Imagine: The Story of a Song

by Charles J. Shields

From the acclaimed literary biographer of Kurt Vonnegut and Harper Lee comes the life story of a song, one of the most iconic ever written: John Lennon's "Imagine". "Twenty-two lines of graceful, plain-spoken faith in the power of a world to repair and change itself," said Rolling Stone. Only 183 seconds long, the simple melody and poetry captured the wounded hopefulness of its moment--and transcended its time to inspire generations that followed. Charles J. Shields traces the song's origins--from the fire-bombing of Tokyo during Yoko Ono's youth to the violent death of Lennon's mother during his adolescence, from Lennon's post-Ed Sullivan skepticism to John and Yoko's Bed-Ins of 1969--and unearths the secrets of its lasting import. If music can change the world, "Imagine" came as close as any song might. This is its story.

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, Music, Biography, History

37 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2014

About the author

Charles J. Shields is the author of And So It Goes: Kurt Vonnegut: A Life (Henry Holt & Co.), Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee (Holt), the highly acclaimed, bestselling biography of Harper Lee,I Am Scout: The Biography of Harper Lee (Henry Holt Books for Young Readers), and The Man Who Wrote the Perfect Novel: John Williams, Stoner, and the Writing Life (University of Texas Press).

In January 2022, Henry Holt will release Shields' new book, Lorraine Hansberry: The Life Behind 'A Raisin in the Sun,' the most comprehensive biography of, in James Baldwin’s words, this “very young woman, with an overpowering vision.”

Reviews

[Ellen Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book straight through in one sitting and then went back and read it again. Charles Shields gives a monumental song its due. He follows "Imagine" from its roots in John and Yoko’s childhood experiences in WWII to its iconic status today and places each step in the context of world events. This is a vivid, highly readable account of the life of one of the most moving and influential songs ever recorded.

[Betsy Ashton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charles Shields takes an anthem for peace and provides backstory on how the song was written. This slender book treats the song with the dignity it deserves. By delving into the backgrounds of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, he brings a new dimension to appreciating a song that defines a generation and defies time.

Not a book about the Beatles. Not a book about John Lennon himself. A book about a song, what influenced the writer, how it came into being, what was happening in the lives of the writer and singer.

I recommend this to anyone who has ever been moved by lyrics and melody. Imagine has both.

[D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Free from audible. Totally worth the price. Also has the virtue of being short. Not sure if this song really needs a story to go with it, but there were a few interesting biographical/historical tidbits I wasn't aware of yet. If you still have any hangups about Y0ko, this will help you get over them. There's a sense in which her public relationship with John worked in the same way her art did--it was meant to provoke and ended up bringing to light a misogyny that always seems to be lurking beneath the surface in society.

[Silas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this in audiobook format for free, so for that price, it was good. It provides some background details to understand Imagine as a song. I knew a lot of it from various other sources, but I appreciated the emphasis that it was a Lennon and Ono composition, and providing background information for Yoko, as well. Ultimately, this is a brief book, and so the information here is a little bit shallow, and I don't really feel like I quite got the full story of the song as promised, but I did get some solid background information about its origins, and I enjoyed it.

[Ursula Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the interesting background for the lovely song “Imagine” by the late John Lennon. A history for John and Yoko, then a brief history of the Beatles. I hope they do more of these short stories, this was entertaining.

[Simon Sweetman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is pretty low-key, and slight. But there's some interest. And some charm. (I don't even love the song).

[Angelika Silva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as interesting as I had imagined (><), but it helps being a huge Beatles fan.

[JoAnne Cattanach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked this short book. The background info was insightful. Great song!!!

[Jennifer Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick little Audible listen. I found the pop culture history very interesting!

[Roberta Westwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short but great

An amazing amount of information on John and Yoko’s backgrounds, how they met, their peace bed-ins and work together. The story of Imagine is moving, especially considering how revered the song is today. Highly recommended.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great insight on a formidable time in my life. Wished it was longer, but enjoyed each page.