The Beatles Book

by Hunter Davies

Overview

Hunter Davies, the only ever authorized biographer of the group, brings together three eminent Beatles experts to compile an invaluable and essential guide. Divided into four sections—People, Songs, Places and Broadcast & Cinema—the book covers every element of the band’s history. Illustrated with material from Hunter's remarkable private collection of personal artifacts and memorabilia, this compendium is an beautiful, insightful and entertaining treasure for any Beatles fan.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780091958633
Publisher:	Penguin Random House UK
Publication date:	08/01/2019
Pages:	576
Sales rank:	635,244
Product dimensions:	4.90(w) x 7.70(h) x 1.90(d)

About the Author

Hunter Davies is the author of the only ever authorized biography of The Beatles, still in print in almost every country in the world. In 2012 he edited The Lennon Letters, and in 2014 The Beatles Lyrics. Spencer Leigh is the author of The Beatles in Hamburg and The Beatles in Liverpool. Keith Badman has been a columnist for Record Collector magazine for 20 years. His books include The Beatles Diary and The Beatles off the Record. He assisted with the archive film and video research on The Beatles Anthology series. David Bedford is the author of Fab One Hundred and Four and Liddypool. 

Table of Contents

Introduction

Section One: Beatles People

Section Two: Beatles Songs
The Beatles LPs
The Beatles EPs

Section Three: Beatles Places
United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland
United States of America
Rest of the World

Section Four: Beatles Broadcast and Cinema
Beatles on the Radio
Beatles on TV
Beatles at the Movies

Appendix A: Beatles Places to Visit
Appendix B: UK Discography
Appendix C: Beatles Chronology
Appendix D: Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

"This entertaining compilation of Beatles lore is written with flair, and the four-part organization invites efficient look-ups as well as enjoyable browsing. VERDICT Appropriate for either the reference shelf or the circulating collection and considerably less expensive than Kenneth Womack’s recent The Beatles Encyclopedia." —Library Journal


"This single-volume encyclopedia offers fans and general readers an easy entrée to the world of the Beatles. . . . As the authors are all serious Beatlemaniacs, the material is opinionated and personal, but that just makes the work all the more relatable to fans. . . . This would make a popular addition to any music collection." —Booklist

From the Publisher

11/01/2017
Davies, who penned The Beatles: The Authorized Biography after spending 18 months with the Fab Four during the mid-1960s, and coauthors Spencer Leigh, Keith Badman, and David Bedford, Beatles researchers and veteran chroniclers of the British pop scene, focus on the group from 1960 to 1970—the official Beatles years. The content is divided into four major sections: influential people; the nearly 200 songs the band wrote and recorded; their radio, television, and film appearances; and the places they lived, visited, and performed, including locations mentioned in their songs. Entries close with a snappy summation (Barbara Bach's: "Isn't it gratifying to know that Ringo married a Bond girl?") as well as a rating (from zero to ten) indicating importance, though the authors confess that their evaluation is highly subjective. A surprising omission from the people section is Michael Braun, an American journalist assigned to the Beatles' first British tour, who wrote a nearly forgotten but highly regarded tour diary, Love Me Do: The Beatles' Progress. This entertaining compilation of Beatles lore is written with flair, and the four-part organization invites efficient look-ups as well as enjoyable browsing. VERDICT Appropriate for either the reference shelf or the circulating collection and considerably less expensive than Kenneth Womack's recent The Beatles Encyclopedia.—Cynthia Lee Knight, Hunterdon Cty. Historical Soc., Flemington, NJ

Library Journal