“John Lennon once described Yoko Ono as the world’s most famous unknown artist. Everyone knows her name, but no one knows what she does” . . .
WHICH WAS TRUE FOR ME!!

“Throughout her life, Yoko has been a caricature, curiosity, and, often, a villain—an inscrutable seductress, manipulating con-artist, and caterwauling fraud. The Lennon/Beatles saga is one of the greatest stories ever told, but Yokos part has been missing—hidden in the Beatles formidable shadow, further obscure by fragrant, misogyny, and racism”
I KNEW NONE OF THIS . . .
“This definitive biography of Yoko Ono‘s life will change that. In this book, Yoko Ono takes centerstage”.
I WAS READY TO FIND OUT!
also —
BEING A HUGE FAN OF THE AUTHOR — DAVID SHEFF —
I was excited to read - anything he was interested enough in to write!!!

My Review thoughts:
*WOW* . . . I learned a lot…more than I ever thought I needed to know!
There is a ‘ton’ of information to digest …. ninety percent of which I knew nothing.
But-Oh My! ….
….as human-interest stories go, few are more interesting than this one.
A whole new world opened up for me that I didn’t see coming.
…. Between reading of “Yoko” ……(during breaks) …. I found myself endlessly thinking about Yoko Ono, John Lennon, the historical unique years of music and art — the many details I knew nothing about with a growing craving to walk back in time.
Nostalgia for this history and the rock ‘n’ roll pop culture
lead me to watching YouTubes during the Beatlemania years …. (an era I grew up in …. but wasn’t a screaming-diehard).
Yet, like most people of my generation— I was influenced by the Beatles powerful cultural force — (from their music, hairstyles, fashion, and politics).

Reading ‘Yoko’ gives in-depth experience of who Yoko Ono is as a person from early childhood - adolescent- young adult - middle age - and old age. Yoko One is 91 year today.
I “imagine” (ha! no pun intended) . . . that I’ll be thinking about this book (the transformative influence it’s had on me)…. for years to come.
JUST GREAT!!! > unexpectedly more interesting and affecting than I had ever ‘imagined’.

David Sheff couldn’t have done a better job!!!
He explores Yoko’s place in history …. her influence on art, music, feminism, activism, and politics.
Yoko challenged societal norms and pushed the boundaries of artistic expression.
She also influenced John Lennon’s music … as well as his happiness.

As for her personal … most intimate life …. years of depression … feelings of being an outcast, etc. …. *90* years of life ups & downs …
Well ….. I’m left in awe!!!

“Many people’s impression of Yoko came from “the tired, sensational, and fictitious versions of the story that began when she met John and ended with his murder, a period of just fourteen of her ninety-plus years”.

Much of Yoko‘s work took the form of poetic instructions for actions and events…..requiring the participation of the viewer or listener….inviting the audience to join in.
Yoko presented work that was unfinished… work that required other people to complete them by performing physical or mental actions.

Much of her work explored the fragility of human communication.

Whether Yoko‘s work was characterized as an act of spiritual power, vulnerability, sacrificing of oneself, trust, etc. Yoko‘s intention for her art was to be about anything that people thought it was.

Yoko had been called an ‘ugly Jap’….. or John Lennon’s ‘Bitch’.
Racist and sexist comments came from the press, fans, the Beatles’ circle, and the other Beatles.

Traumas shaped Yoko‘s life. From early childhood on, the lesson was clear: she could rely on no one but herself.

Feelings of being afraid, ill, and starving—of wasting away— became reoccurring themes in Yoko’s art.

Throughout this book we learn of Yoko’s other marriages - children - and deeply personal & fascinating stories.
I’m still listening to old music and watching YouTubes.

One of the most significant events of Yoko‘s life occurred in 2017. Sean, her son, helped a fragile Yoko on stage to accept the National Music Publishers Association Centennial Song Award for ‘Imagine’ — one of the most important songs ever recorded.
Things were different in 1971, but in 2017, Yoko Ono was acknowledged for being the co-writer of ‘Imagine’.

“‘Rolling Stone’ described
‘Imagine’ as an enduring hymn of solace and promise that is carried us through extreme grief, from the shock of Lennon‘s own death in 1980 to the unspeakable horror of September 11th. It is now in impossible to imagine a world without ‘Imagine’, and we need it more than he ever dreamed”.
It wasn’t John‘s song alone, as he had said multiple times.
Yoko Ono finally received the credit…..that John said she deserved.

Last ….
….a very special acknowledgement to David Sheff …
He took on an ambitious project in writing this book …and did an outstanding job!!!
David Sheff moves me too!

Just ALL-AROUND GREAT!!!
A great treat - experience reading this book!!!
I loved it!!!

Super interesting to learn more about Yoko's life in Sheff's book. She is much more than a Beatle's wife! I found it enticing and exciting to read about her personal history. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I received this as a digital galley from NetGalley.

I was glad to see a comprehensive biography of Yoko Ono independent of John Lennon or any of the other Beatle wives and girlfriends. She had a career before and after her involvement of all of those folks.

I struggled with Sheff's objectivity (which I think he did too) but overall I found the biography to be very solid and well researched. It didn't make me want to revisit Yoko's music (sorry not sorry) but I have always appreciated her conceptual art, past and present. It was interesting to read about the development of her artistic identity and her childhood- both topics I did not know as much about.