In His Own Write - John Lennon

In His Own Write was John Lennon's first book (the second being A Spaniard in the Works), published in 1964. It was out of print for a while, but has now been released once more, and now it has a special introduction by Yoko Ono*. The book is a collection of short stories, poems, and drawings that Lennon had done throughout his life. Most of them were made while he was at school.

The most distinctive thing about these stories is the utter lack of coherence. Many words are purposefully misspelled and others replaced with similar sounding words (which are often misspelled as well). However, despite this, the poems are actually very incisive. They reveal many of Lennon's feelings, and they provide interesting lessons on life. If you are a fan of Lennon's, then you will probably enjoy this book.

Some excerpts:

About the Awful
I was bored on 9th of Octover 1940 when, I believe, the Nasties were still booming us led by Madalf Heatlump (Who only had one). Anyway they didn't get me. I attended to varicous schools in Liddypol. And still didn't pass-much to my Auntie's supplies. As a member of the most publified Beatles my and (P, G, and R's) records might seem funnier to some of you than this book, but as far as I'm conceived this correction of short writty is the most wonderfoul larf I've ever ready.
God help and breed you all.



Arf, Arf, he goes, a merry sight,
Our little hairy friend
Arf, Arf, upon the lampost bright
Arfing round the bend.
Nice dog! Goo boy,
Waggie tail and beg,
Clever Nigel, jump for joy
Because we're putting you to sleep at three of the clock, Nigel



That night the very same voice spoke saying 'Eric, I am a growth on your very head, help me, Eric.'
Soon Eric became very attached to his fat growth friend.
'Call me Scab,' the voice said and he was.
'Call me Eric,' Eric said naturly as he could. From then on you never saw Eric without the big fat scab growth on his head. And that's why Eric Hearble lost his job teaching spastics to dance.
'Were not having a cripple teaching our lads,' said Headmaster.



There were no flies on Frank that morning - after all why not? He was a responsible citizen with a wife and child, wasn't he? It was a typical Frank morning and with an agility that defies description he leapt into the bathroom onto the scales. To his great harold he discovered he was twelve inches more tall heavy!



* Yoko's introduction says, "Hi! My name is Yoko Ono and I'd like you to meet John Lennon."

It is thought that Lennon's semi-nonsensical sentences (for instance: "I was bored on 9th of Octover 1940 when, I believe, the Nasties were still booming us led by Madalf Heatlump (Who only had one).") are inspired by James Joyce's Finnegans Wake, which he acknowledged reading during the 1960s. There is some debate whether The Wake also influenced songs like "I am the Walrus."

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