John Lennon: All I Want Is the Truth

As she did for Woody Guthrie in This Land Was Made for You and Me , Partridge here presents a captivating portrait of a legendary musician, tracing Lennon's life from his birth in 1940 during a German air raid on Liverpool to his murder in Manhattan 40 years later. This well-researched photobiography (with 140-plus photos) includes copious quotations from Lennon and his colleagues, ranging from eloquent to profane; paired with Partridge's crisp reporting, the quotes offer a spontaneous and incisive look at Lennon's life. At times, the narrative suggests a level of intimacy that readers might question (e.g., when Cynthia, who would become John's first wife, tells him she is pregnant: "She watched, her heart pounding in her chest, as he looked at her, speechless"), but the well-known milestones are documented in detail. Ages 12-up. (Oct.)