John

By: Cynthia Lennon, Julian Lennon

Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor, Julian Lennon, Cynthia Lennon

Length: 10 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

The extraordinary story of a man, a legend and a marriage

When she was 18-years-old, a girl named Cynthia Powell met a boy named John Lennon, and they fell in love. Their 10-year relationship coincided with the start of the Beatles phenomenon—from Liverpool's dockside clubs to the dizzying worldwide fame that followed. And Cynthia Lennon, John's first wife, was an integral part of the swirl of events that are now an indelible part of the history of rock and roll.

In John, Cynthia recalls those times with the loving honesty of an insider, offering new and fascinating insights into the life of John Lennon and the early days of the Beatles. And with the perspective only years can provide, she also tells the compelling story of her marriage to a man who was to become a music legend, a cultural hero, and a defining figure of the 20th century.

Cynthia has seldom talked in any detail about her marriage and the painful events that followed John's tragic assassination in 1980. Now she candidly reveals the good and the bad, the loving and the cruel sides of John. She tells of the breakdown of their marriage and the beginning of his relationship with Yoko Ono in more detail than has ever been disclosed before and documents the difficulties estrangement from John - and his subsequent death—brought for herself and their son, Julian.

In John, Cynthia Lennon has created a vivid portrait of the 1960s, the Beatles, and the man she never stopped loving.

"The time has come when I feel ready to tell the truth about John and me, our years together and the years since his death. There is so much that I have never said, so many incidents I have never spoken of and so many feelings I have never expressed: great love on one hand; pain, torment and humiliation on the other. Only I know what really happened between us, why we stayed together, why we parted and the price I have paid for being John’s wife.I want to tell the real story of the real John—the infuriating, lovable, sometimes cruel, funny, talented and needy man who made such an impact on the world." (From the Introduction)

©2005 Cynthia Lennon (P)2005 Books on Tape, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Lennon’s eyewitness testimony vividly captures the time and place and the characters...her portrait of John is loving but candid.” (Washington Post)

“[Cynthia Lennon’s] portrait reveals an immensely talented and driven man who was capable of great passion, affection, and loyalty, but whose inability to handle confrontation and tendency toward flight from painful realities led him to abandon his family when the going got tough.” (Buffalo News)

“A welcome window into a period that’s typically narrated at breakneck pace, [providing] a gentle reminder that John Lennon was a human being...before he was a piece of history.” (Detroit Free Press)

Wonderful......

I am an avid reader that is new to audio books. I have listened to several and "John" is my favorite so far.

I enjoy memoirs, and read them often..this was one of the best. This was the first book I have read about the Beatles, but it made me want to read more.

Domestic John

An interesting take on a Beatles story, told by Lennon's first wife.

Cynthia felt the need to set the record straight as regards herself and her marriage. She comes off as believable if naive and tells her story with simple grace.

There is next to no talk about the music. Cynthia focuses on the highs and lows of being a woman of the '60s who made her man her world and had that world walk away from her.

Paul comes off like a generous soul. Ringo, George and Brian Epstein are remembered with affection. Ditto Stu Surcliffe. Aunt Mimi and Yoko get a real raking over.

The narrator gives the story just that right tone.

Pretty good

I read all of these 60's Rock N Roll biographies. This one is pretty good. It gives you a different perspective from Cynthia Lennon on John Lennon.

I thought there were some interesting stories and well worth the read if you are a fan of the Beatles and of course of Lennon.

The story of John Lennon & his first wife, Cynthia

I very much liked this fascinating back story by John Lennon's first wife, Cynthia. I was only a few years younger than they were in the 60's and still in college when "Beatlemania" hit the U.S. I always wanted to know the true story of the Lennons and now I was able to hear it.

Amazing!

Loved it! You get an inside tour of behind the scenes by someone who lived it!

Changed My Opinion

I’ve Loved the “version” in my head, of John Lennon. Being a huge fan of “The Beatles”, I loved them all, but always had a connection with John. After going through this book, my opinion has changed, making me sad, about how he was a horrible father to Julian; and a horrible “ex-spouse” to Cynthia!! For a man that pushed “Love, not War”, he didn’t seem to live a good life, with said philosophy!! Now I know there are three sides to every story - His, Hers, and the truth. But I tend to believe a lot of this version, because it is backed by others, concerning the same stories. I feel bad for Julian. He and his father were starting to build a new relationship, when he lost John. In closing, I have a hard time hearing John’s music or the Beatles music today, because my opinion has changed. I still love the rest of The Beatles and I’m really impressed how Paul McCartney was his own man, defying John, when the others (Beatles and Friends) wouldn’t, concerning his split with Cynthia. Plus, sidenote, I don’t know how a father could treat, or not see his son, just because he went through a divorce. I can understand limiting one’s conversations with the “ex” outside of raising the child, but ignoring your son is an excusable! The only thing I wanted more out of the book, was more information about the forming of the Beatles, and how John wrote songs, when he and Cynthia were alone; that part went to fast.

Fascinating tales

Really fascinating inside story. The performance seemed a little over-serious/dramatic, which sometimes took me out of it. But I loved listening to this nevertheless,

A Strong Woman

Cynthia Lennon was a compassionate strong woman and will always be a part of music history. I am glad she took the time to write this book not because of the Beatles aspect but what it’s like to be a divorced single mother. Cynthia did this with grace.

inspiring listen

one of the most truly honest and inspiring biographies by someone who witnessed first hand precisely what the Beatles were made of highly recommend

some issues

while the book was good and informative I believe the author was naive. whenever she talked about herself she always was accommodating and seemed to be a spectator in her own life. but it was definitely a interesting life.