John loved art and writing almost as much as he loved music. He went to art school in Liverpool.
His teacher
Arthur Ballard was very impressed with his work and thought he should become a professional illustrator.
His first wife Cynthia thought he would have become a cartoonist if he hadn't
become a Beatle. Actually he became both!
In 1964 In His Own Write,
his first book of stories and drawings was published. Of course I ran right out and bought the book,
and it really did crack me up... still does. Nobody's mind worked like John Lennon's mind!
I was soooo impressed that I decided I just had to have a hat like the one John wore on the cover. This one isn't quite
like John's but it's the closest I could get. I wore that hat for years (this pic was taken sometime
in 1966 I think; that's my cousin Vicki - a fellow Beatlemaniac - on the right.)
John's next book was called "A Spaniard In the Works" and it's equally assymetrically hysterical.
You can find most of John's books at a discount at amazon.com as well as many books about him.
Several new books about John have just been published: John's first wife Cynthia Lennon's biography
John...
Peter Doggett's
The Art and Music of John Lennon...
John Lennon: All I Want is the Truth by
Elizabeth Partridge... Life Magazine's
Life: Remembering John Lennon: 25 Years Later
and photographer Bob Gruen's John Lennon: The New York Years.
I was especially looking forward to Gruen's book as he's not only a great photographer, but was also close friend of John's, and
this book IS excellent! Also check out Yoko Ono's Memories of John Lennon
and a new Imagine DVD, remastered with extra footage.
The Beatles Anthology
John Lennon : The New York Years by Bob Gruen
Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now by Barry Miles
A Hard Day's Write by Steve Turner
Days in the Life : The Lost Beatles Archives by Richard Buskin & R.E. Robinson
More Beatles For Sale... CDs at discount prices
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