A masterful accounting of this contentious relationship. Brings up a lot of great details I hadn't previously heard.

John Lennon vs. The U.S.A. is a detailed account of John and Yoko's 4+ year deportation legal battle written by their lead attorney Leon Wildes. While there is some wonderful insight into both John and Yoko this is not about them in the way a biography would be but rather about the case and their lives during this very specific time.

I came to this as both a Beatle and a John Lennon fan as well as someone skeptical of much about our government when under despotic administrations, in this case Nixon's and currently the cheeto-in-chief. As a Lennon fan I appreciated what he went through, and was willing to go through, to stand up for what he believed in and to stand by what was in Yoko's interest (child custody). As a fan of commentary about abusive politics and bureaucracy I learned a lot about how those abuses can be accomplished and, as a lesson for contemporary times, what to watch for when an anti-democracy despot is in power.

The reading is lively considering the nature of the material (mostly legalese) and touches as much on the humanity of everyone involved as it does about the convoluted laws and rules which permit and even encourage abuse.

I would recommend this to anyone interested in either John Lennon or learning what to watch for under illegitimate and undemocratic administrations.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.

This was an interesting book. I am a Beatles fan so I like to read about their different lives and experiences.

While I consider myself a big fan of The Beatles and well-versed in much of the lives of its members, I knew very little about the over 4 years that John Lennon fought deportation by the US government.

This book, written by Lennon's immigration lawyer, is a fascinating look at a legal battle that influences immigration today. I couldn't help but think of the parallels going on 40 years on.

While some of the book felt repetitive, I never felt overwhelmed by legal jargon. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in John Lennon or in the government's influence in immigration matters.

Thanks to NetGalley for a review copy of this book.