Author Hunter Davies is preparing a book that will feature a wide variety of letters and cards John Lennon wrote to friends and family during his lifetime, BBC News reports. Davies, who wrote the only Beatles biography authorized by the band during the 1960s, discussed the project -- titled The Lennon Letters -- on Saturday during the annual Beatles Convention in Liverpool, England.

"I've found a lot of letters that nobody's ever seen," Davies revealed, among them private correspondence that Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, gave him permission to publish. He used various other sources to gain access to the late rock icon's writings, including memorabilia collectors and dealers, and friends, relatives and associates of Lennon.

Davies says reading the Beatles legend's letters will give fans a greater understanding of his personality. "You see him as a tortured soul," he explained. "You see him being funny, you see him showing off, you see him depressed, you see him in different stages."

Davies also praised Lennon for the wit and inventiveness he incorporated into his correspondence, saying, "When he wrote a letter or a postcard to somebody, he saw it as a challenge to write a unique piece for them and to amuse them and respond to their humor."

The Lennon Letters reportedly is scheduled to be published in October 2012.

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