Jeff Burger

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I am reviewing Lennon on Lennon: Conversations with John Lennon
by Jeff Burger (Goodreads Author) (Editor). Here are my thoughts:

^^ This is Jeff Burger's third book for Chicago Review Press's "Musicians in Their Own Words" series, and the first I've had the pleasure to read. I love John Lennon and all he represents It's amazing to think such a talented man, who often pushed the limits at every turn, spent very little time in the limelight, yet young or old we a have all heard of him, and of course The Beetles.


^^ This is truly a book to keep, and although mine is a NetGalley copy, I'm serious thinking of buying it in print because I like it so much. The book is a varied mix of interviews garnered from all over the place, radio broadcasts, books, magazine, TV shows and Press Conferences.

^^ The Kindle version has handy links to all the interviews, so it's nice to be able to go straight to them with a quick click, in the same way you'd pick up a physical book and flick through.

^^ Each interview is in chronological order from the early days in 1964 through to his death.

^^ They cover intriguing topics like:
Lennon on...
Whether The Beatles Would Record with Elvis.
The Plastic Ono Band.
God.
Reuniting with Yoko Ono.
How Do You Sleep?

^^ It makes me wonder what Lennon would be like today if he was still alive, and what he'd think of the world now, especially when he had such strong views about the world as he saw
it then. I suppose this goes without saying, but even from the interviews it's clear a lot has changed. Yes, it's quite a sentimental read. He was only famous for about thirteen years, but his life

^^ At the end of the book there is also a list of other participants and a short explanation about who they are. There's Robin Blackburn (British historian) , Shirley MacLaine (American actress) and Daniel Wiles (producer and director) to name but a few.

Overall: This is a beautiful collection of all things Lennon, and I mean that in a way that sends shivers down your spine, as Lennon shares his innermost secrets, thoughts and feelings to each reader. It's still hard to believe he's been gone for so long. If you're a fan you WILL love this.

Thank you to NetGalley for my copy.… (altro)

Reading these conversations with Lennon in chronological order was interesting. I was very conscious of how his opinions and viewpoints changed with time and age. As I get closer to forty - the age Lennon was when he was killed - it becomes more apparent to me that our idols and public figures are just like the rest of us - figuring things out as they go along.

I appreciated the editor's notes and introductions on each interview. I would definitely read his other compilations.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy!… (altro)

This hefty volume covers nearly Leonard Cohen's entire career, from 1966 through 2012, and includes a few transcripts from TV and radio interviews as well as various magazine pieces. I found some of the earliest interviews a little annoying; the interviewers sometimes come across as trying entirely too hard to sound profound, in a very 60s stoner-philosopher sort of way, and Cohen seems to be humoring them with obscure pronouncements in kind. But fortunately that quickly mostly falls by the wayside, and he starts to sound much more like the person you might expect from listening to his lyrics: thoughtful, poetic, graceful, insightful, and a little strange.

I enjoyed reading some of these a lot. I do have to say, though, that I'm not sure even the biggest Leonard Cohen fan really needs to read 600 pages of interviews with the man. Especially considering that the interviewers usually include essentially the same mini-biography and often ask largely similar questions, and that Cohen has a few jokes and observations and anecdotes he likes to repeat for them fairly often.

I'd say for someone looking to read a bit about Cohen's life and work, I'd first and foremost recommend Sylvie Simmons' biography I'm Your Man. Then, if you finish that and still want more, this is worth picking up, but I'd really recommend dipping in and out of it over time, rather than reading it straight through the way I mostly did.… (altro)

https://msarki.tumblr.com/post/163710927548/lennon-on-lennon-conversations-with-...

Often silly and irreverent early on, the interviews evolve into thoughtful and heartfelt pleas for peace and understanding. The substance evolves during his separation from wife Yoko and in his desperation to rediscover himself. John Lennon, himself a Beatles fan, provides an interesting insight only he could afford us. The last interview, conducted just hours before he was gunned down in front of his Dakota apartment, is in fact amazing. It makes our loss of him even more poignant than his very last songs.… (altro)