With their impact on our culture, the legacy of the Beatles transcends music. An impact that is still felt today. The heart of the Beatles was its initial driving force John Lennon.
I’m Mark Martin with "Martin’s Must Reads" and James Patterson in his book The Last Days of John Lennon tells the story of the Beatles formation, rise to superstardom and post breakup days along with the story of Mr Lennon’s assassin, Mark David Chapman.
The story begins in Liverpool England with two teenagers John Lennon and Paul McCartney just eager to make music together. They team up in first one band, then another, then another. Eventually joined by George Harrison and Ringo Starr, the Silver Beatles shorten their name and become the group that will change music forever. Mr Patterson recounts the struggles the band had finding success, then with stardom, and then immortality. While it includes the entire band the focus of the narrative is John Lennon and his struggles with the press, the demons of drugs and alcohol and ultimately with himself both during the Beatle days and post breakup.
Woven into this story is the account of Mark David Chapman’s obsession with John Lennon and then his decision to murder Mr. Lennon because he said “The Beatles were more popular than Jesus.” Mr. Patterson deftly narrates how the obsession manifested itself in the planning, the long distance travel to buy a gun and ammunition and his premeditation culminating in the tragic events of December 8, 1980.
In some respects, great artists are immortal. They live on in their works. We know Mozart because of his music, Monet from his paintings, and in his music John Lennon lives on. James Patterson in “The Last Days of John Lennon” reminds us of this truth.
