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Beatlebone transports John Lennon to an uninhabited island

In his critically praised new novel, Kevin Barry imagines a trip John Lennon might have taken to an Irish island he really did purchase.

The late John Lennon was an international icon — but also something of an enigma. Many have wondered what was really going on behind those little round glasses. 

With a bit of research and a lot of imagination, Irish author Kevin Barry has crafted one theory. His new novel Beatlebone springboards from a true fact: the ex-Beatle once bought an uninhabited island off the coast of Ireland that he rarely visited.

Barry imagines a fatigued and fame-burdened Lennon on a pilgrimage to that island in 1978, seeking solitude, reflection and a place to let out some primal screams. 

The author joins guest host Gill Deacon to share what happens next.