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BOOK REVIEWS
Countless books have been written about them to aid in our
obsession. Below is information and my reviews on a variety of books
written about the Fab Four.
Have you written a Beatles book? I'd love
to read it and add a review of it here. Contact
me for more info!
(the newest reviews are at the bottom)
Rating system:
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not worth the time I spent
reading it |
| * * |
a few good pictures, not much
substance |
| * * * |
meh |
| * * * * |
very good but some minor flaws |
| * * * * * |
excellent; very entertaining -
definitely a must-read |
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* * * * *
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The Beatles Anthology
by The Beatles |
back cover...
"Created with their full cooperation, The Beatles Anthology is, in
effect, The Beatles' autobiography. Like their music, which has been a
part of so many of our lives, this landmark release is warm, frank, funny,
poignant and bold. At last, here is The Beatles' own story. Each
page is brimming with personal stories and rare, vintage images.
Includes over 340,000 words and over 1300 images, including unseen
photographs and personal memorabilia."
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my review...
I don't know how any level of praise could possibly do this book any
justice. It's the definitive Beatles book - it describes their entire
history, starting with the birth of each Beatle. Finally, the fans get
to learn about The Beatles from the mouths of the Fab Four themselves. |
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The Beatles Unseen Archives: Photographs From the Daily Mail
compiled by Tim Hill and Marie Clayton |
back cover...
"With 600 photographs selected from the archives of the Daily Mail, The
Beatles: Unseen Archives comprehensively chronicles the heady years in
which the group bestrode the world like a Colossus. The collection
includes over 200 photographs from negatives never previously printed and
they are published here for the first time."
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my review...
I love this book for it's amazingly thorough nature - it contains incredibly
complete and detailed timelines of the Beatles' careers. The photos
are, of course, amazing. It's definitely one of the best photo
compilations I've seen. |
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The Love You Make: An Insider's Story of The Beatles
by Peter Brown and
Steven Gaines |
back cover...
"Here is the national bestseller that Newsday called 'the most
authoritative and candid look yet at the personal lives...of the
oft-scrutinized group.' In The Love You Make, Peter Brown, a
close friend of and business manager for the band - and the best man at John
and Yoko's wedding - presents a complete look at the dramatic offstage
odyssey of the four lads from Liverpool who established the greatest music
phenomenon of the twentieth century. Written with the full cooperation
of each of the group's members and their intimates, this book tells the
inside story of the music and the madness, the feuds and the drugs, the
marriages and the affairs - from the greatest heights to the
self-destructive depths of the Fab Four.
"In-depth and definitive, The Love You Make is an astonishing account
of four men who transformed the way a whole generation of young people
thought and lived. It reigns as the most comprehensive, revealing
biography available of John, Paul, George, and Ringo."
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my review...
This is definitely one of the most engrossing Beatles biographies that I've
read so far - Brown paints a fascinating picture of the Fab Four,
illustrating their mishaps as well as their achievements. It's
definitely a unique "insider's" story, and I suppose his relationship with
The Beatles makes him a bit more believable than otherwise. A lot of
lesser-known stories are told, and most of them are quite fascinating or at
least amusing. Still, since Brown was so close to them, he often feels
it's his proper place to criticize them (Paul especially) instead of just
examining their lives objectively. |
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Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now
by Barry Miles |
back cover...
"Based on hundreds of hours of exclusive interviews undertaken over a period
of five years by Barry Miles, and on complete access to McCartney's own
archives, this is Paul McCartney in his own words. It is a history
from the inside of one of the greatest song-writing partnerships of the
century. It is the private life of a man made public property - a
Beatle - by the age of twenty-one. It is the trajectory of the most
popular pop group in history, from beginnings to break-up. At its
centre, of course, is Paul McCartney's relationship with John Lennon - as a
friend, collaborator, as a part of 'Lennon/McCartney' - two young guys from
Liverpool who went on to change the world - and finally as bitter rivals in
a struggle for the soul and the business control of the Beatles.
McCartney recalls the genesis of every song he and Lennon wrote together and
talks in fascinating detail about how they worked and who was responsible
for which line, which melody."
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my review...
This is possibly one of the best Beatles-books I've ever read. Written
with Paul's sanction and a great deal of assistance from him, it delves into
654 pages worth of his life, so it's bound to please any Paul-fan. |
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* * * * |
The Beatles Way: Fab Wisdom For Everyday Life
by Larry Lange |
back cover...
"Thirty-one years after the Fab Four disbanded, Beatlemania continues in
full swing. The group’s latest CD, 1, is one of the fastest-selling records
in history; their biography, Anthology, is a bestseller; and a new
generation is falling under their spell. By analyzing the Beatles’
extraordinary journey, Larry Lange has discerned specific principles that
illustrate how to live more profound, richer, and happier lives. These
principles include harnessing the power of dreaming, learning to set and
meet goals, dealing with fear of the unknown, working as a team while
remaining self-sufficient, keeping dreams fresh, and remaining open to
spirituality and social responsibility. The book offers these principles of
success and the exuberance of the Beatles as an alternative to traditional
personal growth books."
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my review...
I love this book...it deserves five stars for the concept alone. What
Beatles fan wouldn't be tempted by a book about Beatles-based philosophy?
Lange does a fantastic job illustrating the effects the Beatles have had on
culture - not just in terms of musical taste, but in terms of life-enriching
philosophy as well. |
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The Beatles
by Hunter Davies |
back cover...
"In this behind-the-scenes look at the most famous musical group in history,
Hunter Davies gives the complete story of the Beatles. First published
in 1968, this revised edition has added information including a new
introduction and three updated appendices: Beatles Places, Beatles
Memorabilia, and Beatles Books. As the only authorized biographer
Davies had full access to the Fab Four, as well as their help and
encouragement. He spent eighteen months with them when they were at
the peak of their musical genius and at the pinnacle of their popularity,
making a mark on history and popular culture that would never fade.
Davies stayed on with the Beatles through their breakup and remained friends
with the individual members afterwards, enabling him to write the continuing
story of their solo careers. His is the inside story that 'does
not shy away from any mean and gritty little facts' (The New Yorker).
Full of photographs, letters, and memorabilia, this is a book no Beatles
junkie - or any fan of rock music - should be without."
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my review... This is definitely the best Beatles biography I've read.
Davies was able to get a lot of "inside" information since the project was
an officially-sanctioned one. One of my favorite portions of the book
is the author's account of the Lennon/McCartney songwriting process; he was
permitted to sit in on some of their songwriting sessions during the Sgt.
Pepper's era, and he recounts an absolutely fascinating process of
geniuses at work. The book is incredibly thorough; any bits that were
left out in the original publication (because of protests from family
members, etc.) are mentioned in the expanded forward. Definitely a
must-read. |
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Beatlesongs
by William J. Dowlding |
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back cover...
"Drawing together information from sources that include interviews,
insider accounts, magazines, and news wire services, this is a complete
profile of every Beatles song ever written -- from recording details such as
who played which instruments and sang what harmonies to how each song fared
on the charts and how other musicians and critics felt about it.
Chronologically arranged by U.K. release date, Beatlesongs nails down
dates, places, participants, and other intriguing facts in a truly
remarkable portrait of the Liverpudlian legends.
"Behind each song is a story -- like Paul's
criticism of George's guitar playing during the Rubber Soul sessions,
John's acid trip during the Sgt. Pepper's session, and the selection
process for the Revolver album cover. And carefully examined along
the way are the Beatles' evolving musical talents, their stormy private
lives, and their successful -- and unsuccessful -- collaborations.
"Beatlesongs
is truly an inside look at the Fab Four and a treasure for all their fans."
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my review... I love this book. It's the ultimate reference
manual for Beatle nerds. It provides insight into the inspiration of
every Beatles song with telling quotes, and it also contains handy lists of
instruments used on each song, who played what, etc. |
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Every Little Thing
by Maxwell Mackenzie |
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back cover...
"John, Paul, George and Ringo still rule! The music of the most
important and popular group ever fills the airwaves to this day, winning a
new generation of fans to the fold almost thirty years after the quartet
disbanded. For everyone who has ever been entranced by the Beatles' joyful,
electrifying magic, Every Little Thing offers a treasury of
fascinating facts, trivia and remarkable behind-the-scenes revelations--from
the wild days and wilder nights at Germany's Cavern Club to their last day
together in the recording studio. Here is a book packed with choice,
little-known tidbits about the "Fab Four:" the groundbreaking album they
recorded in one session; the famous faces that were removed from the "Sgt.
Pepper" cover; the misunderstanding that sparked an explosive political
melee in Manila. Aficionados will flock to this incomparable volume, which
provides everything you ever wanted to know--and more--about the phenomenal
group that changed popular music forever." |
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my review... This book has the occasional interesting Beatle tidbit, but
it's mostly filled with "facts" that are already well-known to most veteran
Beatlefans. Some of the facts are even a bit disputable. It
could prove to be a fun book to people who are first getting into the
Beatles, but even then, it's rather dry. |
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Book Reviews