VOL. V, NO. 14
MAY 15, 1964
Writing Bug Hits a Beatle
By Jeff O'Connell
Beatlemania has invaded the literary world! At age 23, John Lennon, leader of the much publicized Beatles, has written a very good and a very odd little book, In His Own Write. All those jelly‑bean‑lobbing, screaming Beatle fans are going to find this harder to understand than the Beatle song lyrics.
In spite of his protests that he wasn't really trying, John Lennon is being hailed as an heir to the Anglo‑American tradition of nonsense writing, British critics are comparing him to James Thurber and Lewis Carroll and are likening his word plays to those of James Joyce in Finnegan's Wake.
Littleness, isolation, and unfair cruelty are the themes of this thin, little book. A typical poem begins ‑
I sat belonely down a tree,
humbled fat and small."
Beatlemania has invaded the literary world! At age 23, John Lennon, leader of the much publicized Beatles, has written a very good and a very odd little book, In His Own Write. All those jelly‑bean‑lobbing, screaming Beatle fans are going to find this harder to understand than the Beatle song lyrics.
In spite of his protests that he wasn't really trying, John Lennon is being hailed as an heir to the Anglo‑American tradition of nonsense writing, British critics are comparing him to James Thurber and Lewis Carroll and are likening his word plays to those of James Joyce in Finnegan's Wake.
Littleness, isolation, and unfair cruelty are the themes of this thin, little book. A typical poem begins ‑
I sat belonely down a tree,
humbled fat and small."
Then there is the story of poor lonely Randolph whose "old pals buddys and mates" unexpectedly rally and then just as unexpectedly beat Randolph to death. The piece ends on the merry note ‑
"At least he didn't die alone did he?"
Most of the book's charm lies in Mr. Lennon's word plays such as ‑
"Puffing and globbering they druged
themselves rampling or dancing wild
abdomen, stubbing in wild
postumes amongest theyselves"
Here is Mr. Lennon describing members of the Neville club drinking and getting high on drugs. It seems, in the book, that the pages were set by an inebriated linotypist.
As John Lennon is a Beatle there is an extra dimension of pleasure in this book suggesting that when the Beatles sing "I Want to Hold Your Hand," John Lennon is wishing that he could bite it.
"At least he didn't die alone did he?"
Most of the book's charm lies in Mr. Lennon's word plays such as ‑
"Puffing and globbering they druged
themselves rampling or dancing wild
abdomen, stubbing in wild
postumes amongest theyselves"
Here is Mr. Lennon describing members of the Neville club drinking and getting high on drugs. It seems, in the book, that the pages were set by an inebriated linotypist.
As John Lennon is a Beatle there is an extra dimension of pleasure in this book suggesting that when the Beatles sing "I Want to Hold Your Hand," John Lennon is wishing that he could bite it.