John Lennon

Philip Norman was born in London and brought up on the Isle of Wight. He joined the Sunday Times at the age of twenty-two, soon gaining a reputation as Atticus columnist and for his profiles of figures as diverse as Elizabeth Taylor, P. G. Wodehouse, Little Richard and Colonel Gaddafi. In 1981 he published SHOUT!, a ground-breaking biography of the Beatles that was a bestseller in both Britain and the US. He has also written the definitive lives of Sir Elton John and Buddy Holly.His journalism has been published in three collections, THE ROAD GOES ON FOREVER, TILT THE HOURGLASS AND BEGIN AGAIN, and THE AGE OF PARODY. His latest book is BABYCHAM NIGHT, a memoir of his childhood on the Isle of Wight. He is married with a daughter and lives in London.

'Reading this book brings the John Lennon I knew vividly back to life.' Bill Harry, founder of Mersey Beat 'This is the best Lennon book so far' The Word 'Norman has written about Lennon twice before but he has uncovered much new material in his research for this impressive and highly readable book! It is greatly to Norman's credit as a biographer that he does justice to all of (Lennon's legacy) in a book whose 854 pages simply fly by.' Sunday Times Culture 'Can there be more to find out (about Lennon)? And, can Philip Norman, the author of the new 300,000 word John Lennon: The Life, be serious when he tells The Word magazine, "Lennon deserves a real biography, as if he were John Keats or Mahatma Ghandi. Not a pop person but a major towering presence in his century?" The answer to both questions is empahatically yes!And yes, Norman has unearthed some startling things.' The Independent 'Although more than 800 pages long, this book is nicely paced, well researched and will not disappoint.' Glasgow Evening Times 'Reading this book brings the John Lennon I knew vividly back to life.' Bill Harry, founder of Mersey Beat 'This is the first serious Lennon biography for 20 years and unlike Albert Goldman's bilious effort in the 80s, Norman's style is trustworthy, contextual, and plainly told, yet with enough splashes of historical colour...' The Times 'A well-written book and almost everything you could want to know [about Lennon] is in there.' Oxford Times The New Statesman called the book 'magnetic'. 'Philip Norman's style is compelling', Irish Times 'Norman's mesmerising biography'. Irish Examiner 'Meticulously researched, compulsively readable book.' Sunday Times Culture magazine 'The Rock biography of the Year.' Metro 'The best all-round Lennon biography.' Sunday Herald Magazine