The Last Days of John Lennon

by James Patterson, Casey Sherman (With), Dave Wedge (With)

John Lennon was one of the world's most influential people.


Mark David Chapman was one of the most invisible.


By the end of 1980, the Beatles had been broken up for a decade -- a decade John Lennon had spent in search of his true identity: singer, songwriter, activist, burn out.


"It's the perfect time to be coming back," he declared. Except that Lennon was a marked man. As early as the Beatles' controversial 1966 American tour, the band had feared for their safety. "You might as well put a target on me," Lennon said, and the Nixon administration complied by opening an FBI file. If only the agents hadn't been so intently focused on the star himself, they might have detected Mark David Chapman's powerful, ever-growing obsession with his onetime idol.


Chapman, himself a tragic nowhere man, ultimately achieved the notoriety he craved by actualizing the target on Lennon -- single-handedly wounding the spirit of a generation.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Music, True Crime, History, Audiobook, Crime

577 pages, Paperback

First published December 7, 2020

About the author

Official US Site
Official UK Site
JIMMY Patterson Books
ReadKiddoRead

James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time and the creator of such unforgettable characters and series as Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride. He has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, and Michael Crichton, as well as collaborated on #1 bestselling nonfiction, including The Idaho Four, Walk in My Combat Boots, and Filthy Rich. Patterson has told the story of his own life in the #1 bestselling autobiography James Patterson by James Patterson. He is the recipient of an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.

Reviews

[Nat K · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are some momentous events you can't help but remember exactly where you were when you heard the news. The shooting of John Lennon is one of them. It was nearing the end of the school year, my first year of high school. 4pm. A news flash came on the radio. John Lennon had been shot dead outside his home at the Dakota building, New York. It didn't make sense. Details were sketchy. You have to remember, being 1980, the world wasn't the news beast it is today. You couldn't just turn on your mobile or laptop to see what was happening. You had to wait for the news bulletin next hour. Or hope for another news flash. To hear if what you thought you'd heard was really true.

Reading this book was like taking a trip down memory lane. It begins with John as a teen, in Liverpool, living with his Aunt Mimi. Playing in his first band The Quarrymen. Dreaming big dreams. Meeting Paul McCartney. Feeling that click with someone who is on the same page. The rest, as they say, is history. Reading about the formation of The Beatles, their early years playing dive bars in the red light district of Hamburg, playing at The Cavern in Liverpool, this is all stuff that if you’re a fan, you already know. But if you’re a fan, you also don’t mind reading about it again. I enjoyed it so much. There are so many facts and even trivia associated with John and The Beatles that I had locked away in a little cabinet in my brain, that this book reminded me I’d forgotten.

We see the creative process of making magic via music, the wonder of those early years, the camaraderie between the four. The famous and infamous people they meet along the way. The grind of endless touring, where the music can’t be heard above the screams, recording another studio album, the drugs, the laughs, the squabbles. It’s kind of like a fly on the wall view into the thinking of each of the individuals in the band, as they matured both as musicians and people. Over the years, each gaining their own philosophy of life, which didn’t always mingle well with their fellow band members.

All culminating with John's fateful meeting with Yoko at her art exhibition, and the nasty breakup of the best band ever to have existed. The final hurrah in 1969 on the rooftop of Apple Corp. headquarters at 3 Savile Row, London. “Let It Be” indeed.

Moody, sardonic, impatient, clever. This book displays his ferocious wit and talent, and some of his great one liners. He didn’t suffer fools. But he also had a softer, sentimental side.

It’s interesting to view this book as being somewhat of a social commentary of the 60s and 70s, as plenty of key events that occurred, and impacted society, get a mention.

I'd forgotten about John's social conscience, his anti-war stance, and the fact that the FBI had opened a file on him. I'd also forgotten how post-Beatles he'd jammed with Elton John and co-written (the song) Fame with David Bowie. Which coincidentally was Bowie's first number one single in the US. Heady times.

Making the decision to move to the States, and particularly New York, was where John found himself again. Where - with Yoko - he created a new life away from the bubble, hysteria and the exhausting end of the Beatles. It wasn’t all wine and roses. There’s the well documented “lost weekend” (of several months) where he leaves Yoko. But it was all coming together for him, being a father to Sean gave him great joy, and he felt it was time to return to the recording studio after a five year hiatus raising him.Double Fantasy being the album. It was his final work.

Chapters about John Lennon and the Beatles are interspersed with chapters about Mark Chapman, who went on to achieve a perverse kind of infamy with his cruel act of assassinating John. The chapters which feature Mark Chapman’s trip to New York, with the express intent of shooting John, grow increasingly menacing as the book progresses. And those chapters also capture the vibe of how the city itself could also be a scary place, with crimes of all sorts reaching all time high numbers.

I have some memory of reading that people were afraid to be alone on the streets after dark, which is reiterated by some female fans of Lennon’s who “befriend” Mark Chapman. They spend their days outside the Dakota building, hoping for a glimpse of their idol. But they start to get edgy as the sun starts to set, as the city was not a place to loiter around as night fell.

Something that stood out for me, and that I vaguely recall, was that over the years, Lennon had some sort of premonition that he would be shot. This was mentioned a few times in the book, in various scenarios, which made me try to remember whether this was a fact, or a bit of artistic license. I truly don’t know.

I’ve never read a James Patterson book prior to this, and I only chose this as I'm a huge fan of both John Lennon and the Beatles. This was co-written in conjunction with two other writers who I’ve not heard of previously Casey Sherman and David Wedge. The writing has a conversational, laidback style. Similar to the sort of writing you'd find in an editorial of the weekend paper's supplement. Easy to read, to get involved in the story, and keep reading. Just turn one more page. Then another.

Of course the fait accompli is devastating and shocking. It is chilling, and it still seems unreal, even after all this time.

December 2020 marked the 40th anniversary of the loss of John Lennon. Sadly with the state of the world in turmoil due to a pandemic and political, social and economic unrest across the continents, this was an anniversary that flew somewhat under the radar. I can't help but wonder what he would make of the world we live in.

https://twitter.com/yokoono/status/13...
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Shout out to Randwick City Library for such a great range of titles. Books keep the world going round.

[Brian · Rating 2 out of 5]

In this book with a rather misleading title, we find out about John Lennon's involvement with the Beatles as well as his "last days." When I put this book on hold, I had thought that it would have been solely about his final days of his life, but instead, the book starts with the birth of the Beatles and then jumps to Mark Chapman's point of view. The thing that bothered me the most was the dialogue, which clearly was created to give the reader a sense of character development between the Beatles, but how could the authors have known what the conversations were that went on between the Beatles and the various people. This was a major strike for this book and I found it to go on a bit too long and be a bit too commercialized.

[Deacon Tom (Feeling Better) · Rating 5 out of 5]

All We Need is Love

“The Last Days of John Lennon“is an incredibly thorough book. It’s references are over around 100 pages – – incredible.

It begins with a thorough summary of John’s role with the Beatles. It goes next to his solo career. Finally ending with a tragic day in 1980.

At first I thought this is supposed to be a book about John’s last case, why are we talking about him starting with the Beatles and descriptions of their time in Hamburg. After some thought I realize that not everybody has the background of the Beatles like I you because I grew up with the Beatles as my idols and they remain so today.

Given the premise, then the introduction airy chapters do make a lot of sense. I just wish they were a tiny bit shorter. On the other hand, the details of the John Chapman planning and execution of John were spectacular.

Reading about anyone’s death is painful. Reading about someone who was killed in public by an assassin is is incredibly hurtful. But reading about one’s idol and someways takes my breath away.

This is really a terrific book and I have bounce back-and-forth about what reading should I give it because of the introductory chapters about Job in the Beatles. But given that some people really do not know John’s history, I will except that is an editorial decision.

This is a five star book all the way. Unless you allow me to give 6 then I would give six stars.

For selling younger people I think this is a terrific book and I highly recommend it because it puts the entire situation in perspective.

Someday,“We will give peace a chance”

[Rob1109 · Rating 1 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I am a huge Beatles fan. I am a huge John Lennon fan. I’ve never been a fan of James Patterson.

On his 1971 iconic album, Imagine, in the midst of The Beatles entwined in unending legal battles, John lambasts Paul McCartney in a song called ‘How Do You Sleep?’ After reading this ‘book,’ I have the same question for James Patterson: How do YOU sleep?

This piece of…non-fiction (it really should be called a piece of something else) is nothing more than Patterson making money off the 40th anniversary of John’s assassination.

There is nothing new here. Don’t expect any interviews with Julian or Sean. No input from Yoko or Paul or Ringo. All Patterson did was stand on the shoulders of other authors and journalists, taking bits and pieces from the plethora of books and material that are out there about The Beatles, compile it and call it ‘The Last Days of John Lennon.’

Even the title is nothing more than a slick advertising ploy, a marketing tool to get you to buy the book. As other reviewers have pointed out, this actually focuses very little, if any, about ‘The Last Days of John Lennon.’

A good author—one who gave a damn and took pride in what he put out there---could definitely write an intriguing, interesting book about those final hours leading up to John’s cold-blooded homicide. Patterson, however, takes the easy way out. He puts in little or no effort. Does no research. Interviews no one. Rather than titling this ‘The Last Days of John Lennon,’ a better name should be ‘The First 40 Years of John Lennon.’ This is just a biography of John’s life. And not even a well-written one. Only James Patterson could take the life of one of the 20th century’s best-known personalities and turn out 440 pages of boring trash.

A casual fan would know probably 70% of what’s in here. For those of us who love The Beatles, it’s all rehash. Not to pat myself on the back but I am a big-time fan. I’ve read probably a dozen, maybe more books about The Beatles and about John. I’ve watched numerous documentaries about them. As a matter of fact, 2 months ago, on the anniversary of John’s death, I watched my copy of the movie, ‘Imagine,’ something I try to do every December 8. I knew 90% of what was in here. Maybe 5% I’d forgotten, saying to myself, “Oh, that’s right.” Only 5 percent of what was in here was new. Or to put it another way, of these 440 pages, roughly 418 of them was the same ol ‘same ol.

Each chapter is anywhere from 3 to 6 pages so yes, it is a quick moving book. Quick moving and mindless. However, the book reads like one anecdote piled on top of another. This is nothing more than bullet points with nouns and verbs thrown in.

The Beatles, be it through their music, their lyrics, their movies or their interviews even, always stir up some type of emotion. How can you not smile singing along with ‘I Wanna Hold Your Hand’ or ‘She Loves You.’ How can you not long for a simpler time watching ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ and laughing when John says, “I now declare this bridge open’ or when Paul’s grandfather is repeatedly labeled ‘a very clean man.’ How can you not crank up ‘Revolution’ or become introspective listening to ‘Yesterday’ or feel something incredible coming to an end when The Beatles walk off the roof of Apple Studios after performing live for the very last time as a band or having a chill run up your spine seeing that infamous photo of the assassin (whose name I shall not mention) with John hours before shooting him in the back or getting choked up seeing those powerful images in Central Park 6 days later, thousands and thousands singing ‘All You Need is Love?’ The Beatles—and John---are guaranteed to bring to the surface various types of emotion.
This book, however, misses all of that. And misses badly. As I stated earlier, this is nothing but 440 pages of bullet points with nouns and verbs thrown in. Everything—EVERYTHING—is glossed over so much that nothing sticks, nothing resonates, nothing strikes a chord, nothing hits home.

Maybe some of you have visited The Grand Canyon. When you visit, you can do one of two things. You can 1) park, walk to each scenic overlook and let the grandeur and magnificence overwhelm your senses. You can literally meditate as you see the canyon extending to the horizon in each and every direction. Or you can 2) simply drive through the park and stay in your car where you can’t see anything. If you take this latter approach, sure, you’ll get done quicker but you’ll miss out.
THAT is this book.

It glosses over so much so quickly, that you miss out. You feel no emotion reading about The Lads from Liverpool invading America when they landed at JFK in 1964. You feel no emotion reading about their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, which, when you take into account population, remains the most-watched TV moment in history, even more than The Super Bowl.

You feel nothing reading what it was like as the band recorded ‘Pepper’ or ‘Abbey Road.’ Regrettably, you don’t even feel any sadness reading the descriptive details of John being rushed to the hospital in the back of a police car as his life slips away.

Case in point: Page 250 and 251 covers John and Yoko releasing ‘Two Virgins,’ John returning his MBE to the Queen and then the international ad campaign John and Yoko created, claiming ‘War is Over (if you want it.) Each of these should warrant at least a few pages. Instead, Patterson takes the easy way out and covers these three events in TWO pages!

Another blistering example of Patterson rushing through things takes place on pages 264 and 265. John and Yoko have a heart-to-heart discussion with a disgruntled American who’d been sleeping on John’s estate, hoping to discover the meaning of life. (This scene was chronicled in the ‘Imagine’ movie and is perhaps the most poignant and most touching scene of all). Then, John and Yoko start recording ‘Imagine’ and finally, the concert for Bangladesh. These three monumental events are worthy of more time than simply being compiled one on top of the other. The fact that these 3 important moments are cluttered together in 2 pages is more proof of the shoddy work and careless way Patterson put this together.

James Patterson leads us to believe the reason John was killed was that his murderer would live on forever, that he was, in fact, becoming immortal by ending John’s life. In many ways, I can’t help but feel Patterson is doing the same, trampling on John’s name and grave to make money.

How do you sleep at night, James Patterson?

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I have struggled with James Patterson’s writing for a number of years, there are times that he comes up with a gem, this book being one example of that. While it strays from his usual fare, Patterson has collaborated with Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge to pen a non-fiction piece about John Lennon and the Beatles. The authors pull together a succinct, yet comprehensive, history of the group, with a primary focus on Lennon, documenting his rise to fame and tragic murder in December 1980. Easy to digest and packed full of exciting details, this is a great book for those who love all things Beatles or those, such as myself, who know little but have always been curious.

The book takes readers as far back as the early days when found Liverpudlian youths were jamming around and trying to make music. It was the 1950s and society had yet to catch-up to the new craze of rock n’ roll, with many clubs and the older generation passing it off as scandalous and even devilish. The authors explore how these four boys came together to make music and solidified the new sound to appeal to the younger generation.

As the book progresses, the rise of Beatlemania takes over and many of their key moments are explored, both within the music scene and through their personal lives. The authors present a wonderful summary, getting into just enough detail to leave the reader wanting more. It is understandable how these four young men swept the world with their own style of music and how it captivated their fans in a variety of ways.

There is no shortage of post-Beatle exploration, particularly how the overpowering Yoko Ono arrived on the scene and all but led to the end of the group. However, it is not that simple, as the authors argue within the pages of this piece. The attentive reader will see the breadcrumbs and follow everything that happened to bring this about, culminating in four solo careers.

An eerie moment throughout the book are the short chapters focussed on December 1980, where Mark Chapman is plotting what he will do to John Lennon. While not entirely clear most of the time, Chapman has his reasons and impetus to target Lennon, as well as a piece of literature to fuel his fantasies. This is a great mix within the larger narrative and provides the reader a wonderful balance between what is going on and how it will all come to an end. I enjoyed the mix and its foreboding made the book even better.

While I am no music aficionado, I have often wondered about the history of the Beatles. Trying to comb through documents to see how they came to be, rose to power, and came crashing down all appealed to me, as well as some of the underlying commentary related to Mark Chapman. The narrative flow was perfect, offering just enough information to pique my interest, though not drowning the reader with dates, details, and name dropping as well. Short chapters offer that Patterson tease that fans of his work are used to seeing, pushing the larger story along. Well-rounded and full of interesting moments about which I had no idea helped keep me connected to the piece and wanting to learn more, at my own pace. I’m happy that I took the time to explore this book and everything I took away from the experience.

Kudos, Messrs. Patterson, Sherman, and Wedge. Your investigative work with this piece really caught my attention. This is a great collaborative team for non-fiction, investigative writing.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

[BAM doesn’t answer to her real name · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay I’ve changed my mind. I keep thinking about this book. I’ve been obsessed lately with Freddie and Elton and John and I have no idea why. It’s to the point where I want to be enveloped in their aura. I know Elton isnt dead, but he is very lucky. These men were so dear to each other. I can hear Freddie saying “for fuck sake, darling what were you wearing?” to Elton clear as day in my head. John was so beloved to so many people. It’s heartening to read books about these men and learn about them. Right now this book is a free discover book on audible for those of you who want to give a listen.



My first impression: I’m glad I’m reading this esp because it’s about John (he’s my favorite ) but I
dont feel like I need to include it in my collection.

[Kristy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This title is such a misnomer. If they would have called it A Brief Overview of Lennon’s Life. I was expecting a detailed look into Mark David Chapman and Lennon’s actual last days. This is more like an encyclopedia of Lennon and the Beatles. While interesting, it wasn’t what I was looking for. Also, it bothered me how the chapters on Chapman were written like fiction where we could hear his thoughts.

[Judy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hoping for something different I guess. Most of the book is a recap of the Beatles. Not impressed.

[Michael · Rating 1 out of 5]

Patterson, who would seemingly put his name on anything, selected two writers to cut and paste Wikipedia pages on the Beatles, and then put them into his "easy reader" for adults format in an obvious attempt to capitalize on the 40th anniversary of Lennon's Death.

[Erin O'Riordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has a few surprising and delightful moments. Mostly it's things we already know about The Beatles.

[Nigeyb · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are lots of one star reviews on GoodReads for The Last Days of John Lennon by James Patterson. I don't really understand all the hate. Whilst it's fair to say that James Patterson desn't appear to have done much, if any, new research, there is still much to enjoy and appreciate.

The title is misleading as there are two concurrent narratives. One works forward from the early days and embraces many of the key points in John's life (e.g. Paul and John meeting, Hamburg, replacing Pete Best with Ringo, Brian Epstein becoming manager, first EMI recording session, meeting Yoko, The Beatles split etc.). The second narrative starts with Mark Chapman arriving in New York to kill John Lennon, where he stayed, what he did, and why he felt betrayed by Lennon. The two narrative threads converge towards the end of the book.

Whilst the biographical stuff is very familiar it is snappily told and creates a great sense of the meteoric rise of the Fabs and the issues that caused. Equally the Chapman narrative is grim, depressing and shocking.

I wasn't expecting much from this book however found it an interesting and satisfying read, even if I didn't discover much that I didn't already know.

4/5



The greatest true-crime story in music history, as only James Patterson can tell it.

With the Beatles, John Lennon surpasses his youthful dreams, achieving a level of superstardom that defies classification. “We were the best bloody band there was,” he says. “There was nobody to touch us.” Nobody except the original nowhere man, Mark David Chapman. Chapman once worshipped his idols from afar—but now harbors grudges against those, like Lennon, whom he feels betrayed him. He’s convinced Lennon has misled fans with his message of hope and peace. And Chapman’s not staying away any longer.

By the summer of 1980, Lennon is recording new music for the first time in years, energized and ready for it to be “(Just Like) Starting Over.” He can’t wait to show the world what he will do.

Neither can Chapman, who quits his security job and boards a flight to New York, a handgun and bullets stowed in his luggage.

The greatest true-crime story in music history, as only James Patterson can tell it. Enriched by exclusive interviews with Lennon’s friends and associates, including Paul McCartney, The Last Days of John Lennon is the thrilling true story of two men who changed history: One whose indelible songs enliven our world to this day—and the other who ended the beautiful music with five pulls of a trigger.

[Historical Dolls Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are those that see Holden Caulfield as a great intellect and those that see him as nothing more then a spoiled brat. Mark David Chapman saw Caulfield as that, a great intellect believing after reading the American classic he believed it was his duty to rid the world of phonies. In his head who better yet to get rid of them the man that sang the song Imagine. Where every line came off more phonier then the next. John Lennon was a phony and Chapman was to become the Catcher in the Rye…

[John Yingling · Rating 5 out of 5]

A highly enlightening book. I thought I knew quite a bit about John Lennon, and the Beatles, but this book filled in quite a few gaps in my knowledge. The book is way more than just his last days; it's a very interesting account of his life, the formation of the Beatles, their stardom and their breakup, followed by his solo career. I felt as though I was getting to know him as not just a musician, but as a person and a social activist as well. He overcame the odds of coming from a broken home and from not having much of a formal education to iconic status. His flaws are not glossed over, but overall you have to admire all he did for the music world and for the world in general. Yes, there is the story of the man who murdered him, and he is nothing but a pathetic loser who wanted to bring himself up by bringing down someone famous, for his delusional reasons. My takeaway from this book is it's story of a great musician and complex individual who changed things for the better and whose life was cut way too short.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somewhat misleadingly titled, The Last Days of John Lennon is really an abridged account of John Lennon's life and career both with and after The Beatles, interspersed with scenes of Mark David Chapman's stalking of Lennon prior to his assassination. The "last days" of Lennon make up the minority of the book and, true to Patterson form, detail isn't a massive priority. Indeed, the book is a work of non-fiction catering more to Patterson devotees than the true crime fans it might otherwise attract. Chapters are many, brief and often nebulous. There's a lot of background on Lennon's career that was interesting to read but the book doesn't cover the circumstances of Lennon's demise in nearly enough detail. A good introductory book, but not much more.

[Petra · Rating 1 out of 5]

Extremely disappointing. The title says the last days of John Lennon however the books first takes you down memory lane of the youth of John Lennon and the beginning/end of the Beatles and his years with Yoko. Only at the end of the book it will give you SOME insight of the last days. I am a huge Beatle- and solo Beatle fan so for me there were not much new facts. Next to this the writing is just so incredible simple. I understand that it is not literature definitely not the new Hemingway but the short paragraphs, the more naming facts than take you in the story etc. was just for me too much. This was my first James Patterson and believe me it will be my last. Don’t waist your money on it.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 67 short chapters the life of John Lennon and the brief but productive life of the Beatles are told. Interspersed in these chapters is the story of Mark Chapman’s journey from Hawaii to New York on a mission to kill John Lennon. There are no more than 50 pages on Lennon’s last days.

The authors cover Lennon and his role in founding the Beatles and how the group rose to fame and separated. There is no interpretation or critique of Lennon's life or his relationships with the band and its members. For instance, the treatment of Julian is simply said to be the need to spare hurt to Yoko - whose daughter was taken from her - to have Sean around. John’s time LA with May Pang is explained as being initiated by Yoko and agreed upon by all. The reason for John’s skipping the Concert to save Bangladesh was given as avoiding expectations that the Beatles would get together again. The book shows more incidents of “coming together” than bitterness after the Beatles’ breakup. I doubt that any of this is as simple as it was portrayed.

The while there is not much text on Mark Chapman, his last day’s freedom are told in what detail is known. In contrast to the treatment of Lennon, the authors get inside his head and conclude that he is looking for celebrity and in shooting Lennon, everyone will know his name and recognize his bravery.

This book is a very fast read. I learned a lot more about the Beatles than I previously knew. The page by page documentation in the end, while thorough, was not helpful. If you are a fan of the music, but know little about Lennon, this is a good place to start. If you are a big fan and know all the albums, concerts, producers, etc. there will not be much new, but you will find it a pleasant reminiscence of the time.

[Gary Moreau · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1964, like many American families at the time, dinnertime was family time and distractions like television were not allowed. (Not long before, in 1943, the CEO of IBM, Thomas Watson, famously predicted that there would be a worldwide demand for about five computers and most people agreed with him. Steve Jobs himself was still in junior high.) The only exception to the dinnertime rule was Sunday night when we ate hamburgers and drank homemade milk shakes in the family room while watching the family fare that dominated Sunday night television at the time.

So at the age of nine I recall with vivid clarity the night the Beatles walked onto the stage of the Ed Sullivan show to be introduced to America. Their hair was long for the era but neatly trimmed and clean and they actually wore suits with ties. They were professional showmen, for sure, but the real show was the audience – teenage girls, mostly, screaming, crying, jumping up and down, so overtaken with emotion that The Bard himself would have been hard pressed to describe the buzz.

What I didn’t appreciate at the time was how young the four lads from Liverpool actually were or how much work and effort they had put into getting where they were. (Decca Records rejected them noting that “Groups of four guitarists are on the way out.”) I also didn’t appreciate how many previous failures they had faced or how many people had played a role in getting them to where they were. (According to the book they were told to ditch the leather and buy the suits and to stop smoking on stage.)

They shaped a generation, for sure, but as this book so clearly and concisely points out, they created a bridge between two generations of people and musicians, from Little Richard to Led Zeppelin. And navigating a cultural and generational cusp like that is probably the hardest feat of all when it comes to the world of music and entertainment. Not many artists can pull it off.

They had the wind and the sun at their backs, and more than a little serendipity sprinkled on their shoulders, but they clearly had talent and an incredible work ethic. And the one thing I did learn from this book is that while artistry takes creative talent, there is a “science” to it all that only the truly creative can master through a lot of hard work.

It is a fascinating personal story, very well written, that I thought did justice to all facets of the story. It’s not a fluff piece. But it’s not a tell-all either. And while some may question giving Mark Chapman any print time at all I think the story would be incomplete without some background.

Perhaps the most astonishing aspect of Lennon’s story is how little security he surrounded himself with. That wouldn’t happen today and NYC was a pretty rough place at the time. And that, along with the reality of how many of the musical geniuses of the era knew each other and spent time together, says something about how far we have extended the limitations of fame inherent in fame itself. Even Lennon, I suspect, would be dismayed and disheartened at the life he would be forced to live today just 40 years after his death.

All told, a very pleasant and insightful read about a true musical genius.

[Jill Meyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Patterson is certainly a prolific writer. He seems to have written about 70 books, either by himself or authored with another writer. He’s written books for adults, children, and teens. I’ve never read a James Patterson book, until I read his latest, “The Last Days of John Lennon”. I mention the sheer number of books Patterson has written because sometimes it’s indicative of a book’s quality.

James Patterson mostly writes fiction, but his book about John Lennon is nonfiction. He traces the life - both musically and personally - of Lennon, bringing to the story of his life and death a workmanlike quality. Patterson - and his two collaborators - tell John’s story in relatively calm fashion, leaving the passion to those who mourn Lennon’s death in the streets of New York City and cities around the world.

But if Patterson writes about John Lennon’s death, he certainly doesn’t leave out the man who pulled the trigger. Who was Mark David Chapman and what was his beef with John Lennon? James Patterson does a good job at looking at Chapman. This book is well-written enough to keep the reader’s interest.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last official words said by John Lennon before he died were, " I'm shot." How awful from a man who had so much to say in his music. Who was the founder of the greatest rock band that ever lived and also genuinely dedicated to changing the world for the better! If there is a single artist who had an effect on the musical, political and social conscience of multiple generations throughout the world, perhaps no one man was more purposefully influential than John Lennon. His music is timeless.
Then along comes this book that gives the reader a unique glimpse into the last days of a cultural icon and creative genius. Most of the book is written as a biography of John and how the Beatles became who they are. The chapters are short but it gives a person time to reflect, digest, and rehash on stories about the Beatles if you grew up in that era. The actually murder reads like a James Patterson crime novel as he doesn't leave out the man who pulled the trigger, David Chapman. There isn't much new in this book I didn't not know before and yet it was hard to put down. Lennon's message and music crossed all national, linguistic, class and age barriers. He brought people together through both discord and harmony...truly a musician's means of expression. Why do bad things happen to good people?

[Jill Crosby · Rating 2 out of 5]

Three stars is a stretch for this series of pasted- together stories about the creation and life of the Beatles, their break-up and solo careers, and the murder of the their founder by the hand of a paranoid schizophrenic, but the Beatles aren’t one of my top-10 all-time favorite bands and before reading this book, I knew NOTHING about them. I appreciated the background info, interspersed with a 2-page chapter on Mark Chapman’s actions outside the Dakota on Dec 6-8, 1980, but the actual “last days” were glossed over for the most part, and the planned Murder itself took up only about 40 of the 340 pages of narrative text. I guess I was looking for more depth and detail, and instead received a Beatles’ information press packet. Generically informative, but that’s about it

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. The title is very misleading because most of this book is about the history of the Beatles and John Lennon's immediate post-Beatles life. If you are interested in those subjects then you will love this book. I was hoping for more about the "last days of John Lennon," and about how and why his murderer was able to pull it off. There was some of that but not much new. That said, this book did transport me back to that day and the immediate aftermath, and the feeling of NYC at that time in history, so it was worth the read.

[Holly Ramsey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not very well written--just a bunch of facts strung together. James Patterson should be embarrassed to have his name on this book (even if he didn't write it)!

[Al · Rating 3 out of 5]

James Patterson is one of the most popular authors in the planet. I haven’t read him, but this detour into music biopic was a gift.

“The Last Days of John Lennon” for lack of a better comparison reads like Bill O’Reilly’s “Killing” books. It’s biography written as novel, focusing on the parts that make the biggest impact (in this case, things like Lennon’s lost weekend and his interaction with the other Beatles). Patterson and/or his two co-writers also juxtapose Mark David Chapman in alternating chapters a la “Devil in the White City”.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s a really readable book. Though it doesn’t feel Iike there’s any new research, it still makes an interesting read to hear so much of Lennon’s (and Chapman’s) story.

The book really isn’t a summary of John’s last days despite the title (or even the 70s despite photos of Lennon with David Bowie and Elton John on the back). The biography of Lennon from birth to death is presented.

I don’t suspect that all that many readers will be surprised with the contents. For young readers or new fans of Lennon, it would probably be quite fascinating. It is otherwise very much the “Airport Read” version of the Lennon story, which wasn’t so bad at all, I would have liked to seen a bit more postscript at the end, and I don’t think I would showcase on any kind of bookshelf with “serious” musical writing.

[Paul Lockman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was underwhelmed and a little disappointed with this book. Why? Well there are a couple of reasons. Firstly, the cynic in me started thinking that all James Paterson and his co-authors set out to do was exploit the 40th anniversary of John Lennon’s death (8 December 2020) and grab a bit of cash. Sounds a bit harsh I know but in my view it adds nothing or at least very little to the narrative and known life and death of John Lennon. The authors appear to have strung together a brief, bullet point type overview of his humble beginnings, his time with The Beatles in the 1960s and his solo career in the 1970s and this is interspersed with the days leading up to his death in December 1980 through the eyes of his killer, Mark Chapman, who had been casing John’s residence in preparation to carry out his plan to shoot him.

Second, the title, why call it The Last Days of John Lennon when, as I have just mentioned, it covers all of John’s life? Lastly, it ends pretty abruptly. I thought another few chapters, say 20-40 pages, could have been added to the aftermath of Lennon’s shooting. Anyhow I don’t want to send too many negative vibes into cyberspace - safe to say it wasn’t for me. It just doesn’t add any new or previously unknown material, and doesn’t really analyse or discuss what’s going on. It may be useful to the generations born after his death in 1980, someone who for example wanted a basic understanding of John Lennon and The Beatles and the type of music and some other bands and musicians that were around in their parents or grandparents youth. But I don’t think it’s one for aficionados.

[Donna Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The was an interesting book for me. I grew up loving the Beatles, although John was five years older than me. I listened to their music during my college years in Montana, and of course in my years in Haight Ashbury in the 60s. I moved to New York City, got married and raised my children. I no longer had time to follow Lennon’s music, although I followed his immigration issues. I live several blocks from The Dakota and will always remember the shock of his shooting that awful night.

The amazing thing about the Beatles was their combined creative genius. At one point they wrote seven songs in seven days.
They all had so much talent. But they also had so much success so early in their lives. In fact they really never grew up until they were older, and the group had broken up. John in particular had to navigate his many excesses, drugs, alcohol and fame.

It is a surprise to me that his marriage to Yoko and his solo career survived as well as they did, considering Yoko’s reliance on psychics, numerologist, and tarot card readers.

We will never know where John could have gone if he had continued his life. It is sad that the United States are known for the proliferation of guns. And, for the continued loss of so many people due to gun violence.

My grandson goes to sleep listening to Beatles’ songs.

[Joe L · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book I ever read by James Patterson, and I enjoyed it a lot. Though my understanding is that he has others primarily compose the book and he and they split the earnings.
The book jumps from just prior to the shooting in December 1980 to John’s beginnings as a boy in Liverpool, and of course his rise to fame with the Beatles.
As an ardent Beatles fan myself, I was surprised to learn a few things about John and the Beatles that I didn’t know before.
I’d recommend this to anyone whether you’re a Beatles fan or not.
I have to note that Id consider this a mini biography, not a cradle to grave book about Lennon himself. I’d look elsewhere for that.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I liked: I enjoyed reading about the formation of the group and John's younger days in Liverpool and his attitudes toward their sudden super stardom. It was also very interesting to read about his life after the breakup of the band. Also there is information from interviews with several popular artists of the time which I found very informative.

What I didn't like: There wasn't much new in this book - it was mostly a regurgitation of previous articles over the last 50 years. I also didn't like the way that Mark David Chapman (the man who murdered John) was humanized often in a sympathetic way. Plain and simple, he was a killer and there is nothing sympathetic about what he did.

Overall, if you are a Beatles fan or a John Lennon fan, this is a great book to read to bring back the memories of the group that changed music during a simpler time in our world.

[Jackie Latham · Rating 1 out of 5]

******POSSIBLE SPOILERS******1 star is being generous. It had to have the worst book I've EVER read. Patterson wrote this like a novel and not a good one either. There are footnotes at the back of the book but I doubt he ever did any research nor the people who actually wrote the book. How could he even imagine what was going through Chapmans head. He ignored that Ringo was important to the Beatles and to John, in fact he just doesn't like Ringo. Per this book he disregarded George and felt he was better than Paul. John could do no wrong he was beyond perfect. Many of the "facts" were wrong or just screwed per the picture the writers wanted.

Oh and the main thing that really got to me is before each chapter he would have a line from a song that could or could not be from the Beatles. It was illogical.

Just say NO WAY to this book. I'm glad I checked it out from my library

[Jacqie Wheeler · Rating 2 out of 5]

This could have been done way better. This should be renamed - The History of the Beatles, because it honestly didn't have much about the last days of John Lennon. Although I did learn a bit about how the Beatles got started, I just felt like this was a history book and was lacking in information about John Lennon's killer. I would have liked to see more about his killer, and not just a historical timeline of the Beatles.

[Linda Mascarenas-Colgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Lennon got me through my teenage years. Having James Patterson write his story was amazing to me. It brought back so many memories of my life.

I still love the Beatles and remember the tribute our town had when John was killed.

I sang “in My LIfe” to my husband when we were married 13 years ago. If you liked John, you will like this book.