Yoko Ono

This books seems to get far less circulation than it deserves. No matter your opinion on Yoko, John Lennon and Beatle fan-readers alike should pick this up. I also found this a great case-study of a powerful female figure and how her public image was resculpted by the public and media through the mere events of her life (her public image drastically changed with her life circumstance: forming a relationship with a married man to the break-up of the beatles to motherhood and finally to widow). Its a refreshing approach to this very over-hyped, exaggerated, demonized figure. Instead of fitting Yoko into a box, or characterizing her in a particular vein, the author shows through interview research, family biographical info, and rarely reported insider anecdotes how she could be at once vindictive and loving, emotional and detached, honest and furtive, controlling and trampled. There is no ONE clear-cut, 300 page synopsis of Yoko because she is as complex as any of us. In the end, the author refrains from a neat characterization or wrap-up, in favor of painting as complexly mysterious portrait as Yoko's own public image. For those thirsty for more information about the personal lives of Lennon or the Beatles, this book will be chalk full of new details to savor.

I just finished reading this unauthorized biography about Yoko Ono. I found it to be an enjoyable, easy read. There are few biographies specifically about Yoko, and some of the material out there is annoying to read (such as Woman) or mention Yoko in passing as part of a bioigraphy about her famous husband, Lennon (such as the Goldman trash book). This book is devoted entirely to Yoko, although the second half mentions Lennon quite a bit. Unlike some books which are clearly vindictive, this seems to be a rather balanced, impartial book, although it does portray Yoko as self centered, bossy and overly driven to succeed. This is my favorite book about Yoko and one of my favorite biographies in general. The only negative points I feel worth mentioning is that there are very few photographs, and the ending of the book (if you can call it that) leaves the reader hanging in mid air. The book does not really have a summation or conclusion. It just ends. If the ending were better, I probably would have given this book 5 stars.