Beatles Books
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Kathryn O:
Pete Shotten's book is a great read about his life with John. It reads like a comedy movie. The one written by John's half sister is also good. reads like a deep family drama.
Yeah--I have both and I agree!
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Kathryn O:
Pete Shotten's book is a great read about his life with John. It reads like a comedy movie. The one written by John's half sister is also good. reads like a deep family drama.
The book by Julia Baird is the basis for the wonderful film "Nowhere Boy."
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I don't think any truly good book has been written about Paul that covers his post-Beatles years, which is most of his life. All the bios just skim over it. That's a book that needs to be written!
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beatlesfanrandy:
I don't think any truly good book has been written about Paul that covers his post-Beatles years, which is most of his life. All the bios just skim over it. That's a book that needs to be written!
I agree, which is why I'm really looking forward to this Man on the Run: Paul McCartney n the 70s book coming out in September, and even Philip Norman's Paul bio in 2015 (even though he hates Paul, Paul has approved him writing it, so that's probably as good as we're gonna get). As good as I think Many Years From Now is, the book ends his career with 1970, apart from discussion of his painting and art projects in the 80s/90s.
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^Norman has a tendency to gloss over John and Yoko's flaws (he ADORES them) and exacerbate Paul's...Shout! is a painful read because of it. He was a bit more even-handed with his (surprisingly) good Lennon bio...funny fact about that book is that Yoko commissioned him to write the authorized Lennon bio. Norman went out of his way to paint Yoko in a positive light, even though he actually does a fairly good job bringing up some darker parts of John. And Yoko refused to give the final book her stamp of approval because she thought it made her look bad! What a joke! He published it anyway and it's actually pretty good. If he can do that for Paul, I'll be happy, although his deep-seated bias against Paul (as well as George and Ringo) really ruined Shout! (or as Paul has called it in numerous interviews, Shit!).
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I started collecting Beatles books in the 70's or late 60's really. First was the fantastic Beatles Illustrated Lyrics by Alan Aldridge. Always enjoyed his art, he also did the cover of Elton John's Captain Fantastic. And of course there was The Beatles (authorized biography) by Hunter Davies, always a great read. After the break-up came the devastating Rolling Stone Interviews with John Lennon, and still the best book on the rise and fall of Apple called Apple to the Core. Later in the 70's there were the first band histories, The Beatles Forever by Nicholas Schaffner which was the best written account to that time, and the fantastic Beatles: An Illustrated Record with the best full color photos. I also had this wonderful Japanese collection of photos by the great photographer Dezo Hoffman also just called The Beatles. I'll cap my early collection with the great book by Playboy Press called The Playboy Interviews with John Lennon and Yoko Ono. The unabridged interviews in book form are still to me the best interviews ever with Lennon, or any of the group, and give the most insight into Lennon and the band he created.
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I have about 150 Beatle related books! Will have to think about this for a bit. Maybe you could start us off with an older book that most of us have read and we can discuss it.
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I had Pete Shotton's book. Nobody can say it's not lively and "revealing" ops: He gave way too much information about his and John's early adolescent sexual exploits, but was exuberant and very open (a little too open) about it. Offered vivid anecdotes not just of naughty escapades but vivid scenes from their shared past. Shotton might have made it sound like he was more important to John Lennon later on than in reality. He wrote about several longish visits to John in New York not too long before the tragedy, and I never read elsewhere about those. I suppose that doesn't mean it didn't happen.
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The book George Harrison: Behind the Locked Door by Graeme Thomson only seems to be available from the Amazon.uk website for some reason. Looks like a pretty good book and with shipping it comes to approximately $35. It's gotten a pretty good review and after doing the "Look Inside" it seems to read quite well. I placed an order for this book and would be interested in comments by others that have read it.
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Erik in NJ:
The book George Harrison: Behind the Locked Door by Graeme Thomson only seems to be available from the Amazon.uk website for some reason. Looks like a pretty good book and with shipping it comes to approximately $35. It's gotten a pretty good review and after doing the "Look Inside" it seems to read quite well. I placed an order for this book and would be interested in comments by others that have read it.
I reviewed that book on my site: http://rnrchemist.blogspot.com/2013/11/book-review-george-harrison-behind.html It's fantastic...I highly HIGHLY recommend it. The definitive book on George, hands down.
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Mark Lewinsohn's great book entitled Tune In is also available only from the UK as an Extended Special Edition. The price is currently £80.64 plus shipping to the US. Here's the description: This extended special edition of Mark Lewisohn's magisterial book Tune In is a true collector's item, featuring hundreds of thousands of words of extra material, as well as many extra photographs. It is the complete, uncut and definitive biography of the Beatles' early years, from their family backgrounds through to the moment they're on the cusp of their immense breakthrough at the end of 1962. Designed, printed and bound in Great Britain, this high-quality edition consists of two beautifully produced individual hardbacks printed on New Langely Antique Wove woodfree paper, with red-and-white head and tail bands and red ribbon marker. The two books will sit within a specially designed box and lid featuring soft touch and varnish finishes. The whole product comes shrinkwrapped for extra protection. Mark Lewisohn's biography is the first true and accurate account of the Beatles, a contextual history built upon impeccable research and written with energy, style, objectivity and insight. This extended special edition is for anyone who wishes to own the complete story in all its stunning and extraordinary detail. This is genuinely, and without question, the lasting word from the world-acknowledged authority.
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^I've got both the standard edition and the deluxe...I've read the standard and the deluxe is on my pile to read and review. It is a handsome volume but for what you actually get, it's vastly overprice, and I got it even cheaper than that price you have above!
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I'm no Dr. Beatle in terms of the breadth of Beatles books I've read, but I have the Extended Edition, and I think it's worth every penny! It's like going to a great art museum and getting a wonderful tour guide who educates you about a few select pieces - each piece is presented in its historical/cultural context. Lewisohn conveys the Beatles story with enthralling attention to *their times*. I believe that when I finish _Tune In_, I'll have a deep understanding of the backgrounds and events that shaped each guy's character and why *those 4 people* came together and changed the world.
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CAA:
I'm no Dr. Beatle in terms of the breadth of Beatles books I've read, but I have the Extended Edition, and I think it's worth every penny! It's like going to a great art museum and getting a wonderful tour guide who educates you about a few select pieces - each piece is presented in its historical/cultural context. Lewisohn conveys the Beatles story with enthralling attention to *their times*. I believe that when I finish _Tune In_, I'll have a deep understanding of the backgrounds and events that shaped each guy's character and why *those 4 people* came together and changed the world.
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CAA:
I'm no Dr. Beatle in terms of the breadth of Beatles books I've read, but I have the Extended Edition, and I think it's worth every penny! It's like going to a great art museum and getting a wonderful tour guide who educates you about a few select pieces - each piece is presented in its historical/cultural context. Lewisohn conveys the Beatles story with enthralling attention to *their times*. I believe that when I finish _Tune In_, I'll have a deep understanding of the backgrounds and events that shaped each guy's character and why *those 4 people* came together and changed the world.
Totally agree, he's done a great job. The worst part is having to wait so many years for Volume 2...and then Volume 3!
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After my final cataract surgery tomorrow, it will no longer be painful to read, and I should be finished with the US version in no time. I have about 1/8th left. Looking forward to reading the rest of it.
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Perhaps you guys will be interested, but I recently interviewed author Dave Schwensen, who wrote the recent excellent book The Beatles at Shea Stadium: http://rnrchemist.blogspot.com/2014/04/interview-with-dave-schwensen-author-of.html A link to my review of his book is contained within the interview...this was one of the most enjoyable interviews I've done so far, hope you guys like it! Likewise I interviewed Paolo Hewitt about his book Fab Gear: The Beatles and Fashion: http://rnrchemist.blogspot.com/2014/03/interview-with-paolo-hewitt-author-of.html (again, a link to my review of his book is in there as well)