Nowhere Man: The Final Days of John Lennon
Encyclopedia
Nowhere Man: The Final Days of John Lennon, first published in 2000 and written by New York journalist Robert Rosen, who in 1981 had access to John Lennon
's diaries, is a controversial account of the ex-Beatle
's last five years. The book disputes the official view of Lennon as a contented househusband raising his son Sean and baking bread while Yoko
ran the family business. Instead, Nowhere Man portrays Lennon's daily life at the Dakota
as that of a "tormented superstar, a prisoner of his fame, locked in his bedroom raving about Jesus Christ, while a retinue of servants tended to his every need."
Rosen says that he used his memory of Lennon’s diaries as “a roadmap to the truth.”
The final part of the book, The Coda, focuses on the mental disintegration of Lennon's assassin, Mark David Chapman
, and includes Chapter 27, the so-called missing chapter of J.D. Salinger's classic novel of disaffected youth, The Catcher in the Rye
, that "inspired" Chapman to murder Lennon. It was Chapman's goal, according to Rosen, to write Chapter 27 "in Lennon's blood."
Originally written in 1982, the manuscript remained unpublished for 18 years. Soft Skull Press
acquired the rights to the book in 1999 and brought out the hardcover edition the following year. Quick American Archives then picked up the rights and published the paperback edition in 2002.
Nowhere Man was a bestseller in the United States (Los Angeles Times
, September 3, 2000), England (Mojo
, October 2000), and Japan (Amazon.co.jp, October 2000). In 2003, Random House Mondadori brought out a Spanish-language edition in Latin America. The book received extensive coverage and was excerpted in such publications as Proceso
, La Jornada
, El Universal
, Reforma
, Semana, Gatopardo
, Soho, El Heraldo, El Mercurio
, La Tercera
, Las Últimas Noticias
, and The Clinic
. Nowhere Man appeared on bestseller lists in Mexico and Colombia.
The other foreign editions were published by DHC (Japan, 2000), Fusion Press (UK, 2000), and Hannibal (Germany, 2001).
The title of the book refers to The Beatles
' song "Nowhere Man" (which was written and sung primarily by Lennon), as well as to Lennon's assassin.
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
's diaries, is a controversial account of the ex-Beatle
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
's last five years. The book disputes the official view of Lennon as a contented househusband raising his son Sean and baking bread while Yoko
Yoko Ono
is a Japanese artist, musician, author and peace activist, known for her work in avant-garde art, music and filmmaking as well as her marriage to John Lennon...
ran the family business. Instead, Nowhere Man portrays Lennon's daily life at the Dakota
The Dakota
The Dakota, constructed from October 25, 1880 to October 27, 1884, is a co-op apartment building located on the northwest corner of 72nd Street and Central Park West in the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City...
as that of a "tormented superstar, a prisoner of his fame, locked in his bedroom raving about Jesus Christ, while a retinue of servants tended to his every need."
Rosen says that he used his memory of Lennon’s diaries as “a roadmap to the truth.”
The final part of the book, The Coda, focuses on the mental disintegration of Lennon's assassin, Mark David Chapman
Mark David Chapman
Mark David Chapman is an American prison inmate who murdered former Beatles member John Lennon on December 8, 1980. He committed the crime as Lennon and Yoko Ono were outside of The Dakota apartment building in New York City. Chapman aimed five shots at Lennon, hitting him four times in his back...
, and includes Chapter 27, the so-called missing chapter of J.D. Salinger's classic novel of disaffected youth, The Catcher in the Rye
The Catcher in the Rye
The Catcher in the Rye is a 1951 novel by J. D. Salinger. Originally published for adults, it has since become popular with adolescent readers for its themes of teenage confusion, angst, alienation, language, and rebellion. It has been translated into almost all of the world's major...
, that "inspired" Chapman to murder Lennon. It was Chapman's goal, according to Rosen, to write Chapter 27 "in Lennon's blood."
Originally written in 1982, the manuscript remained unpublished for 18 years. Soft Skull Press
Soft Skull Press
Soft Skull Press is an independent publisher founded by Sander Hicks in 1992, and run by Richard Eoin Nash from 2001 to 2009. In 2007, Nash sold Soft Skull to Counterpoint LLC, where it continues to function as a division of the press...
acquired the rights to the book in 1999 and brought out the hardcover edition the following year. Quick American Archives then picked up the rights and published the paperback edition in 2002.
Nowhere Man was a bestseller in the United States (Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, September 3, 2000), England (Mojo
Mojo (magazine)
MOJO is a popular music magazine published initially by Emap, and since January 2008 by Bauer, monthly in the United Kingdom. Following the success of the magazine Q, publishers Emap were looking for a title which would cater for the burgeoning interest in classic rock music...
, October 2000), and Japan (Amazon.co.jp, October 2000). In 2003, Random House Mondadori brought out a Spanish-language edition in Latin America. The book received extensive coverage and was excerpted in such publications as Proceso
Proceso (magazine)
Proceso is a Mexican magazine published in Mexico City. It was founded on November 6, 1976 by journalist Julio Scherer García, its current president...
, La Jornada
La Jornada
La Jornada is one of Mexico City's leading daily newspapers. It was established in 1984 by Carlos Payán Velver. The current editor is Carmen Lira Saade...
, El Universal
El Universal (Mexico City)
El Universal is a major Mexican newspaper.El Universal was founded by Félix Palavicini and Emilio Rabasa in October 1916, in the city of Santiago de Queretaro to cover the end of the Mexican Revolution and the creation of the new Mexican Constitution...
, Reforma
Reforma
Reforma is a Mexican newspaper based in Mexico City. It has 276,700 readers in Mexico City. The paper shares content with other papers in parent newsgroup Grupo Reforma. The cumulative readership of the newsgroup is above 400,000...
, Semana, Gatopardo
Gatopardo (magazine)
Gatopardo is a monthly magazine established in Colombia by Miguel Silva and Rafael Molano. Gatopardo was edited by Grupo de Publicaciones Latinoamericanas . It has been recognized by the quality in its chronicles and its coverages...
, Soho, El Heraldo, El Mercurio
El Mercurio
El Mercurio is a conservative Chilean newspaper with editions in Valparaíso and Santiago. Its Santiago edition is considered the country's paper-of-record and its Valparaíso edition is the oldest daily in the Spanish language currently in circulation. El Mercurio is owned by El Mercurio S.A.P...
, La Tercera
La Tercera
La Tercera , formerly known as La Tercera de la Hora , is a daily newspaper published in Santiago, Chile and owned by Copesa. It is El Mercurios closest competitor....
, Las Últimas Noticias
Las Últimas Noticias
Las Últimas Noticias is a Chilean, daily middle market tabloid newspaper owned by El Mercurio SAP....
, and The Clinic
The Clinic
The Clinic is a Chilean satirical/investigative newspaper founded by Patricio Fernández Chadwick in November 1998. The name was inspired by Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet's October 1998 arrest in Britain at The London Clinic, which bears the name The Clinic on its façade...
. Nowhere Man appeared on bestseller lists in Mexico and Colombia.
The other foreign editions were published by DHC (Japan, 2000), Fusion Press (UK, 2000), and Hannibal (Germany, 2001).
The title of the book refers to The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' song "Nowhere Man" (which was written and sung primarily by Lennon), as well as to Lennon's assassin.
External links
- Robert Rosen's official website
- Interview with Robert Rosen
- Interview with Robert Rosen in English and Spanish, Part One
- Interview with Robert Rosen in English and Spanish, Part Two
- Interview with Robert Rosen in English and Spanish, Part Three
- Nowhere Man Review
- Nowhere Man deconstructed and contrasted with six other John Lennon biographies
- Nowhere Man excerpt and A Conversation with Robert Rosen from Vision Magazine
- Court TV article on Robert Rosen
- Mans Chapter 27 with additional background information, notes, and links
- Christianity Today: The 10 Best Books of 2000