversations with John Lennon

In Lennon on Lennon, music journalist Jeff Burger collects interviews that were conducted during ex-Beatle John Lennon’s life (1940-1980). Here included are some unpublished interviews with television and radio personalities, some which never made it into print until now. It is hard to judge Lennon, who was murdered in late 1980. As with many other 1960s icons, it is hard to evaluate his impact on the world in light of what happened afterward. There is a sense of dread in this book, with the reader knowing that Lennon, like some other inspiring figures of the times, did not survive into later life. They (Martin Luther King, Jack Kennedy, Robert Kennedy) impacted the world after their lives ended, and the world has not seen times like this since.

One finds a charismatic John Lennon here. There are also some other famous folks who were part of these discussions (Timothy Leary, Jerry Rubin) but especially featured is wife Yoko Ono, who played a big part in these interviews and his life. One learns that The Beatles were on there way to breaking up before Ono, with John Lennon defending the art that came from them after their break up. It is fun to hear Lennon here, a live wire who had some inspiring, humorous, and historical things to say about music, art, activism, and the times.