Discover one of the greatest true crime stories in music history, as only James Patterson can tell it. With the Beatles, John Lennon surpasses his youthful dreams, achieving a level of superstardom that defies classification. “We were the best bloody band there was,” he says. “There was nobody to touch us.” Nobody except the original nowhere man, Mark David Chapman. Chapman once worshipped his … once worshipped his idols from afar–but now harbors grudges against those, like Lennon, whom he feels betrayed him. He’s convinced Lennon has misled fans with his message of hope and peace. And Chapman’s not staying away any longer.
By the summer of 1980, Lennon is recording new music for the first time in years, energized and ready for it to be “(Just Like) Starting Over.” He can’t wait to show the world what he will do.
Neither can Chapman, who quits his security job and boards a flight to New York, a handgun and bullets stowed in his luggage.
The greatest true-crime story in music history, as only James Patterson can tell it. Enriched by exclusive interviews with Lennon’s friends and associates, including Paul McCartney, The Last Days of John Lennon is the thrilling true story of two men who changed history: One whose indelible songs enliven our world to this day–and the other who ended the beautiful music with five pulls of a trigger.owed in his luggage.
The greatest true-crime story in music history, as only James Patterson can tell it. Enriched by exclusive interviews with Lennon’s friends and associates, including Paul McCartney, The Last Days of John Lennon is the thrilling true story of two men who changed history: One whose indelible songs enliven our world to this day–and the other who ended the beautiful music with five pulls of a trigger.owed in his luggage.
The greatest true-crime story in music history, as only James Patterson can tell it. Enriched by exclusive interviews with Lennon’s friends and associates, including Paul McCartney, The Last Days of John Lennon is the thrilling true story of two men who changed history: One whose indelible songs enliven our world to this day–and the other who ended the beautiful music with five pulls of a trigger.owed in his luggage.
The greatest true-crime story in music history, as only James Patterson can tell it. Enriched by exclusive interviews with Lennon’s friends and associates, including Paul McCartney, The Last Days of John Lennon is the thrilling true story of two men who changed history: One whose indelible songs enliven our world to this day–and the other who ended the beautiful music with five pulls of a trigger.more
Incredibly tense and thriller-like… I totally recommend it.
I surprised myself by devouring this book in only a few days. It goes back and forth between Mark Chapman’s plans to kill Lennon and the founding of the Beatles up through their career and (as the title says) to the final days of John Lennon.
The parts with Mark Chapman do feel a bit forced, but the parts about the Beatles’s career was amazingly well done and you really get a feel for the boys’ love for each other and their craft and how the eventual falling apart of the band affected them. And even though I knew it was coming, the death of Lennon struck a sad nerve.
So, the book overall is pretty darn good, but the ending (after the well-paced tale) is insanely abrupt. Basically, John shot, Chapman arrested, people sad, the end. But I guess that’s all you need to know to wrap up the story.
If you can, get the audiobook. The narration is great!
What I liked: I enjoyed reading about the formation of the group and John’s younger days in Liverpool and his attitudes toward their sudden super stardom. It was also very interesting to read about his life after the breakup of the band. Also there is information from interviews with several popular artists of the time which I found very informative.
What I didn’t like: There wasn’t much new in this book – it was mostly a regurgitation of previous articles over the last 50 years. I also didn’t like the way that Mark David Chapman (the man who murdered John) was humanized often in a sympathetic way. Plain and simple, he was a killer and there is nothing sympathetic about what he did.
Overall, if you are a Beatles fan or a John Lennon fan, this is a great book to read to bring back the memories of the group that changed music during a simpler time in our world.
A quick and enjoyable read even though I knew the sad ending.
The last days of John Lennon. There isn’t much more to say.
Okay, there’s a little more to say. This is the first book I’ve ever read by James Patterson, Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge. It reads like a compilation and seemed more to be about length than depth.
I know that sounds strange. This book seemed to touch on lots of little bits here and there about John Lennon’s life, intermixed with the actions of Mark David Chapman on the last days of John’s life. If one is a Beatles or John Lennon fan, then much of the details are already known. Not much new is presented. If you’re reading just for fun or to go on a ride, then this might be the book for you.
The book read like a thriller one might pick up for true crime night or for book club, but there wasn’t much depth to the tale and this is a complicated story.
Fans of Patterson might readily pick this one up. I’m glad I read it and it was a one-sitting sort of read, so it was worth the time.
If you’re interested in John Lennon, his murder or just like crime books, then this might be for you.
Read like a student’s research paper. Blah
A very well written book. James Patterson never fails. Highly recommended
I have always been a Beatles fan. The breakup was heart breaking. James Patterson describes the events so you could picture it happen.
I am a Beatles Fan Forever! Great Read! You do not have to be a Beatles fan to enjoy this well written book. Thank You, James Patterson!
Well written about 4 great misicians.