Authors: Ken Bielen Ben Urich
Robberson, Todd. “John Lennon’s First Wife Out To Set the Record Straight.”
Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service (November 30, 2005). Accessed March 4,
2007, at http://www.azcentral.com/ent/celeb/articles/1201lennonex.html.
An interview with Lennon’s ex-wife Cynthia on the occasion of the publication
of her biography
John.
Roberts, Richard. “Yesterday’s Mourning Before Sunrise.”
Philadelphia Evening Bul-
letin
(December 10, 1980): 1. Local reaction to the slaying of Lennon.
Robertson, John.
The Art and Music of John Lennon.
Secaucus, NJ: Carol, 1991.
A detailed account of Lennon’s creative activities, including the author’s well-
considered opinions. Indispensable, though not complete
Robertson, John.
Lennon: 1940–1980.
London: Omnibus Press, 1995. A chronologi-
cal day-by-day account of Lennon’s life, with photo illustrations. An excellent
companion to the author’s previous book, and more approachable.
Rockwell, John. “The Impassioned Chief of a Generation’s Idols: An Appreciation.”
New York Times
(December 10, 1980): B7. The author writes of how Lennon
kept the focus of what he believed true and cut through the falseness.
Rockwell, John. “Leader of a Rock Group that Defined a Generation.”
New York
Times
(December 9, 1980): 7. Lennon’s obituary by the
Times
’ music critic.
Rodgers, Larry. “Silence Still Resonates for Writer.”
Arizona Republic
(December 4,
2005). Accessed March 5, 2007, at http://www.azcentral.com/arizonare/files/05/68/64/f056864/public/
ae/articles/1204lennon1204memory.html. The writer remembers a trip from
Ohio to New York to be in Central Park for the 10 minutes of silence six days
after Lennon’s murder.
Rogan, Johnny.
The Complete Guide to the Music of John Lennon.
London: Omnibus
Press, 1997. A succinct and valuable commentary on Lennon’s solo recorded
output.
Rollin, Betty. “Top Pop Merger: Lennon/Ono, Inc.”
Look
33 (March 18, 1969):
36–42.
“The
Rolling Stone
200: The Essential Rock Collection: John Lennon.”
Rolling Stone
760 (May 15, 1997): 76. Lennon’s
Plastic Ono Band
and
Imagine
are included
in
Rolling Stone
magazine’s list of essential albums.
The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus.
Produced by Robin Klein and Iris Keitel.
Directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg. 65 min. plus extras. Abkco Films. 2004.
DVD. Lennon appears with an all-star band called The Dirty Mac to perform his
recent Beatles number “Yer Blues” and a jam with Ono and violinist Ivy Gitlis.
The DVD includes a bonus quad-screen edit of “Yer Blues.” The film was made
in December 1968 but was unseen by the public until 1996.
Roos, Michael E. “The Walrus and the Deacon: John Lennon’s Debt to Lewis Carroll.”
Journal of Popular Culture
18 (Summer 1984): 19–29. The author analyzes
Lennon’s compositions of 1966 and 1967 in relation to
Alice’s Adventures in
Wonderland
and
Through the Looking Glass.
Rose, Lisa. “Lennon Deserves Better than Superficial Documentary: Imagine a Naïve,
Simplistic Documentary about the Most Complex, Cynical Member of the Beatles.”
nola.com
(October 13, 2006). Accessed October 13, 2006, at http://www.
Annotated Bibliography 169
nola.com/movies/t-p/index.ssf?/base/entertainment-0/1160717105292200.
xml&coll=. An unfavorable review of
The U.S. vs. John Lennon
documentary.
Rosen, Jane and Paul Keel. “A Vigil but No Funeral for Lennon.”
Guardian
(Man-
chester, England) (December 10, 1980). Accessed March 5, 2007, at http://
www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,,3935281-110875,00.html. Coverage of the
passing of Lennon.
Rosen, Robert.
Nowhere Man: The Final Days of John Lennon.
New York: Soft Skull,
2000.
Rouse, Robert. “Remembering John Lennon—I Read the News Today Oh Boy.”
American Chronicle
(December 8, 2005). Accessed March 5, 2007, at http://
www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=4060. A per-
sonal remembrance of the impact of Lennon on the author’s life.
Rowland, Mark. “John and Yoko: The Long and Winding Road.”
Playgirl
(March
1981): 21.
Rugg, Diane. “For Lennon’s Fans, Too, the Dream Is Over.”
News Tribune
(Wood-
bridge, New Jersey) (December 10, 1980): 23. The reactions of New Jersey
suburban mall shoppers to the slaying of Lennon. The author notes that all Len-
non and Beatles recordings were sold out at the mall.
Ruhlmann, William. “John Lennon.” In
All Music Guide,
eds. Michael Erlewine,
Vladimir Bogdanov, Chris Woodstra, and Stephen Thomas Erlewine. San
Francisco: Miller Freeman, 1997: 219–220. A guide to Lennon’s recorded
output.
Saimaru, Nishi F.
John Lennon: A Family Album.
Tokyo: Fly Communications,
1982.
“Sales Boost for Lennon Prints.”
The Times
(London) (January 20, 1970): 3B.
Sander, Ellen. “John and Yoko Ono Lennon: Give Peace a Chance.”
Saturday Review
(June 28, 1969): 46–47. In a somewhat unfocused article, the author suggests
that Lennon can stop the violence of the era if he is granted a visa.
Sante, Luc. “Beatlephobia.”
New York Review of Books
(December 22, 1988): 30–35.
A review of the Goldman biography.
Sauceda, James.
The Literary Lennon: A Comedy of Letters: The First Study of All the
Major and Minor Writings of John Lennon.
Ann Arbor, MI: Pierian, 1983. A
literature professor analyzes
In His Own Write
and
A Spaniard in the Works
in
great detail.
Scaggs, Austin. “Lennon Remembered: Two Major John Lennon Exhibitions Open.”
Rolling Stone
855 (December 7, 2000): 25–26. The author notes the opening
of the John Lennon Museum in Japan and a major Lennon exhibit at the Rock
and Roll Hall of Fame.
Scanlon, Karen. “Slaying Stuns Concert-goers.”
Philadelphia News
(December 9,
1980): 4. The reaction to the death of Lennon by concertgoers exiting a Bruce
Springsteen concert on the night of the shooting.
Schuster, Peter.
Four Ever.
Stuttgart, Germany: Belser, 1986.
Schwartz, Maryln. “A Parent Takes a Second Look: Beatles Weren’t So Bad After
All.”
Dallas Morning News
(December 11, 1980): 1C. An appreciation written
by a parent of Beatle fans written at the time of Lennon’s slaying.
Seaman, Frederic.
The Last Days of John Lennon.
New York: Citadel Press, 1992.
Fired by Ono for pilfering Lennon materials after his death, this one-time
Lennon assistant tells the story from his perspective, indicating that the couple’s
170 Annotated Bibliography
relationship was faltering and that Ono was cold and calculating after Lennon’s
murder.
Search for Liberation: Featuring a Conversation between John Lennon and Swami Bhak-
tivedanta.
Los Angeles: Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, 1981. Slim volume purports
to be transcript of Lennon and Harrison in conversation with noted Swami and
guru about various sacred teachings, and—although it reads plausibly enough
with Harrison much more earnest and Lennon skeptical—it is not made clear
what the source for the transcript is.
Semley, John. “John Lennon Was a Pussy.”
McGill Tribune
(October 24, 2006).
Accessed October 24, 2006, at http://www.mcgilltribune.com/media/
storage/paper234/news/2006/10/24/AE/Pop-Rhetoric.John.Lennon.
Was.A.Pussy-2386491.shtml?norewrite200610251323&sourcedomain=www.
mcgilltribune.com. On the occasion of the release of
The U.S. vs. John Lennon
documentary, the author rails against the Lennon legend.
Shames, Lawrence. “John Lennon, Where Are You?”
Esquire
(November 1980):
31–38 ff. In a long cover story, the author describes his journey to discover
what Lennon has been up to during his long period of public silence. He visits
one of Lennon’s dairy farms, the estates in Long Island, New York, and Palm
Beach, Florida, and interviews former Lennon collaborator David Peel. This
article reputedly influenced Lennon’s killer.
“Sharing the Grief.”
Rolling Stone
335 (January 22, 1981): 20 ff. A description
of what Lennon’s former band mates, his wife and others close to him, and
common fans did in the days following his death.
Sharp, Ken. “The Making of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s
Double Fantasy:
An
Interview with Producer Jack Douglas.”
Goldmine
(March 23, 2001): 14–19.
An intriguing interview that includes Douglas’s shocking confession that he
took it upon himself to deprive the world of Lennon’s last recorded comments.
Shatskin, Mike, Lyn Belanger, and Jo Kearns.
A Tribute to John Lennon.
New York:
Proteus, 1981. A newsstand biography printed on the occasion of Lennon’s
passing.
Sheff, David. “In Praise of John Lennon: The Liverpool Lad as Musician, Husband,
Father and Man.”
People Weekly
(December 22, 1980): 26–36. In a photo-filled
tribute cover story, the author, who conducted the
Playboy
interview with the
Lennons, relates his experiences during the interview process.
Sheff, David. “Yoko and Sean: Starting Over.”
People Weekly
(December 13, 1982):
42–45.
Sheff, David and Victoria Sheff. “The Betrayal of John Lennon.”
Playboy
(March
1984): 84–87 ff. Detailed article covers the shocking behind-the-scenes sto-
ries of former Lennon and Ono confidants and associates regarding Lennon’s
legacy and estate in the first three years after his death. The tawdry details run
the gamut from stolen trinkets through missing diaries and recordings to death
threats.
“Shell Found at Lennon House.”
The Times
(London) (May 23, 1970): 3F.
Shevy, Sandra.
The Other Side of Lennon.
London: Sidgwick & Jackson, 1990.
Shields, Nelson T. “New Hope for Gun Controls: Lennon Murder May Bring Young
People into the Battle.”
Los Angeles Times
(December 21, 1980): IV-5.
Sholin, Dave. “John and Yoko on Marriage, Children and Their Generation.”
Ms.
(March 1981): 58 ff. Excerpts from the interview that the author carried out for
Annotated Bibliography 171
the RKO Radio Network on December 8, 1980. The focus is on child-rearing,
marriage, working as a couple, and feminism.
Shotton, Pete and Nicholas Schaffner.
John Lennon: In My Life.
New York: Stein and
Day, 1983. Shotton, a former member of The Quarry Men and Lennon’s close
friend from the time of their youth, tells his insider story.
Singh, Anita. “Angry John Lennon Letter Set for £15,000 Auction Sale.”
Daily Post
(Liverpool) (May 18, 2006). Accessed May 18, 2006, at http://icliverpool.
icnetwork.co.uk/0800beatles/0050news/tm_objectid=17096110&method=
full&siteid=50061&headline=angry-john-lennon-letter-set-for--pound-15-
000-auction-sale-name_page.html. A letter Lennon sent in 1971 to an American
journalist who accused the early Beatles of exploiting black American music is
auctioned.
Singleton, Don. “A Life that Revolutionized the World.”
Daily News
(New York)
(December 10, 1980): 61. First of a series of articles presenting an in-depth look
at Lennon’s life and career.
Smith, David. “Lennon Jukebox Reveals Beatles’ Musical Debts.”
Guardian
(Man-
chester, England) (March 7, 2004). Accessed March 5, 2007, at http://arts.
guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,11711,1164013,00.html. An article about the
40-plus artists represented on Lennon’s jukebox and their influences on The
Beatles’ recordings.
Smith, Harold. “Lennon’s ‘Last Temptation.’”
Christianity Today
(November 4,
1988): 14–15. Using the publication of Goldman’s biography as a launching
pad, the author suggests that the sixties generation may be ready for “true”
truth.
Snell, Conrad.
John Lennon 4 Ever: The Biography.
New York: Crown Summit Books,
1981. A newsstand paperback biography published at the time of Lennon’s
killing.
Snyder-Scumpy, Patrick. “People and Things that Went Before.”
Crawdaddy
(June
1973): 48.
Soeder, John. “Fans Still Imagine a World with John Lennon.”
Plain-Dealer
(Cleveland, Ohio) (December 8, 2005). Accessed March 5, 2007, at http://
abbeyroadontheriver.com/news/23.html. An anniversary wrap-up that includes
quotes from the author’s conversations with Cynthia Lennon, James Henke (of
the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame), and Bob Spitz (Beatles’ biographer).
Solt, Andrew and Sam Egan.
Imagine: John Lennon.
New York: Macmillan, 1988.
A coffee table volume prepared to coincide with the release of the biographical