The Lives of John Lennon
Albert Goldman
720 pages, Chicago Review Press (September 1, 2001)
"The Lives of John Lennon" exposed for the first time all of his various lives, from idealist to cynic, from ascetic to junkie.
It is a lasting tribute to his brilliant achievements and a revelation of the price he paid for them.
In "The Lives of John Lennon", a product of years of research and hundreds of interviews with many of Lennon's friends, acquaintances, servants and musicians, "Albert Goldman" describes "John Lennon" as both talented and neurotic.
The book reveals a very personal side of the musician who was prone to faults, such as anger, violence, drug abuse, adultery, and indecisiveness, but who was also a leader of peace and love.


It deals with "John Lennon"'s childhood and the impact others had on the life of the sensitive little boy, among them his aunt, "Mimi Smith", his father, "Fred Lennon", and "Johnny Dykins".
The author implies that strong women ruined "John Lennon", starting with Smith, and that he was later being held prisoner by his wife, "Yoko Ono".
Centering on the mistakes or mean things the musician did, "Albert Goldman" made many controversial allegations, among them the charge that he may have had something to do with the death of his friend "Stuart Sutcliffe", an early member of "The Beatles".

The author also says that "John Lennon" had a homosexual affair with "The Beatles"' manager, "Brian Epstein", whom "Albert Goldman" characterizes as a dishonest, incompetent businessman who hid behind the image of a 'gentleman'.
Half of the book covers the personality of "John Lennon"'s wife, "Yoko Ono", who is portrayed in a very bad light; Goldman alleges that, among other things, she hated "Paul McCartney", neglected her children and brainwashed and pulled Lennon away from everyone who ever meant something to him.
Goldman also alleged that the two carried on constant affairs throughout their marriage and he substantially revealed that no record exists of the phone calls "Yoko Ono" claims to have made to McCartney and "Mimi Smith" the night Lennon was murdered.