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Beatle Books
The are hundreds of books on The Beatles, many of them slanted towards one Beatle or the other (see also: John Lennon books). However, I've attempted to cut this massive list down to the barest minumum in five categories which, I feel, should answer most people's questions.:
In Their Own Words:
Firstly, I believe that anybody, even public figures like The Beatles, should be able to tell their own story. The thorough and only occasionally contradictory... 1 Anthology is The Beatles own version of the truth...I stand by their right to say it and believe it.
The Beatles: Anthology, the book
2 Postcards From The Boys by Ringo Starr is a sentimental coffee-table book with postcards that the individual Beatles sent him through the years.
Ringo Starr: Postcards From The Boys "...Whenever John, Paul, or George went on a trip, they would send Ringo a postcard...Whether it's John advising Ringo to record a "great & simple" song like Blondie's Heart of Glass, Paul and Jane Asher dropping a note from Rishikesh to report on their meditation lessons with the Maharishi, or George writing from the Great Barrier Reef to confirm plans for Christmas dinner, each postcard is a warm and personal snapshot of life in (and after) The Beatles..." Amazon blurb
Data: There can be no arguing with facts and the books in this section, far from being dry are actually fascinating reading for any Beatlemaniacs. 3 The Complete Beatles Recording by Mark Lewisohn My flatmate (at the time), Howard, received this for Christmas from his girlfriend back in the 80s...and the poor guy was too well-mannered to get it back off me for the next month (Sorry!) Totally addictive for sad souls like me.
Mark Lewisohn: The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions "...This book is required reading for the diehard Beatles fan. I suspect that the studio documentation was just the normal level of detailed information they kept on those who recorded there, but in hindsight, having this particular info and retaining it looks pretty genius. A detailed account of every time the Beatles were in the recording studio with documents from the studio and the recollections of those who were present. The author is meticulous and obviously a fan himself. I really consider this book the Beatles bible..." Amazon reviewer D. Addante
4 The Complete Beatles Chronicles by Mark Lewisohn As it says, the complete list of every Beatle:
N.B.: Lewisohn is highly thought of and has created a similar book with Paul McCartney about Wings.
Mark Lewisohn: The Complete Beatles Chronicle "...This complete Beatles diary discloses a lot of trivia about the Fab Four. Even if you are very selective in your purchases, even if you have Anthology, do buy this book. It's a must-have." Amazon reviewer Emilio Dreyer Pacheco
5 A Hard Days Write (Revised edition): the stories behind every Beatle song by Steve Turner. Trivia, lots of it, enough to see you graduate to Beatles 201 with ease and heaps of photographs.
Steve Turner: A Hard Day's Write "...I have read most of the books on the Beatles and this one is my favorite. It has great photos, is easy to read, and tells the story of the Beatles through each of their songs...especially...the update with "Free As a Bird" and "Real Love."...There is more packed into this 224 page book than you could ever imagine...a true joy!..." Amazon reviewer Steve Nakamoto
Friends & Associates:
6 Magical Mystery Tours by Tony Bramwell (friend) & confidante who witnessed Beatlemania first hand...and can't stand Yoko...
Tony Bramwell: Magical Mystery Tours "...Bramwell was a Liverpool peer, grew up with these kids and started lugging their equipment while still wet behind the ears...Superbly evocative writing helps recreates Sixties scenes as though they happened yesterday..." Amazon reviewer Bradley F. Smith
7 John Paul George Ringo & Me by Tony Barrow, their press officer from 1962-1968.
Tony Barrow: John, Paul, George, Ringo And Me
Lots of mop-top stories...though little analysis. "...his section on the many disasters of 1966 is fantastic and his...depiction of the butcher cover controvery, the awful Manila and Tokyo episodes, as well as the fear of bible-belt assassins all through the summer tour of the US is compellingly written and detailed..." Amazon reviewer Leggo Ami
8 With The Beatles by Alistair Taylor, who was #3 at NEMS (behind Brian Epstein & Peter Brown)...until he was sacked by Allen Klein. It's less harsh than Peter Brown's book (see # 14)...but still interesting.
Alistair Taylor: With The Beatles "...Alistair Taylor was Brian Epstein's personal assistant and the "Mr. Fix-it" to the Beatles in the sixties. In this long overdue memoir, Mr. Taylor takes us briskly through the Beatles story firsthand, from Taylor's accompanying Epstein to see the Beatles for the first time at the Cavern, to his final ignominious sacking at the hands of Allen Klein..." Amazon reviewer Kennedy 19
Hatchet Jobs: 9 The Love You Make by Peter Brown Peter Brown was #2 at NEMS, Brian Epstein's company, which ran The Beatles business affairs. After Epstein's death in 1967, Brown came even more to the fore until Allen Klein took over in 1969. He was immortalised in The Ballad Of John & Yoko... "...Peter Brown called to say You can make it OK You can get married in... ...Gibraltar near Spain Christ, you know it ain't easy..." Brown's concerns were primarily legal and monetary, so you'll find little interpretation of music...more how four eccentric people...well, artists, pulled the plug on each other.
Peter Brown: The Love You Make
In his favor, Brown seldom toots his own horn...but Lennon is presented as both genius and monster, McCartney is treated a little harshly and and Harrison & Starr seem to be bit-part players. I still enjoyed it a lot and read it several times over the years.
10 The infamous The Lives Of John Lennon by Albert Goldman, which makes Peter Brown's book seem like a happy-ever-after fairy story. Nevertheless, the two books actually work pretty well together.
11 The Longest Cocktail Party by Richard Dilello. Actually, what seems a very fair account of the hippy haven and economic shambles that The Beatles' company was. Funny, impartial and interesting.
Richard Dilello: The Longest Cocktail Party "...Of all the Beatles books I've ever read, this one is hands-down the oddest. Not an exhaustively checked fact fest, but more of a space cadet memoir, which isn't necessarily a bad thing..." Amazon reviewer William J. Eichelberger "...this is...a taste of what it was like to be in the midst of the heady days of the Beatles' Apple Corps. We get to meet, hear and see an ever-changing cast of strange characters, bits of juicy gossip, weird goings-on and the like..." Amazon reviewer GBS Showbiz 27
Beatlemania: 12 The Beatles Are Coming by Bruce Spizer, foreword by Walter Cronkite. A very detailed overview of The Beatles coming to America.
Bruce Spizer: The Beatles Are Coming
An exhaustive but fascinating account of those few months that changed Pop Music forever, plus numerous Beatlemania products. Highly recommended for those who can last the distance. "...Longtime Beatle authority Spizer's oversize tome covers the Beatles' first American appearances in near-absurd detail. Concentrating on 1963 and the first two months of 1964, Spizer exhaustively recounts:
13 The Beatles Memorabilia Price Guide by Jeff Ausberger. Every type of Beatles collectible, with lots of pictures:
"...This 225 page softbound volume (3rd edition)...covers every type of Beatles collectible...from Yellow Submarine, Pinback Buttons, Pennants and Books to Movie Items, Record Promo Items, Fan Club Items, Trading Cards and concert items (often) pictured (with) each item is described in detail. There is even info on reproductions and counterfeits. Everything is priced, although prices are from 1997..." Amazon reviewer Irvin Goodman
14 Beatletoons by Mitchell Axelrod The real story behind The Beatles' cartoons, made between 1964-1968. "...I produced this series for the ABC network. It was a huge hit and cleared the path for my production of the motion picture, Yellow Submarine. Axelrod's book was well researched and offers the complete story, graphically and otherwise of the series. I was very pleased with it. Makes a wonderful Xmas gift..." Al Brodax
"...I love this book. I really do. It brings back memories of a fun cartoon that aired on Saturday mornings from 1965-69. I remember when I was a very little girl, loving the cartoon. My favorite part was the sing-a-longs because I could read the lyrics while the real Beatles (a recording of a song) sang. This book is a treat any Beatles fan will love. The stories behind those who created the cartoon, the input the Beatles themselves offered and the rationale for using American actors to do the Beatles' voices ("American kids would find American voices easier to understand") and the individual characteristics of each animated Beatle..." Amazon reviewer Beatle Bangs 1964 Apple is believed to have purchased the rights to the cartoons but there isn't an official release date yet...though no-one should be selling them!
Beatle cartoon dolls
Technicians: 15 All You Need Is Ears by George Martin, Beatles Producer George Martin's contribution to The Beatles was immense. As the sophistication of their music grew, so did Martin's input, in particular for Sgt. Pepper's & Abbey Road. In fact, in many ways, this is the most important book on The Beatles after Anthology.
George Martin: All You Need Is Ears
George Martin also released his own tribute of Beatles tunes in 1998, In My Life, using an unexpected collection of instrumental artists & vocalists:
I Am The Walrus...Actor Jim Carey
George Martin: In My Life
Because of his work with The Beatles, George Martin has become a legend...and if you need proof, here's a curio from 1989 that bears that out:
George Martin & Dire Straits guitarist Mark Knopfler on The Muppets
16 Beatles Gear by Andy Babiuk All the musical instruments, amps and recording gear used by The Beatles.
Beatles Gear: Andy Babiuk "...You might think that a book about the Beatles' guitars might be a somewhat dry read. Yet Andy Babuik turns the whole story into one of the most fascinating books on The Beatles I have ever encountered. Behind the scenes stories, interviews with people who were instrumental (pardon the pun) in getting them their guitars and amps...Suddenly you remember that these were guys who loved their music, something that seems to have got lost in many other Beatle books. This is a must-have for any Beatles fan..." Amazon reviewer R. Martin
17 The Beatles Complete Scores
The Beatles: The Beatles' Complete Scores "...If you want to improve as a classic rock musician, you must have this. Simple as that. (It) gives you the exact chords and notes that each member of the band would play and sing for each song...as recorded. So the amount of information for each song is extensive and includes vocal harmonies, both guitars & drums + any special tracks that were extra..." Amazon reviewer Sean Patterson
18 Paul McCartney's Beatle Bass playing
Gareth Morgan: Paul McCartney - Bass Master "...Paul McCartney is one of the best pop bass players in the world, and this book presents a musical analysis of his consistently inventive and influential bass playing during his tenure in the Beatles. This indispensable guide offers full transcriptions (including tablature and chord names) of nine of McCartney's most revered bass parts: "Dear Prudence," "Drive My Car," "In My Life," "Lovely Rita," and more. Each track is analyzed and explained in detail to show today's bassists how much they can still learn from McCartney's remarkable skill and imagination..." Amazon blurb
For Collectors Only
Klaus Voorman: Elvis McCartney, limited edition
Klaus Voorman: Hamburg Days "...Astrid Kirchherr & Klaus Voormann were kids growing up in Germany...college students...(who) came upon...The Beatles. They all became friends, so much so that Astrid got engaged to (Beatle member) Stu Sutcliffe and took the first professional photos of the band. Klaus would later design the covers for the Beatles' albums "Revolver" and "Anthology" as well as play bass on albums of Ringo, George, and John, after the Beatles' breakup...Amazon reviewer cnyadan Messrs. Harrison & McCartney have added their voices to it as well, which makes this book even more desirable and this is a serious book that should be affordable to all who really want it...This book covers an era beautifully and portrays a time when the Beatles and their then new musical style would flourish." Amazon reviewer BeatleBangs1964
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