The Beatles

Rating:
Summary: Vital source
Review: Thank heaven for Beatle scholarship that this book was written. Competent journalist Hunter Davies spent a year observing the Beatles and interviewing them in their own homes during the heady, fascinating year of 1967. He emerged with a time piece: the Beatles as they were at that time, reflecting on what came before and unaware of what was yet to come. A chapter describing the writing and recording of "With a Little Help From My Friends," "Getting Better," and "Magical Mystery Tour" offers unique and especially valuable glimpses of the Beatles at work. Chapters depicting the home life and personal outlook of each Beatle are also very interesting. I must also say that for an authorised biography, this is remarkably honest. Perceptive readers will be able to detect the whole truth here, and a fine introduction written by the author years later helps fill in any gaps. Apart from being hugely entertaining, this book is a tremendous boon to historians interested in the Beatles.

Rating:
Summary: Honest, Interesting Account of the Beatles' Rise to Stardom
Review: The Beatles are undoubtedly the most popular band in world history. Hunter Davies creates a thorough, honest biography of the four famous members and their rise to stardom. Because this book was written in 1967, Davies gets an insight into the Beatles' lives before they began fighting. Davies writes an honest account of the Beatles' lives, chronicling their lives from birth, but the reader can sense that some facts have been omitted, perhaps to save the dignity of the Beatles' family members. However, Davies gives enough information for readers to fill in the blanks. The book contains loads of interesting facts, pictures, and Beatles memorabilia. All things considered, The Beatles is a great book for any Beatles enthusiast or rock music fan.

Rating:
Summary: Honest, Interesting Account of the Beatles' Rise to Stardom
Review: The Beatles are undoubtedly the most popular band in world history. Hunter Davies creates a thorough, honest biography of the four famous members and their rise to stardom. Because this book was written in 1967, Davies gets an insight into the Beatles' lives before they began fighting. Davies writes an honest account of the Beatles' lives, chronicling their lives from birth, but the reader can sense that some facts have been omitted, perhaps to save the dignity of the Beatles' family members. However, Davies gives enough information for readers to fill in the blanks. The book contains loads of interesting facts, pictures, and Beatles memorabilia. All things considered, The Beatles is a great book for any Beatles enthusiast or rock music fan.

Rating:
Summary: so-so
Review: The brilliant and iconclastic classical pianist Glenn Gould hated the Beatles, yet I think he and the Beatles unwittingly had a lot in common--as cultural phenomena, I mean. Gould and the Beatles were on top of their form and at the height of their popularity when they abruptly announced they would cease performing publicly, declaring the impersonal--and arguably 'de-humanizing'--medium of recording to be the true art form of the present and future. In "The Glenn Gould Reader" Mr. Gould derisively calls the Beatles's "Strawberry Fields Forever" "Monteverdi played by a jug band", not realizing it was created much the same way that Mr. Gould explains (elsewhere in this collection) he was wont to create his own works: by splicing together radically different recorded snippets.

Recommended: PENTATONIC SCALES FOR THE JAZZ-ROCK KEYBOARDIST by Jeff Burns.

Rating:
Summary: Davies and the Beatles a good combo
Review: This book by Davies is a great reference for "known" Beatle stories....not many different stories from other books, but definitely the best source for the things the boys wanted everyone to know. I would recommend this book for anyone wanting to know a little history. If anyone is looking for dirt, don't look here...they are mostly squeaky clean. Still, it's a book I'm glad I added to my collection

Rating:
Summary: A Marvelous Bio
Review: This book is the best bio I have read in years!! As a new Beatles fan, I learned so much, and got to know a lot of behind-the-scenes info!! If you're a true Beatles fan, buy this book NOW!!!!!

Rating:
Summary: Personal, yet unbiased; Detailed, yet conversational
Review: This book is the first Beatle biography that I read ( the "only authorized biography of the Beatles" subtitle catching my attention). I must say, all of the ones I have read since have dissapointed me compared to this book. Its awesome!! At first, the author talks about himself to establish his credibility, and its worth it. He talked to each of the Beatles privately and spent several days in each of their homes, and stayed in contact with them after the break up. The one thing that really sticks out in my mind is a conversation that Mr. Davis had with Mr. McCartney five years after Mr. Lennon's death. Paul called him to talk about current events and to establish truth to several myths going around, and it was really wonderful. I would suggest this to everyone who is looking for a biography of the Beatles!! THIS IS DEFINATELY THE ONE TO READ!!

Rating:
Summary: The Beatles as we loved them
Review: This is a fabulous evocation of the fab four's rise to greatness, written with just the right amount of reverence and objectivity. Davies manages to ellicit some great anecdotes from people who were closest to The Beatles. Mimi, Paul's dad, the Harrisons, close friends, Fred Lennon (John's dad), Pete Best; they all get to have their say. The book is especially strong during the Hamburg years (loosely 59-62). Davies captures the growth in their popularity, attracting interesting characters along the way, yet having no fan base outside Liverpool and Hamburg. He demonstrates so vividly the growing desperation of the boys to make it big. Once the rollercoaster took off then the book is on trickier ground. Davies clearly wants to divulge stuff which The Beatles were not keen on him revealing (Davies was writing the book during 1967/early 68). For instance, Lennon was heavily into drugs at this time and Hunter Davies refers to John as being in a daze. Yes, you have to read between the lines! One of the strengths of this book is its matter-of-fact delivery. Although Davies is clearly a fan he still keeps his feet on the ground. The death of Brian Epstein is well-handled. Remember, this was written before all the Klein, Apple, Ono nonsense hit the fan. Yet Davies manages to convey a growing sense of isolation amongst the group. His pen-portraits of each member is uncannily (eerily) accurate, bearing in mind the general public thought The Beatles were a rock-solid national institution. The book is a cracker and loses a star of its rating only because of a rather mysterious lack of detail around Rubber Soul and Revolver. The rest is gear!

Rating:
Summary: A Great Biography of the Beatles
Review: This is a great book. It is good to read one that was written by someone who actually knew the Beatles. I get sick of authors who think they know everything about the Beatles writing books about them. Hunter Davies truly knows the fab four as people, and his book is great from cover to cover. Cheers to Davies!

Rating:
Summary: The best Beatle bio.
Review: This is an amazing book! It gives great information! The author was there during the rise of the Beatles, and he tells all that he saw. He also has some great interviews with all The Beatles themselves! It also has great photos of the lads, and pictures of early written songs.