Description

An insightful and revealing biography of Yoko Ono by the acclaimed author of the #1 New York Times bestseller, Beautiful Boy.

John Lennon famously said Yoko Ono was the world’s most renowned yet least understood artist: “Everybody knows her name, but no one knows what she does.” Often reduced to a background figure whose significance was tied solely to Lennon, Yoko has long been portrayed in popular culture as a mystery at best, and at worst, a manipulative villain. She became a caricature—branded unfairly as a sinister, vocal con artist and the woman responsible for breaking apart The Beatles. One of the most compelling sagas in music history has been incomplete for decades, overshadowing Yoko’s real story with misconceptions driven by sexism and racism.

This groundbreaking biography finally puts Yoko Ono at center stage. Independent of her relationship with Lennon, Yoko’s journey is extraordinary: from her privileged upbringing in pre-war Tokyo and traumatic experiences during World War II, to her influential role within avant-garde artistic circles in New York, London, and Tokyo. This book thoroughly explores her pioneering contributions to art, music, feminism, and social activism. The narrative also confronts the immense pressures and unjust attacks she endured at the center of a media storm, falsely accused of an unforgivable cultural offense—ending the most iconic rock band in history.

Nearly fifty years in creation, this biography draws on author David Sheff’s long-standing friendship with Yoko Ono, dating back to their 1980 meeting when he interviewed both Yoko and John Lennon only months before Lennon’s tragic murder. In the painful aftermath, Sheff closely witnessed Yoko’s struggle to rebuild her life amidst threats, betrayal, and unyielding public scrutiny. Through personal insight gained over decades as well as extensive interviews with Yoko herself, her family, collaborators, and inner circle, Sheff presents an intimate, comprehensive portrayal of one of the most unique personalities and creative forces of the past century.

Harrowing, deeply affecting, fast-paced, and brilliantly engaging, this biography restores Yoko Ono’s identity, not only rehabilitating her image but further elevating her to the iconic stature she truly deserves.