AUTHOR UNCOVERS JOHN´LETTERS

More than 250 letters and cards sent by John Lennon to his family and friends are to be published for the first time.

Author Hunter Davies, who wrote the only official biography of The Beatles in the 1960s, is trying to track down every missive written by the singer.

"I've found a lot of letters that nobody's ever seen," he said.

Davies, whose book comes out next year, said it was the first time Lennon's widow Yoko Ono had given permission for his private letters to be published.

The author said there were "no dramatic revelations" but that the letters gave an insight into Lennon's life and his humour.

"You see him as a tortured soul," he said. "You see him being funny, you see him showing off, you see him depressed, you see him in different stages."

Davies has tracked down some correspondence through auction houses that have sold Lennon memorabilia over the years.

Relatives, members of the Beatles inner circle, memorabilia dealers and collectors have also given access to letters.

"His first reaction to any emotion, whether it was fury or amazement or hatred, was not really to go to the piano or the guitar," the author said of Lennon.

"He was just as likely to pick up a pen and write it. And he wrote such amusing letters.

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