In this moving memoir, John Lennon's sister Julia finally reveals the full extent of the pain and difficulties — as well as the happier times — of life inside John Lennon's family. Julia introduces readers to the various strong, self-willed women who surrounded John as he grew up and offers an insider's look at the cruel consequences of five-year-old John being taken from his mother's custody and put in the care of his aunt Mimi. Later, the author holds nothing back as she tells how she and then 17-year-old John confronted their mother's sudden and tragic death in an auto accident. Poignant, raw and beautifully written, The Private John Lennon casts new light on the source of his emotional fragility and musical genius. It is also one family's extraordinary story of the love they held for each other, their struggles with fame, and the terrible series of tragedies that culminated in John's murder.