I was highly misled by the review that is listed for this "book". I expected to receive a story by John Lennon. Instead, I received a song book for organ, piano, and keyboard, and I'm highly disappointed that I spent my money on it. Granted, it's a perfect book for someone who WANTS a "songbook". Needless to say, I didn't. The person who reviewed this book was definitely misleading in every sense of the word.

I was misled by the review and description of this book, it is not stories but organ music for an instrument I don't even own. Even if I did own it, I would like to know what I am getting beforehand. I was looking for the writings of John Lennon, and received this instead. So if you want the music for an electric keyboard organ thingie, by all means get it, but if you're looking for writings, keep looking.

This book is great. I wanted to the last days of John Lennon and I got it in this book.

After reading other Coleman books I expected to read something new and informative about Paul McCartney. Instead I was spoonfed a repetitive and boring story of the development of the song "Yesterday". Pass on this one - it's definitely not worth the money.

As with all of Ray Coleman's books, this one is accurate and informative, but somewhat irritating in its obvious adoration of McCartney. Still a definitive account of the history of one of the most famous songs of all time. Also, it includes a comprehensive account of how Paul McCartney lost the chance to get the rights to the Lennon/McCartney songs when he was outbid by a former collaborator, Michael Jackson. A must-read for any Beatles fan, for this information if for nothing else.

it sounds slightly like the orb.

There are a few items that are gems in here, but most of it is boring because all the interviewer asked about were John and Yoko's solo work! Ugh. I like some of their solo work, but I'm a Beatles fan. It was John who volunteered the Beatles bits in this interview, and I was hoping the interviewer would encourage him to expand on that. But he'd then ask, "So, when you and Yoko were in the bag in Vienna...." Frustrating. I probably would have given this book two stars, but there is added poignancy here, because John was murdered only hours after he gave it. And he is so enthusiastic about so much in this interview, it adds to the tragedy that a person with so much enthusiasm, with so much creativity left to explore, couldn't live to fulfill it (more than he did already). His loss...and ours....

I like the idea behind this book - the working relationship of McCartney and Lennon would be interesting if it was done well. The many errors in the book and the author's very obvious hatred of McCartney and adoration of Lennon tend to destroy any attempt at objectivity. An example - page 115 - John & Yoko "made love"; page 126 - Paul & Linda "shack up". Things John said are the truth - thing Paul said are lies or attempts to make himself look good. I also find the author's put-downs of Beatles merchandising pretty funny - he seems to have quite a bit of Beatles merchandise (books) himself. It's a shame. This could have been a good book.

So far I had only read Lennon In America by Geoffrey Giuliano - a book that I absolutely hated. It was therefore that I wasn't expecting a lot from this book, but I must say that at least this one is better in style. An entertaining read.
The focus of the book is the relationship between Lennon & McCartney and how they collaborated on songs in (mainly) the early stages. Later on they didn't write together anymore (well hardly), but because of the rivalry that existed between them, each motivated the other to come up with some of the best songs ever written in this world.
George and Ringo hardly feature in the book, which seems a bit strange as the book deals with the career of Lennon / McCartney and The Beatles in a strictly chronological order and of course George and Ringo played a major role in that. To be fair though, in the author's notes Giuliano already announces that the book mentions the works of George and Ringo only in passing, without the amount of detail that is given to Lennon & McCartney.
The book describes how John and Paul met, started playing music in Julia's bathroom, wrote their first songs together, became The Beatles, how they worked in the studio, how their relationship grew from bad to worse and briefly describes their song writing after the Beatles broke up. All of this interspersed with quotes and bits of (mostly well known) interviews.
Right from the start, it is very clear that the author likes Lennon a lot better than McCartney. Lennon is always the genius, McCartney always has other motives in anything he does and is just waiting for a chance to take control of The Beatles.
Lennon's music is innovative and (often) provocative, while McCartney writes songs that are sugar coated and suitable for old age pensioners....
In summary, an entertainingly written book, but not a must have.

Regarding: "Read, Many Years From Now (Barry Miles), at least his book is intelligently researched and uses Paul McCartney as his main source of information." For ought I know "Many Years From Now" may be a perfectly fine book in its way, but anyone of discernment who's read a McCartney interview (or, say, the "McCartney" album press release, in which McCartney explains that he, McCartney, has quit the Beatles) knows that a book that "uses Paul McCartney as [its] main source of information" will be of doubtful veracity. In any case, "The Two of Us" is engagingly written, intelligent, and reasonably fair, I think, to all parties--probably the most readable Beatles book I've yet encountered. It doesn't contain much new information, but let's face it, how much new information is there possibly to be had? (I also like George Martin's "All You Need Is [?] Ears".)

I bought this book and was excited about being able to take it right home and play along to the Beatles recordings on my guitar. I opened up to "I Saw Her Standing There" and put on my Please Please Me CD and to my surprise and dismay the book was in a different musical key than the CD, way off! I'm assuming they did that to make the songs easier to play on piano, but it wasn't what I wanted. Disappointed I took the book back and then ordered The Complete Beatles Scores from Amazon. I've been much happier with that book.

I really felt the need to wash my hands after reading this prurient waste of paper.
If only a tenth of this book were true (and I doubt even that to be the case)Lennon must heve been a true monster.As it is the "author" indulges in wild speculation generally from unnamed sources or from bitter ex-insiders with definite axes to grind or unlikely stories to sell.
Giuliano purports to glean much of this insight from Lennons personal diaries,but as he is unable to show direct quotes his integrity must be questioned.
He shows little or no musical insight (rather a prerequisite I would have thought)and most of the time reads like a gossipy matron spreading dirt over a garden fence.
..makes Albert Goldmans book read like literature.Avoid

Geoffrey Guiliano's book " Lennon in America" is a devious piece of lowly thrash out to make a few quick bucks.
Mr. Guiliano has dedicated this book to his mentor and master A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada of the KRSNA consciousness. Being a hindu myself, i wonder how a genuine disciple of " KRSNA Consciousness" can sink to such prurient depths... or is it just the author living out his bad karma?
As a Lennon follower one is left cheated because most of Lennon's supposed escapades ( as recounted by the author) are nothing but cooked-up hogwash without proof or substance.
It is easy to write such books. I paid Rs 500/- for this garbage and i don't suppose Mr Guilaino will return the money back.

This book, like many books on Lennon, is full of tales regarding his excessive sexual appetite, his constant drug and alcohol abuse and details of his seemingly unconventional relationship with Yoko Ono. However, where the book differs is the context and spirit in which these details were written.

The claims regarding Lennon's sex life come across very strongly as tabloid garbage, and many details appear to be thrown in to satisfy the wish of the author to be seen as controversial. Beyond these claims, this book amounts to nothing more than a fairly average read.

Lennon's drug and alcohol abuse is well documented in many texts; this particular biography focuses largely on the gossipy details of what was a huge problem in Lennon's life. There is nothing even vaguely interesting in reading that John went on a bender or got high repeatedly. We know that - it's nothing new. There is no depth at all to this retelling of facts and trivial events.

I strongly advise against buying this book. If you're considering buying it as an honest representation of Lennon, I can say in all fairness that it is not worth your time. I bought the book under the same pretense and found that it was a very uneven portrayal; there is no balance in discussion and seems to be working to the sole purpose of painting a very unpleasant picture.

This might make for fine sensational reading and help sell a few books, but there is better quality, more honestly written work out there. Not all of it is very favorable to Lennon, but it at least avoids over-speculation, which this book is full of.

There is no imagination or storytelling in this book. It's a dry chronicle that doesn't give you the feeling of his life.

This book is historically incorrect. It states that Sean Lennon was born in 1972 when he was actually born in 1975. It also states that John and Yoko broke up during the time after Sean was born. This bothers me, so I would not recommend this book at all.

Though, I would not recommend this book for anyone looking for leisure, it is a good book for anyone doing a research project, or looking for facts on John Lennon. I must admit, the book wasn't exactly exciting, but it was highly informative. The basics of the Beatle's starting points were discussed, and a little of John's past as well. Pictures are included, making it a little more interesting. Easy and fast read as well.

I can’t deny the fact that this book is anything less than what it claims to be—a biography—among countless others, a partial account of John Lennon’s life. Another important fact about this book is that it is an extremely careless attempt. David Stuart Ryan seems content in skimming over most events he recounts rather than attempting to discuss any of them in depth. So what’s the big secret according to Mr. Ryan? He offers nothing more than a pseudo-psychological, amateur, freudian analysis. Ryan claims that since John Lennon didn’t grow up in a “normal” family setting he was perpetually in search of an adept mother and father figure (Cynthia, Yoko and Brian Epstein served as candidates). On another note, if the zodiac’s your thing, you’ll love this book and will be drooling over descriptions such as “Cynthia’s virgoan faithfulness,” and John’s “hedonistic libran inclinations.” Enough already!