The bleak and cruel ending of Randolf's Party, published in Lennon's first book In His Own Write 1964, reveals the dark element of the author's humour which is perhaps less evident in his drawings, particularly in this instance. [See lot 172] Lennon revealed that he typed a large proportion of the book whilst on tour: I typed a lot of the book and I can only type very slowly, so the stories are short because I couldn't be bothered going on. And all my life, I never quite got the idea of spelling. English and writing, fine, but ..I'd spell it as you say it - like Latin, really. Or just try and do it the simplest way, to get it over with, because all I'm trying to do is tell a story and what the words are spelt like is irrelevant. And if it makes you laugh because the word is spelt like that - great. The thing is the story and the sound of the word. I draw like I write. I just start to draw and if it looks like something vaguely to do with the story, I do it. An awful lot of the material was written while we were tour. I suppose it was all manifestations of hidden cruelties. They are very 'Alice In Wonderland' and 'Winnie The Pooh'. I was very hung up; it was my version of what was happening then...