Book Review: “John Lennon: In My Life” by Pete Shotton

John Lennon: In My Life was written by John Lennon‘s childhood friend and original Quarrymen member Pete Shotton.  They met in 1946, when they were the tender age of 6 years old while John was living at his Aunt Mimi and Uncle George’s.  John and Pete would remain closed friends and confidants up until John’s death in 1980.  And anyone that knows anything about John Lennon, knows that long relationships of any kind were something very rare for Lennon, making this story unusual.

 

From the get go, the team of Shotton and Lennon (or as John would call them Shennon and Lotton) spelled mayhem wherever they went.  Two young boys with very strong personalities, blood brothers, came together, both encouraging each other antics…they were to keep both their parents and teachers on their toes.  Throughout their early years in Liverpool, both would be blamed for leading the other astray, all the while, pushing the limits and laughing their way through their childhood and teenage years.

I loved the honesty in this book.  Pete tells all the wildest and craziest stories from his and John’s days growing up in Liverpool.  Anyone that wants to know the very dirtiest of details about John, needs to own a copy.  This isn’t to say that the book is without it’s problems, especially when Pete seems to take exception to John’s dad and Cynthia’s mom both being supported by John.  I do believe this is what is widely known as the pot calling the kettle black and any good Beatles fans could tell you that the whole staff (which included Pete Shotton) at Apple Corps in 1968 were living the ‘high’ life off of John, Paul, George and Ringo!  Then again, the team of Shennon and Lotton were never known for the respect of parents or authority figures.

Kudos to Pete for telling the world when John whacked off for the first time and for telling us what John said REALLY happened in Spain with Brian!  And for that reason…

I rate this book, 3 out of 4 Beatles!

 

 

 

You can purchase a used paperback copy of In My Life for under $10 on Amazon.