Imagine the concept here - You're going to work for one of the most famous, coolest guys of the rock era...wouldn't you keep notes, a diary? I sure the heck would, confidentiality agreement or not!

The result - this fascinating book! Of course we get to hear the bad, such as Lennon's penchant for lying around depressed, getting wasted, but we hear many positive aspects, such as the pleasures he did find in his last years, including sailing, for which apparently he had a knack. All the Lennon books I have read tend to agree that he did like to chat quite a bit, so the author, being Lennon's personal assistant, undoubtably became privy to a lot of went on in Lennon's life at the time. Based on the many interviews (Rolling Stone to Playboy, etc.,) it would seem Lennon's reality and his feeling of events that took place in his life varied upon his moods. This book seems to catch him in many unguarded, unrehearsed moments.

Events in this book I particularly liked: Lennon's first loathing of, then eventual liking and purchase of the (then) latest McCartney single; The Lennon's desire to own a Mecedes station wagon (fulfilled); his interactions (positive and negative) with folks he meets and deals with during his trips.
You get a sense of joy and happiness in Lennon when he's out vacationing, only to feel his disappointment when Yoko can't or won't join him. It does appear he worked hard on the marriage.

The usual grains of salt need to be ingested...the writer was famously fired and sued by Yoko, therefore he could purposely be putting her in a less than flattering light (not always, to be fair). Perhaps the writer inflates his own feelings of involvement in John's life. But all in all, it's an interesting book, and a joy for this Lennon fan to feel "in on" some of the day to day goings on of a man who, it feels to me, was just starting to come to terms with and enjoy the fruits of his fame and labors.

How I wish we could read the diaries that Lennon himself kept! Frederic Seaman had those (hence his firing and the lawsuit!), and based this book upon those and his own diaries. However. they are now, or were, in the possession of Yoko! Do they exist anymore, or have they been destroyed???????

This is an exellently-written book. Without chewing on it, Fred Seaman gives us a very insightful first-hand look at the inner psychology of JOhn Lennon. If you're interested in who John Lennon REALLY was -- as opposed to the air-brushed image of Saint John the Bringer-of-Peace-and-Love-to-Humanity that Yoko Ono has been foisting on the public for the last 25 years -- then you should check out this book. Its no wonder Yoko took him to court. Great job, Fred. And hey, don't feel too bad about the recent public humiliation you experienced in the New York court room at the hands of Yoko's million-dollar lawyers. You saw first hand all the public glory heaped on John and Yoko's heads, and look what happened to THEM. Maybe in the long-run, public shame is preferable. (www.geocities.com/acebackwords2002)

Interesting book. Yoko Ono's character here is shrewdly personified. "Imagine", that she was trying to really force her 'music' (warble screetch) on to Double Fantasy. This is while she was having affairs, milking the Lennon fortune, drinking and living like a pack rat-and heavily abusing narcotics. Her songs had to be pitch shifted, note by note just to stay in the key. Sad, that Lennon would refer to her as "mother' in a maternal way.I am not trying to trash Ono. Seaman's insights are vivid-in a documentary style of recorded events. One has to take notice.

Reading this book, you get inside Lennon's day to day behavior.

The Bermuda trip, is especially interesting. Here is a guy, trying to avoid the "mania" of fans (everywhere on the planet) and Seaman for me describes what that was really like. Upon recognition-they are in shock, then they try and get a piece of him, then Lennon moves on, oblivious to their existence and the loss of his essence, seems to be even more of a shock. Beatle mania-and Lennon awe, continued to grow in the 70's as had it first started in the early 60's.

I have read this book 3 times over the last 5 years, and each time it takes you to a different place. Lennon felt the Beatles peaked in 1961 and this comment, and many like this -show how good the group really was, just as they were recording those early mono albums. Raw, full of energy, romantic to the hilt, and with a backbeat you couldn't lose.

When Seaman is beaten by Yoko's bodygard thugs (ex-police officers) you really feel for the guy.It was more torture than just a mere beating. Further more, you certainly can empathize with Julian Lennon and even Paul McCartney who would have to deal with the calculating coldness of Yoko Ono.

Seamen is abit of dweep through out this narrative. (playing bongos and keeping a beat, while Lennon works out a few new songs in Bermuda.) Lennon, coming out of 5 year sleep, is full of creative juice, influenced by Bob Marley raggae to the B-52s-while covering his ears-when he hears the rock wallop and head bang of early Led Zeppelin on the radio. I am not writing this to praise Seaman but the guy should be awarded some attention for keeping diaries and copies (the originals were stolen by Yoko's thugs in a burglary) as well as his keen powers of observation, from a guy that was truly there. Right to the end of Lennon's life.

Particularly sad is the fact, that Yoko dismissed any form of protection for John when he would walk into the Dakota Apts-which perhaps would have (think of Reagan's attempted assassination) saved his life. This book may give you dreams at night.

I've read many Lennon bios, from Goldman to Coleman...John has been my favorite Beatle, and human being, since I was about 15 (I'm now 29)...and I feel sorry for Yoko that she has to stifle this book. This is an entirely human account of the life John and Yoko led in the last year or two of John's life...written by the guy who was a staple in their everyday living, ordering the groceries, setting up flights, witnessing his own Aunt Helen trying to control the young Sean, as his nanny...There is no vindictiveness in this book...it's a loving account of John as a real man. I never, ever, in reading this got the feeling that Seaman was some kind of pariah bent on reaping the profits of a world famous man...Just a mere recording of daily events...with John a central presence....one sequence that stood out was John hearing Paul's song "Coming Up"....and remarking that it was a song he could not get out of his head..he asked Seaman to get hold of the latest McCartney album..."McCartney II'...
a riveting account of a man we all admire, but whose faults are there, in full display.....still feeling for his past, wanting more...this book is a display of passion, a true gem....

This is by far one of my favorite Lennon books...(I have read every one!!!)
Fred really brought to light the last years of Johns life and his relationship with Yoko...I know most fans don't believe but if you read all the biographies most all ring the same tune.
Fred recently lost a court case with Yoko Ono ...he was convicted of stealing and planning to write a book from the very beginning of his employment. I am glad he had the nerve to stand up to Yoko...Go Fred...wish you could write more.

The books was well wrtten in great humor and you could feel Fred really did love Lennon.