It's not as if John Lennon has suffered from a lack of biography, but properly writ Lennon tomes are always welcome by us fans. It can't hurt to remember that there was a time when giants rocked reality, and if someone gets inspired, all the better. Ken Sharp has authored a fine oral history called Starting Over: The Making of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's Double Fantasy (Gallery/VH1 Books), chronicling the last days and last album released in John's lifetime. John Lennon: Life Is What Happens (Krause Publications), by John M. Borack, is a coffee-table paperback potpourri of history, photos, memorabilia and quotes nicely designed for collectors. Both Sharp and Borack will read from their books, answer questions and, perhaps, display photos and artifacts. But the community service an event like this provides is a chance for fans to get together and huddle in the metaphorical cold while sharing our mutual inspiration. Remember that even John Lennon admitted he too was a fan, not only of Elvis but of a quartet called the Beatles.

Sun., Jan. 9, 5 p.m., 2011

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