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Post by bertonebeatle on Jan 10, 2009 17:59:30 GMT -5
I'll get into why later when I have more time but off the top of my head (and I'm sure I'm forgetting some)
Beatles Anthology Beatle by Pete Best John by Cynthia Loving John by May Pang Many Years From Now by Barry Mills and Paul McCartney (very informative)
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JMG
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Post by JMG on Jan 31, 2009 15:19:56 GMT -5
I have many favorite Beatle books, here's the most recent. HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE: My Life Recording the Music of THE BEATLES by Geoff Emerick I found it to be a very interesting read, one of those books that are difficult to put down once you get started.
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Post by OldFred on Jan 31, 2009 16:13:09 GMT -5
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Post by winstonoboogie on Jan 31, 2009 20:42:45 GMT -5
I would add "Beatles Forever" by Nicholas Schaffner (R.I.P. ) One of the more balanced (non-authorized) Beatles books IMHO.
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JMG
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Post by JMG on Feb 1, 2009 13:48:03 GMT -5
I would add "Beatles Forever" by Nicholas Schaffner (R.I.P. ) One of the more balanced (non-authorized) Beatles books IMHO. 'Beatles Forever' is a great book. I've had it in my library for years, IIRC published in 1977. I didn't know Nicholas Schaffner had passed on. Sad news. I'm currently re-reading another one of my favorites, 'Growing Up With The Beatles' by Ron Schaumberg. Lots of fun stories and great pictures. My copy included a Beatles poster.
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greg
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Post by greg on Feb 12, 2009 10:42:05 GMT -5
The Day John Met Paul is an obscure book but really fascinating. The guy took years to write and hour-by-hour account of the day John and Paul met. It's just an odd idea that worked well for a book.
Allistair Taylor's book was pretty cool.
So many more...
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Post by John S. Damm on Feb 12, 2009 13:03:41 GMT -5
The Day John Met Paul is an obscure book but really fascinating. The guy took years to write and hour-by-hour account of the day John and Paul met. It's just an odd idea that worked well for a book. Agreed wholeheartedly. This is a must read for any Beatles' fan. It is in the style of a historical novel: well researched and factually very accurate yet written in a very moving style. Sure, not every word of dialog may have been actually spoken but Jim O'Donnell did enough research and spoke to enough people actually there to be as accurate in reconstructing the John and Paul meeting as one could be for an event not filmed or recorded(there are recordings of the Quarrymen's performance that afternoon). I compare it in pure quality completely and without hesitation to The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara, a moving historical novel about the three day battle of Gettysburg in the American Civil War. The Day John Met Paul is simply that good. And I would love to have the audio version of the book as read by Rod Davis, one of the Quarry Men there that day. I met Rod at a Beatlefest and he is a true gentleman. When Eric Griffiths, another original member of the Quarry Men, passed away a few years ago, I got a personal e-mail response from Rod to an e- condolence I sent. Here is a plug for the book: www.dayjohnmetpaul.com/
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greg
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Post by greg on Feb 13, 2009 0:23:35 GMT -5
I can't tell you how happy I am to hear someone else's appreciation for that book. I've read it a few times, and it's suspenseful to me every time even though I've known the ending before I even read the book once. Can you imagine if someone had actually, somehow filmed that meeting? Magic. I visited that church in early '80 and just wandered around trying to imagine the goings on that day.
Waiting for the Beatles is another odd account I liked (Carol Bedford?). Pete Shotton's has some great stories too.
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Post by Steve Marinucci on Feb 13, 2009 0:35:24 GMT -5
I can't tell you how happy I am to hear someone else's appreciation for that book. I've read it a few times, and it's suspenseful to me every time even though I've known the ending before I even read the book once. Can you imagine if someone had actually, somehow filmed that meeting? Magic. I visited that church in early '80 and just wandered around trying to imagine the goings on that day. Waiting for the Beatles is another odd account I liked (Carol Bedford?). Pete Shotton's has some great stories too. When I talked to Lizzie Bravo, who was also around Apple at that time (she was one of the voices on "Across the Universe"), she said Bedford's book was very inaccurate.
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greg
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Post by greg on Feb 13, 2009 7:59:45 GMT -5
Dang. Sad to hear but good to know that.
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Post by joeyself on Feb 13, 2009 13:55:26 GMT -5
I read it, and thought it was OK, but could have been better. When the author was speculating on what Paul or John was thinking, or setting a scene as it MAY have been, he should have used italics to separate the actual research--which was good--from the parts that are at best historical fiction.
My copy was bought at Beatlefest '96 and autographed by the author.
JcS
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Joseph McCabe
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Post by Joseph McCabe on Feb 13, 2009 18:08:31 GMT -5
I read it, and thought it was OK, but could have been better. When the author was speculating on what Paul or John was thinking, or setting a scene as it MAY have been, he should have used italics to separate the actual research--which was good--from the parts that are at best historical fiction. No, no, no! Far too academic an approach. For the genre of histrorical fiction ["faction"?], it HAS to be assumed that the reader KNOWS that there is going to be factual material, and there is going to be invention. THE important thing in this genre is a good read. If the reader wants to know which is fact, and which invention, he is going to have to do some research himself. Making this dichotomy obvious is NOT the job of an author in this genre. I don't want to seem arrogant, but I do have some experience in the publishing industry - and I can tell you that what joeyself suggests is not appropriate if you want sales! McCabe
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Post by Steve Marinucci on Feb 13, 2009 19:15:57 GMT -5
I read it, and thought it was OK, but could have been better. When the author was speculating on what Paul or John was thinking, or setting a scene as it MAY have been, he should have used italics to separate the actual research--which was good--from the parts that are at best historical fiction. No, no, no! Far too academic an approach. For the genre of histrorical fiction ["faction"?], it HAS to be assumed that the reader KNOWS that there is going to be factual material, and there is going to be invention. THE important thing in this genre is a good read. If the reader wants to know which is fact, and which invention, he is going to have to do some research himself. Making this dichotomy obvious is NOT the job of an author in this genre. I don't want to seem arrogant, but I do have some experience in the publishing industry - and I can tell you that what joeyself suggests is not appropriate if you want sales! McCabe It's not sales he's talking about, JMcC. He's talking about historical accuracy. Personally, I really dislike most fictionalized books. Chet Flippo's Hank Williams book comes to mind. On the other hand, Jude Southerland Kessler's book on John Lennon is really well done. She did her homework. When the added parts don't fit it, the book doesn't work. It happens all too often when authors try to presume dialog.
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Joseph McCabe
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Post by Joseph McCabe on Feb 13, 2009 19:26:51 GMT -5
If you want historical accuracy, you don't read a book like The Day John Met Paul.
And you definitely don't italicize the "true" bits, and leave the rest romanized! Honestly, how distracting and irrelvant to the author's purpose would that be!
But for its genre, it is REALLY good - the book is tight, well-paced, and conveys very well that this is an important day.
McCabe
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Post by vectisfabber on Feb 13, 2009 21:34:25 GMT -5
Revolution in the Head - Ian Macdonald Roy Carr and Tony Tyler's book (old, but still good) Lewisohn's Live, Complete Recording Sessions, Chronicle Love me do (can't remember the author) - excellent early fly-on-the-wall Bob Spitz's biography - an awful lot of it, but good on the early years Philip Norman's Lennon - ditto The Rolling Stone and Playboy Lennon interviews
That'll do for now.
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Post by Steve Marinucci on Feb 13, 2009 21:50:16 GMT -5
The Beatles - Hunter Davies Beatles Forever - Nicholas Schaffner All of John C. Winn's books The Beatles - Bob Spitz Lennon Remembers - Jann Wenner Here, There and Everywhere - Geoff Emerick The Beatles - Allan Kozinn The Beatles Anthology
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greg
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Post by greg on Feb 14, 2009 1:16:09 GMT -5
Northern Songs. Those Were the Days. B's Forever Koznin's Emerick's All You Need is Ears
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Post by OldFred on Feb 14, 2009 9:15:46 GMT -5
The Beatles - Hunter Davies The Beatles Forever - Nicholas Schaffner The Beatles Are Coming! - Bruce Spizer Come Together: JOHN LENNON IN HIS TIME - Jon Wiener All Together Now - Harry Castleman & Walter J. Podrazik Drugs, Divorce and a Slipping Image - Doug Sulpy & Ray Schweighardt Lennon - Ray Coleman The Man Who Made The Beatles: Brian Epstein - Ray Coleman I, Me, Mine - George Harrison Postcards From The Boys - Ringo Starr The Beatles Anthology - The Beatles
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Post by superhans on Feb 14, 2009 10:08:51 GMT -5
I'm going out on a bit of a limb here, but I really enjoyed Peter Brown's book, 'The love you make'. I know that it's written in a rather self-aggrandising style and one or two people have questioned the book's veracity, but I was quite prepared to take it with a pinch of salt and thought that it was a good insider's account.
Other than that, it would have to be:
Roy Carr and Tony Tyler 'The Beatles an illustrated record' - a brilliant introduction to the Beatles in both words and pictures
Ian MacDonald's 'Revolution in the Head' - opinionated but compelling song-by-song appraisal of the Bealtes work
Mark Lewishohn - 'The Beatles Chronicles' - brilliantly-compiled chronological overview of the Beatles life and times
Geoff Emerick 'Here, There and Eveywhere' - again another 'insider's' book, whose objectivity and accuracy have been questioned, but still an interesting, unique account.
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Post by Panther on Feb 17, 2009 0:02:58 GMT -5
There are so many Beatle-related books that it might better to divide them into different categories:
Comprehensive Biographies of The Beatles:
-- The Beatles by Bob Spitz (2005): the best, overall; benefits from being new and having had access to up-to-date archival finds, but the author painstakingly searched out the widest possible variety of sources, which, for once, someone professionally documented.
I've never read another band bio that satisfied me. It's probably fascinating to go back to The Beatles by Hunter Davies (1968) because it was the only authorized one and they were still together when it was published, but of course you can't take it seriously as a critical biography. Philip Norman's book is irresponsible, uninformed, and should be avoided.
When I was in Brooklyn Heights last October, I found a copy of a Beatles' bio that was from 1973, and seemed to be extremely well-written. It had some sound musical analysis and also biographical information. But I forgot what the book was called. Anyone know this??
I did read some of The Beatles Forever (1977) by Schaffner many years ago, but I don't remember it that well. It was good. Of course, it's dated now, but it covers everything up to the late 70s thoroughly.
Bios of Paul:
-- Many Years From Now by Barry Miles and Paul (1996?): Light-years ahead of everything else published on Paul in the 60s, but it's only on the 60s. We're still waiting for a real quality Paul bio of his post-Beatle life.
Bios of John:
I've not read the Ray Coleman book, but I have flipped through it and it seemed (a) sketchy, as in not enough detail in places, and (b) uninformed on John's post-England life. With John, you almost need to pick up 6 or 7 small books because he himself was so many different people to so many different people in his life.
Bios of George:
I have no idea. I did read his autobiography a long time ago but I didn't like it, and I can't remember it. I think the best book available now is the Rolling Stone photo/text book on him that followed his death. It's classy, but of course not heavy on info.
Bios of Ringo:
Don't know.
Curio Books that are Actually Good:
I rather liked May Pang's book (the first one) about her life with John (Loving John).
I like The Story Behind Every Beatles Song or whatever it's called.
When is Astrid going to write a memoir?
To Be Avoided At All Costs:
-- Anything by Geoffrey Guiliano -- The Lives of John Lennon (1988) -- Lennon Revealed by Larry Kane (2007): I heard Kane being interviewed and he talked about how John was a genius for bringing a young, completely unknown, Eric Clapton into the studio to record the song "Imagine." Yes, this is the level of idiocy required to publish a Beatle book in the United States.
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Post by OldFred on Feb 17, 2009 9:34:21 GMT -5
Three more to add to my list, all by Mark Lewisohn:
The Beatles Live! (with flexidisc of first Beatles radio interview) The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions The Complete Beatles Chronicles
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Post by jimc on Feb 17, 2009 23:40:11 GMT -5
A Day in the Life -- Mark Hertzgaard
The Music of George Harrison: While My Guitar Gently Weeps
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JMG
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Post by JMG on Feb 18, 2009 0:25:36 GMT -5
With A Little Help From My Friends: The Making of Sgt. Pepper - George Martin with William Pearson (1994)
The Beatles: An Illustrated Record - Roy Carr & Tony Tyler (1975)
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Post by beatsworking on Apr 1, 2009 12:29:44 GMT -5
Anybody see this: www.boxofvision.comSaw it at Beatle Fest this weekend- its beautiful--all the beatles artwork collected together-- but brand new versions-- a crisp and clear as Ive ever seen. People were freaking over it.
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Post by winstonoboogie on Apr 1, 2009 18:42:53 GMT -5
Cool! Add that to my wish list! ;D
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Post by IMdeWalrus on Aug 15, 2015 18:49:34 GMT -5
One book I really enjoyed was "A Day in the Life: The Music and Artistry of the Beatles" by Mark Hertsgaard, written in 1995, just before ANTHOLOGY came out.
Hertsgaard takes a journalistic approach to The Beatles, fact-checking and referencing everything he writes (his NOTES at the back of the book, indicating where his facts came from, are almost as interesting to read as the main body of the book itself).
He also focuses first and foremost on the music itself, rather than the personal lives of the band, which he references only in regards to how it affected the songs that came out at the time.
And unlike most Beatle books, Hertsgaard doesn't fall into the trap of picking a "favourite Beatle" and revolve the entire story around that person -- although he does seem to start most chapters with a reference to John Lennon.
The author was fortunate enough to be allowed into the Abbey Road Studios and to listen to many hours of the actual EMI working tapes of The Beatles as well as the solo works of John Lennon -- man, what a treat that must have been!!
I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys focusing on the songs of The Beatles.
I've seen other folks here make reference to the Roy Carr and Tony Tyler book ("The Beatles - An Illustrated Record"). That was the first critical examination of The Beatles' work that I ever read, and I enjoyed it a lot (I have two versions of it -- the original 1975 version and the updated 1981 post-Lennon-murder edition).
But it's also loaded with guesswork on the part of the authors, and many inaccuracies -- for example, when describing ABBEY ROAD, it talks about the "unmistakable" voice of John Lennon, then says "Mean Mr Mustard" was sung by Paul McCartney. But it gets a lot of things right, and it has beautiful pictures, as well as full-size reproductions of all the album covers. It's also the only book I've ever read that trashed "Yesterday" ("McCartney's predilection for schmaltz bursts into full, horrendous flower on the overly-praised and much covered 'Yesterday'," write the authors) -- and they also hated ALL THINGS MUST PASS and most everything else that George produced (although they loved his GEORGE HARRISON album of 1979).
Having said all that, I enjoy re-reading it from time to time, and I'm glad I own it -- both versions!
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Post by Steve Marinucci on Aug 19, 2015 14:34:26 GMT -5
Northern Songs. Those Were the Days. B's Forever Koznin's Emerick's All You Need is Ears I'm so glad you mentioned Kozinn's book. Not to mention the fact I'm mentioned in there, it's a great book. And I'm really glad he's with us on Things We Said Today.
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