November 2010
45 posts
Book review: 'In His Own Write' and 'A Spaniard in...
Well before he met Yoko Ono, John Lennon had a habit of going his own way. As early as 1964 — at the height of Beatlemania — he published “In His Own Write,” a collection of off-kilter poems and stories with line drawings; he followed it the next year with “A Spaniard in the Works.” Both books are satirical, full of whimsy, but also marked by that distinctive Lennon edge....
The Untranslatable
It is difficult to miss the upcoming birthday of John Lennon. Just use Google and click on the doodle. But the anniversary is celebrated in other ways as well. While reading the paper over breakfast (yes, I still read a dead-tree newspaper), I found an article about a new omnibus edition of Lennon’s two books, In His Own Write and A Spaniard in the Works.
John Lennon’s books go back a long way....
Sam Haidy's review
Maybe it takes ages for me to interpret this book lol Lennon’s intention seemed to just have fun and play with words, whether it makes sense or not. The stories/poems based on his very personal surrounding. Perhaps only the ones who close/related to him could figure it out. - http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/128783968
In His Own Write. John Lennon, 1964.
Lennon’s first book. A very easy book to determine as a first, it says ‘First Published in 1964’ and that’s it. No reprints must be mentioned. English whimsy, showing some influence of Professor Stanley Unwin (the above ‘globbering’ quote is a good example), Lewis Carroll, Spike Milligan and James Joyce of the Finnegan period…. The major acknowledged...
In His Own Write – John Lennon
This is another old favourite for me, I discovered this while discovering the Beatles’ music both individually and as a group. Lennon’s short stories and poems are wonderfully confusing and he plays about with language like a football… Some are quite dark, but as usual the best bits are at the end and I promised not to quote endings! Saying that, I’ve put in a whole poem as it’s so short, and the...
John Lennon (1940-1980) | Bio of Jon Lennon
Singer, writer, poet, and composer, the Beatles’ most committed rock artist. With his social conscience, cynical wit, and willingness to experiment, John Lennon was in constant conflict with conservative values. The poet and novelist Philip Arthur Larkin described the Beatles’ work as “an enchanting and intoxicating hybrid of Negro rock-and-roll with their own adolescent...
Renaissance Rebel: Lennon Outside Music
John Lennon’s first solo project wasn’t his noise art experiments with Yoko Ono (the Unfinished Music series) during the last, lingering days of the Beatles. Nor was it his scorching primal scream descent into personal musical Hell known as Plastic Ono Band. It wasn’t a trek to Toronto to play live sans his bandmates or a stirring nursery rhyme about giving peace a chance. No, John Lennon first...
‘Lennon’s rabbit hole to glimpse Wonderland’ – In...
There are certain moods you need to be in to read certain books. So whether you’re mood-assisted by any one of countless possibilities, or just hungry for a trip down a long and winding road, chances are the odd and whimsical tales tucked into John Lennon’s In His Own Write and A Spaniard In The Works will do just the trick. Originally published in 1964 and 1965, the two works have now been...
In His Own Write is published
9.00am, Monday 23 March 1964 (46 years ago)
John Lennon’s first book, In His Own Write, was published on this day by Jonathan Cape.
The 78-page hardback book sold for nine shillings and sixpence, and contained 31 stories, numerous pen drawings by Lennon, and an introduction by Paul McCartney.
To promote the book, Lennon appeared on the live BBC TV programme Tonight between 7pm and 7.35pm....
John Lennon, the Author
John Lennon had been a creative writer, poet and illustrator since boyhood. He loved to experiment in creating his own brand of literature, exploring double meanings and making a play on words.
John met Bill Harry at Liverpool Art College. Bill Harry started a newspaper covering all the local bands in Liverpool. He named it “Mersey Beat.”
In the first issue dated July 5, 1961, Bill...
In His Own Write and A Spaniard in the Works by...
What, I wonder, was the initial reaction of the countless thousands of young Beatlemaniacs when they read the literary fruits of their idol’s mind? This is a long way from “I Want to Hold Your Hand”: in “Nicely Nicely Clive”, a bride wonders whether she should have flowers round the spokes of her wheelchair. (“Does it really matter?” says her mother....
The Daily Howl
John Lennon wrote poetry. More specifically he wrote doggerel. I think doggerel is pretty underrated as far as art forms go. If somebody published the poems Tess and I have co-authored on IM over the years they’d make a mint. Well, maybe not a mint but they’re worth at least the paper they weren’t printed on. Lennon was a genius with words. The neighboring Liverpool poetry scene fomented the...
Background
1964
Most probably written for the “Daily Howl”
Press Conference, London, 1966 Question: How do you write your books? Lennon: I put things down on sheets of paper and stuff them in me pockets. When I have enough, I have a book. Question: Why do you kill people off in your books? Lennon: That’s a good way to end them. I suppose they were manifestations of hidden cruelties. They...
Synesthesia: Surrealism in the Beatles' Music
John Lennon’s favorite author, Lewis Carroll, became famous for his two surrealistic children’s novels, Alice in Wonderland and its sequel, Alice Through the Looking-Glass. John Lennon, who co-wrote most of the Beatles’ songs with Paul McCartney, admired Lewis Carroll’s work tremendously. When he was young, Alice in Wonderland was his favorite book. He wrote poems and...
BBC interview with John Lennon and Victor Spinetti
While Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr were elsewhere in the studio working on the White Album, John Lennon gave an interview to the BBC about the stage adaptation of his book In His Own Write.
Also present was Victor Spinetti, the play’s director and co-writer. The interview was recorded in EMI Studios on London’s Abbey Road, and was for the BBC 2 arts show Release. It was first...
In His Own Write by John Lennon (1964)
A collection of stories and illustrations penned in John’s own inimitable style* first published by Jonathan Cape on 23rd March 1964. It was a huge success, the first edition sold out completely on the day of publication, it was also - somehow - translated into French! The book comprised 15 short stories, 8 poems, 3 play scenes, 5 other items and 26 drawings**. Paul McCartney provided the...
Book review: 'In His Own Write' and 'A Spaniard in...
The onetime Beatle’s cheeky writing efforts are being re-released this month in an omnibus edition to mark what would have been his 70th birthday Oct. 9.
October 08, 2010|By David L. Ulin | Los Angeles Times Book Critic
Well before he met Yoko Ono, John Lennon had a habit of going his own way. As early as 1964 — at the height of Beatlemania — he published “In His Own Write,” a...
In His Own Write/A Spaniard in the Works (book)
The Beatles are the popular culture giants of the 60s, and possibly of the entire 20th century. Their influence is everywhere — music, movies, TV (The Monkees, most obviously), art and design (their record covers were groundbreaking), style, and just about everywhere else. Even literature. What is odd is that their — or rather, John Lennon’s — influence in the area of...
In His Own Write
John Lennon’s first book, “In His Own Write”, was published on March 23, 1964. The book contained 26 drawings and 31 short stories and poems. These included No Flies On Frank, The Wrestling Dog, Treasure Ivan, I Sat Belonely and Deaf Ted, Danoota, (and me). The introduction was written by Paul McCartney and the cover was designed by Robert Freeman. *** A 1964 magazine article...
The Most Celebrated Living Englishman
The following speech was made by a British politician, Charles Curran in 1964. He was using John Lennon’s book “In His Own Write” as an example to highlight the problems with the British education system. Unfortunately, he seemed to have missed the entire point of the book… House of Commons, 19 June 1964 Mr Charles Curran “…I want to quote an expert whose name...
Writing and Art
Lennon’s biographer Bill Harry writes that Lennon began drawing and writing creatively at an early age with the encouragement of his uncle. He collected his stories, poetry, cartoons, and caricatures in a Quarry Bank High School exercise book that he called the Daily Howl. The drawings were often of crippled people, and the writings satirical, and throughout the book was an abundance of...
In His Own Write by John Lennon
Puffing and globbering they drugged theyselves rampling or dancing with wild abdomen, stubbing in wild postumes amongst themselves. It was not the Jumblies setting to sea in a sieve, nor was it the mimsy borogoves. John Lennon, the writing Beatle (“He’s the arty one”), is—in his own way—describing the members of the Neville Club as they sit in hubbered lumps smoking Hernia and...
Musician Published: John Lennon Compiles 'In His...
In early 1964, urged on by Beatles manager Brian Epstein, John Lennon delved back into his past to come up with a volume of his poems and drawings, called In His Own Write. (This title had been thought up by Paul McCartney, whose original idea, In His Own Write and Draw — a pun on “right hand drawer” — was considered too complicated.)
“I managed to trace Rod...
Stories and Poems from In His Own Write
I love The Beatles and I love nonsense so this was a perfect match. When you feel you’ve been thinking too much for one day this is the book to read it is just pure fun. The little short stories just make you giggle even if you’re one of those people who never laughs when reading. This book also makes John Lennon seem more human since he has become this legend you get to see this silly...
In His Own Write - Wikipedia
In His Own Write is a book from 1964 by John Lennon. The book consists of short stories and line drawings, often surreal and always nonsensical. It is notable in that it was the first solo Beatleproject in any form. It was followed in 1965 by A Spaniard in the Works.
Lennon was adept at free association and improvisation in his linguistic explorations, which can be seen in both his prose...
October 2010
21 posts
