I just recently read the
New York Years with Bob Gruen and found it to be pretty good.
http://www.amazon.com/John-Lennon-Ne.../dp/1584794321
It gives a good pictoral (if that what you are after) history from 1970 on..
Gruen was in his inner circle so you get all the dirt with him making quotes
such as "laughing all the way to the bank"
After reading it I found it interesting that SY were forming with the same month or two of his death in the same city