Jude Southerland Kessler, the world’s leading authority on the life of John Lennon, will release Volume 5 in "The John Lennon Series" titled "Shades of Life Part 1".

"Shades of Life Part 1" follows The Beatles through the first half of 1965, including the making of the "Help!" movie and soundtrack, their European Tour, The Beatles' MBE nomination and the first fissure in The Beatles unity as Paul McCartney records his solo song, "Yesterday." The year would also see John Lennon publishing his second book of poetry and prose - "A Spaniard in the Works", and struggling with staid, married life in the stockbroker belt.

Kessler’s John Lennon Series takes readers chronologically through his life. The first four volumes - "Shoulda Been There", "Shivering Inside", "She Loves You" and "Should Have Known Better". With a personal library of over 500 Beatles-related books and multi-media resources, Kessler undertook seven trips to Liverpool, England to interview Lennon’s childhood friends, early band members, art college mates, and business associates before embarking on writing the series, which is told in a narrative history format and heavily documented.

Kessler completed high school in three years and when “she was just seventeen,” she went on to Northwestern State University, Louisana, where she earned two degrees (English and history) in three years. She immediately won a graduate assistantship to The University of Maryland in 1974 and received her master’s degree in English in 1976. She’s taught on the junior high and high school levels and was an English instructor at The University of Maryland and Troy State University, Alabama. Kessler also has a paralegal degree in Law Research.

In 1986, Kessler began her research into The John Lennon Series, a 9-volume work on the life of John Lennon. Establishing a reputation as the leading Lennon expert, Kessler began speaking to organizations across the United States writing for the Kansas City Beatlefan magazine. She’s interviewed U.S.-residing Beatles figures such as May Pang, George Harrison’s sister, Louise; reporter Larry Kane, Angie and Ruth McCartney, and journalist Ivor Davis.

Kesller hosts “The John Lennon Hour” on BeatlesARama Radio and BlogTalk Radio, and she’s been featured on BBC’s “Up All Night,” Rod Quinn’s ABC Radio “Up All Night” from Australia, May Pang & Cynthia Neilsen’s “Dinner Specials” among many other radio and personal appearances. She currently co-hosts the Podcast "She Said, She Said," with author Lanea Stagg.

Purchase a copy of Jude's book "Shades Of Live Part 1" along with the rest of her book in the John Lennon Series go to her website: https://www.johnlennonseries.com

Listen to a playlist of the music discussed in this episode: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/42XRQ4wfoOwTBw9UESaeQv?si=11119df6622947e7

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