Albert goldman, the author of noholdsbarred biographies of lenny bruce, elvis presley and john lennon, died on monday while traveling. At the time of his death in 1994, goldman was working on a biography of the doors frontman, jim morrison. It will come as a relief to many readers to learn that mr. It is a lasting tribute to his brilliant achievements and a revelation of. Revealing all sides of the man from violent pacifist to stoned ascetic, goldmans biography tears down the legend and replaces it with the real lennon. Adored in life as the magical minstrel who call the tune of the sixties, he was mourned in death as the martyred saind of the international peace.
Albert goldman, biographer, is dead at 66 the new york times. Albert goldman and hunter davies on beatles biographies. I own his lives of john lennon book and have a lot of trouble reading it sometimes. John lennon six years of research and 1,200 interviews are brought together by a lbert goldman to paint a picture of the smart beatlejohn lennon. Elvis presleys squalid life goldman on presley the new york times.
I have read lennon biographies by albert goldman and ray coleman, and beatles biographies by philip norman and hunter davies. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. The lives of john lennon by albert goldman, paperback. The book is a product of several years of research. The result of six years of research and some 1,200 interviews, this book takes fans deep. If youve ever read the authorized accounts of john s life you will realize just how low and despicable this writer goldman is. Albert goldmans book dealt with the truth of lennons life which is that he was a disturbed child, a talented but violent youth and finally a drug addled man who was never able to deal with his demons. Albert goldman was notorious for writing in that manner towards his subjects. The result of six years of research and some 1, 200 interviews, this book.
Sixteen years after its publication, albert goldmans notorious biography of john lennon still outrages lennon loyalists. Albert goldman s new biography, the lives of john lennon, which portrays the former beatle as a violent, schizophrenic drug addict, leaped into the no. The lives of john lennon paperback september 1, 2001 by albert goldman author 4. I think, if one reads lives in the right way, it can be really illuminating. Sep 12, 1988 albert goldmans new biography, the lives of john lennon, which portrays the former beatle as a violent, schizophrenic drug addict, leaped into the no. Oct 07, 2019 albert goldman s book dealt with the truth of lennon s life which is that he was a disturbed child, a talented but violent youth and finally a drug addled man who was never able to deal with his demons. Interviews he did with the his family and close friends were actually conducted with a lot of respect for john, and his estate still has tapes and transcripts of those interviews in their original context. However, what is revealed is pretty painful if you have any emotional investment in the conventional view of john lennon. Lennonworshippers will hate this book, and it is not a pretty account. Goldmans book about elvis presley both seem designed to depict these men as abusive, selfindulgent intellectual flyweights whose contributions to popular culture are minimal at best. The lives of john lennon, book by albert goldman paperback. The result of six years of research and some 1,200 interviews, this book takes fans deep into lennons secretive world, from his traumatic childhood to his beatles. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Albert harry goldman april 15, 1927 march 28, 1994 was an american academic and author.
It is a lasting tribute to his brilliant achievements and a revelation of the price he paid for them. Lives of john lennon goldman, albert 9781556523991. How truthful or accurate is albert goldmans book on john. Liverpool writer ron ellis remembers helping goldman to research the book. While the lennon of legend enjoyed a gifted and inspired life, the private lennon lived in torment, poisoning himself with drugs and selfhatred. The lives of john lennon book by albert goldman, 1988 at.
Goldmans biography of john lennon is entertaining but there is a sinister undertone throughout the book. T his is a twopart news program from 1989, where the author of the muckraking the lives of john lennon just released at that time debates hunter davies, the author of the beatles authorized biography from 1968. Oct 04, 2008 i t has been 20 years since the last major biography of john lennon, albert goldmans extravagantly spiteful the lives of john lennon. Albert goldmans new biography, the lives of john lennon, which portrays the former beatle as a violent, schizophrenic drug addict, leaped. Goldman s book is a hitjob, but its a testament to how immense a figure lennon was in our culture in 1988. When john lennon was shot outside the dakota in december 198, he was one of the most famous men in the world. This book is nothing more than a collection of halftruths and made up or embellished stories about lennon. Incident after incident in goldman s book will be old news to readers of the 1983 book, loving john by may pang, lennon s girlfriend during his 1974 lost weekend when he and yoko. The lives of john lennon exposed for the first time all of his various lives, from idealist to cynic, from ascetic to junkie. John lennon the lives of john lennon book 2005 by albert. Apr 18, 2000 but seaman became an acknowledged source for albert goldmans controversial biography, the lives of john lennon the first to portray lennon as an eccentric and drugaddled recluse.
An embattled albert goldman defends his book on john lennon. Albert goldmans notorious biography of john lennon still outrages lennon. Elvis by albert goldman meet your next favorite book. Free shipping and pickup in store on eligible orders. Buy a cheap copy of the lives of john lennon book by albert goldman. I grant that this book is fairly old, but a decent biography never really ages after the demise of the subject in my estimation. Of those, i would say that normans book was the best.
Defected eyesight of so reads a portion of the index to albert goldmans new book. Elise, i have complicated feelings about the goldman book. Ive read that the author started out with admiration for the musician but ended up feeling increasingly negative about lennon. The lives of john lennon by goldman, albert harry, 1927publication date 1989 topics. How albert goldman, john lennons controversial biographer. Click to read more about the lives of john lennon by albert goldman. The lives of john lennon by luc sante the new york. A film about albert goldmans book the lives of john lennon sorry for the poor quality, it was filmed on a vhs tape remember them. The notion that the book might, indeed, be one vast puton had crossed my mind once or twice while reading it, but the possibility of a joke that large being sustained over seven hundred pages seemed remote. Goldmans book is a hitjob, but its a testament to how immense a figure lennon was in our culture in 1988. The lives of john lennon while the lennon of legend enjoyed a gifted and inspired life, the private lennon lived in torment, poisoning himself with drugs and selfhatred. The result of six years of research and some 1200 interv. The lives of john lennon by albert goldman librarything.
Elvis,john lennon and albert goldman steve hoffman music. In his controversial book the lives of john lennon, a book that took author albert goldman six years and almost 1,200 interviews to finish, he chronicled the many instances that john beat and h. But as soon as goldman starts in with his attempts at psychoanalysis, he reveals more about himself than about his subject. Unlike goldman s nauseating the lives of john lennon, this one is actually fun to read, and is actually remotely believable most of the time, as elvis was known to be, at least some of the time, somewhat out to lunch. Goldman wrote about the culture and personalities of the american music industry both in books and as a contributor to magazines. An embattled albert goldman defends his book on john. Notwithstanding, it is best known for its criticism and generally negative representation of. Nov 27, 2007 goldman did, in fact, do massive amounts of intense research and interviews that could have amounted to a stellar account of john lennon s life. The book is a product of several years of research and hundreds of interviews with many of lennon s friends, acquaintances, servants and musicians. The lives of john lennon by goldman, albert harry, 1927publication date 1989 topics lennon, john, 19401980, rock musicians publisher new york, ny. Goldman s biography of john lennon is entertaining but there is a sinister undertone throughout the book. The lives of john lennon by albert goldman goodreads. The lives of john lennon by albert goldman alibris. All about the lives of john lennon by albert goldman.
Buy the paperback book the lives of john lennon by albert goldman at indigo. Elvis,john lennon and albert goldman steve hoffman music forums. Albert goldman, reply by luc sante march 2, 1989 issue. There is much about john lennon in goldmans book that is true that he. I have yet to read his book just about lennon, but i fancy it woul.
This, coupled with his high camp rockcrit prose, the fagbaiting in his books like the airy suggestion that john lennon might have solicitied young boys in bangkok and the fact that he wrote what was probably the first serious book about disco all of this makes me suspect that albert goldman might have been one deeply conflicted dude. In the lives of john lennon, author albert goldman feigns objectivity by citing scores of sources compiled over six years of research. Albert goldman and hunter davies on beatles biographies hey. John lennon loved the music of fats domino, the rolypoly pianist whose 50s hits included aint that a shame. A biography by albert goldman 1988, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay. He is best known for his bestselling book on lenny bruce and his controversial biographies of elvis presley and john lennon. To me, the lives of john lennon isnt really a music bioits closer to the anticlinton or antihillary or antibush books that are printed.
Davies is very charming, and makes some very good points about goldmans tendency to veer off intowell, the nicest thing to call it is creative writing. The lives of john lennon book summary and study guide. Albert goldmans searing portrait of lennon upi archives. Incident after incident in goldmans book will be old news to readers of the 1983 book, loving john by may pang, lennons girlfriend during his 1974 lost weekend when he and yoko. Revealing all sides of the man from violent pacifist to stoned ascetic, goldmans biography tears down. Repeated attempts to interview albert goldman for this article were. At the time of its original publication, 1988, the book received more than its fair share of controversy and scorn, however, now with hindsight and other supporting revelations, i am not so sure that the author, albert goldman, wasnt actually that far. But very little new information of importance about lennon. The result of six years of research and some 1,200 interviews, this book takes fans deep into lennons secretive world, from his traumatic childhood to his beatles days to his hidden life with yoko ono. Albert goldmans new biography, the lives of john lennon, which portrays the former beatle as a violent, schizophrenic drug addict, leaped into the no. Buy the lives of john lennon new edition by goldman, albert isbn. The lives of john lennon is a 1988 biography of musician john lennon by american author albert goldman.
Pages can include considerable notesin pen or highlighterbut the notes cannot obscure the text. Goldmans biography of john lennon is steeped in new york jewish humor. In his the lives of john lennon goldman produced a brilliant and perceptive portrait of lennon. His style in the sense of those novels is to sensationalize every and any situation that might make his subject more entertaining and in lennons case it is unfortunately much to do. Imagine john lennon, yoko ono lennon, amnesty international illustrated by jean jullien. I t has been 20 years since the last major biography of john lennon, albert goldmans extravagantly spiteful the lives of john lennon. Goldman, albert harry john lennon the lives of john. Unlike goldmans nauseating the lives of john lennon, this one is actually fun to read, and is actually remotely believable most of the time, as elvis was known to be, at least some of the time, somewhat out to lunch. It was, and remains, a contoversal work of biography. I think that many were outraged about this book because it. A look at albert goldmans book about john lennon, youtube. Still, its conceivable that albert goldman has it right in his.
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