Overview

The full story of John Lennon and The Beatles has all been told, or has it? Francis Kenny's 'Understanding John Lennon' presents an account of John and the band that challenges preconceived assumptions. With a foreword to the book by lifelong friend and founder of Merseybeat Magazine, Bill Harry A Genius made and broken by his childhood! John Lennon, musical Icon and leader of the greatest band the world has ever known. What was the secret that made this Rock 'n Rock Juggernaut come off its rails? In a Huffington Post article on the best biographies on John Lennon, Kenny's earlier, shorter book, The Making of John Lennon, was ranked second. Kenny (who has lived in Liverpool all his life) believes that to fully understand The Beatles, it would be helpful to have a good grasp of Liverpool, with its large Irish immigrant population and the diverse influences of being a maritime city. The attitude and outlook of The Beatles were firmly intertwined with the notion of outsider and otherness of Liverpool. Politician Margaret Simey declared that: 'The magic of Liverpool is that it isn't England.' This view was reflected in the attitude and the music of The Beatles. Understanding John Lennon contains an extensive bibliography (It was previously published by Indiana University Press), and the research is referenced with over 300 citations. The book offers a new and challenging interpretation of John Lennon and The Beatles. Some of the issues Kenny deals with are: Julia, John's mother, had her postnatal health issues used against her by her sister, Mimi, for Mimi to gain custody of John. The puritanical nature of Mimi traumatised the young John. John's father, Freddie, was blackmailed, while in prison, by Mimi to keep him out of John's life. The cause of John's musical genius and his dark depression sprang from the same circumstances. An article written by Kenny and published in Salon Magazine, which puts forward the view that Strawberry Fields Forever was not about a girl's orphanage, but something far more personal. The demise of the band began with the release of Sgt Pepper's. John's fear of losing leadership of The Beatles resulted in, by his admission, using Yoko Ono to help break up the band. The lyrics of Working-Class Hero were an ambiguous split between a plea for understanding of himself and an attack on Paul and George.

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9781036932275

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Reviews

Huffington Post ranked the previous shorter edition (The Making of John Lennon) second out of the best John Lennon books they reviewed. ""The author focuses on the question of what might have caused the downfall of one of the most brilliant musicians of the past century. Kenny emphasises three main influences which helped shape Lennon's creative process and stayed with him throughout his life: his strong roots in his hometown of Liverpool, his troubled mental health, and a turbulent family background. Kenny explores how Lennon's troubles affected his relationship with the other Beatles, his family, the press and the public."" Again, a previous short book was published by Indiana University Press; this, along with the latest edition, contained almost 100 references and 350 citations to support and validate the newly found materials. Salon Magazine, see link below, published an article which puts forward an alternative origin to the source of John's; 'Strawberry Fields Forever' Francis Kenny - Salon.com

Author Information

Francis Kenny was born and lives in Liverpool. He left school at 16 years of age and was employed in the construction industry for 20 years. Besides working around the UK, he worked in Holland, Germany and Belgium. He is married to Eileen, and they have five grown-up children. Daniel, Suzzana, Caroline, Lucy and Holly. Francis left the construction industry and attended university, gaining a BA Hons in Economics and Politics, an MA in Screenwriting, an MA in Urban Regeneration, and an MA in Social Policy. He then went on to teach in Community Colleges.

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