A fast-paced and highly informative book on John Lennon the activist in America in 1971. About the causes he stood for and the power he wielded--inspiring a nation and terrifying a government. About the solo albums, the controversial television appearances, the causes, and the key players. Based on original interviews by the author with Lennon's American band, The Elephant's Memory; leaders of the anti-war and feminist movements who knew the man; and other cultural and political figures who were part of Lennon's American journey. "The Walrus and the Elephants" is a look back at a time of great change, and at the John Lennon who joined the revolution, through the eyes of those who dreamed, rallied, fought, and made music alongside him.

In late 1971 John Lennon left London and pop stardom behind and moved to New York City, eager to join a youth movement rallying for social justice and an end to the Vietnam War. Lennon was embraced by radicals and revolutionaries, the hippies and Yippies at odds with the establishment. Settling in Greenwich Village, the former Beatle was soon on the front lines of the antiwar movement, championing causes and inspiring solidarity--and suspicion. Seen as a savior by a generation in need of cultural heroes, Lennon was just as passionately hounded by a government anxious to silence enemies within its borders.
"The Walrus and the Elephants" is told by the unlikely cast of friends, among them the members of Elephant's Memory, who were some of the few who got to know the man behind the Beatle. Exclusive interviews include writer and feminist leader Gloria Steinem; Congressional Black Caucus cofounder Ron Dellums; "Chicago Seven" veteran Rennie Davis; immigration attorney Leon Wildes; and legendary poet-activist John Sinclair, whose imprisonment for marijuana--ten years for two joints--kicked off Lennon's American journey.
It was a busy year of making music and controversial TV appearances, allies and enemies. It was a time of great change in America, one that saw the end of the movements of the sixties, the beginning of a new era. "The Walrus and the Elephants" is a look back at that time and at the John Lennon who joined the revolution, through the eyes of those who dreamed, rallied, and fought alongside him.

Applegate: Freedom of the Press in a Small Town is a slice of Americana as told by Armada Times Editor James Mitchell, along with Lindsey Kingston, student editor of the paper's high school section. Mitchell took over as editor of the Times in the wake of a lawsuit that had been filed by its publisher against the local school board, initiating one of the many First Amendment battles that would be waged during his two-year tenure. While the content of most rural weeklies typically runs to favorite recipes and homecoming game reports, the Times would open up a forum on issues including gay rights and gun control. Mitchell is applauded by many, particularly for involving high school students as both writers and readers of the local newspaper. Others, however, took exception to the new direction, often with a claim that "you can't print that " Applegate offers a behind the scenes look at the politics and personalities of a small town and its newspaper. The editor's belief in a community is echoed by the conviction that a newspaper can, indeed, print that.