This Geoffrey Stokes authored Beatles book belonged to American poet David Louis Posner. When he passed away, the book went into an estate sale where it was purchased by the person that I eventually bought it from. The special thing about this Beatles title is that the front and back cover was designed by none other than artist, Andy Warhol. The special element of the book for me is that Warhol signed the book. There are many connections to John and Yoko that Warhol had. Yoko was friends with Warhol and John interacted with Andy quite a lot when he first moved to NY. When John died, Yoko maintained a friendship with him and Andy even bought Sean Lennon, one of his first computers as a birthday present. Several rare interviews with John Lennon also appeared in Andy’s Interview magazine
Here is a biography of the poet that once owned the book
David Louis Posner-source-From the guide to the David Louis Posner papers, 1923–1957, (University of Delaware Library – Special Collections
American poet David Louis Posner was born August 6, 1921 in New York to Nell and Louis S. Posner. Although his father was born in Britain, he worked as a lawyer on Wall Street and later became Commissioner of Education for New York City. In 1945, Posner received his B.A. from Kenyon College where he majored in French and in 1947 he received his M.A. in English Literature from Harvard. After studying at the Sorbonne, he worked for two years with Radio Diffusion Française interviewing famous personalities.
During this time, he travelled extensively in Europe and pursued an interest in archeology. He accompanied an expedition searching for a Phoenician city in Libya and another working at the Palace of Minos in Crete. In 1953, Posner returned to formal academic pursuits and studied modern languages at Wadham College, Oxford. Posner’s poem, “The Deserted Altar,” won the Newdigate Prize for English Verse in 1956. From 1957-1969, Posner was an English instructor and Assistant Curator of Poetry at the State University of New York at Buffalo. He became an assistant professor of English at the University of California and remained there until 1973.
He published seven books of poetry, including The Deserted Altar (1957), A Rake’s Progress: A poem in five sections (1967), Visit to the East (1971) and Geographies (1979). Posner was also a life-long collector of first editions of literature until his death in 1985.
Contemporary Authors Online, Gale, 2004. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: The Gale Group. 2004. Additional information acquired from materials in collection.
From the guide to the David Louis Posner papers, 1923–1957, (University of Delaware Library – Special Collections)
Recently, I was able to acquire Warhol’s June 1972 interview with John and Yoko in Warhol’s Interview Magazine.
Also was able to acquire a rare John Lennon interview from 1974 from Warhol’s Interview Magazine, with Bette Midler on the cover, where John interviews himself in typical Lennon whimsical fashion!
A brief excerpt to give you the flavor of the self-interview
INTERVIEW/ INTERVIEW WITH BY/ ON JOHN LENNON AND/ OR DR. WINSTON O’BOOGIE
By John Lennon, Interview, Nov 1974
Q. Well, er, John it’s been a long time no speak….
…
A. Has it been that long?
Q. Probably, anyway, what have you been doing since we last talked?
A. Oh, the usual…….
Q. I see, well, weren’t you supposed to be making an oldies album with Phil (for is it he) Spector?
A. Yes, we started in ’73, but it never ended, even Alex beeinhisbonnet Bennett noticed that.
Q. Then suddenly, as it were, you were working with that great radio star, Harry (Buckminster) Nilsson.
A. Quite right! I produced his album, “Pussycats” out now, at a reasonable discount, then went on to make my own reasonably wonderful album, “Walls And Bridges” out now, which includes the fast rising single, “Whatever Gets You Thru The Night” featuring my close friend and fiancee, Elton John, on piano and vocal harmony.
Q. Do you feel that you new album, “Walls And Bridges” is a step forward in your never ending search for artistic fulfillment, the struggle of the lonely……..
A. I went to party in L.A., just to look at Liz Taylor, was I thrilled to meet her, and on top of everything, who, but who, do you think was all over her armpit? None other than the great, great show, David The Bowie! Wow! Was I thrilled to see that they were both smaller than me!
Q. The track I liked best was that miserable one about “Nobody loves you when…….”
Rolling Stone did a piece about Sean’s tribute song for Andy Warhol
Hear Sean Lennon’s Poignant Tribute to Andy Warhol – Rolling Stone
Hope you enjoyed this fascinating piece of memorabilia? Let me know in the comments below?
Buzz
Too bad the cover photo of Paul is printed backwards! ☹️
(I have this book though)
Very interesting feature. Typical Lennon humour about Elton John being his fiancée!