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11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Biography of the Beatles? More like slag off Paul McCartney., 12 Sep 2004
For the positive points, this book will fascinate the reader, if you're a Beatle fan or not. Its got interesting facts (and opinions) on the music, the band and the living times of the 60s in the mayhem of Beatlemania - on both sides of the Atlantic. Also does Norman go into great detail of the relationship between the Beatles and Brian Epstein.The best part is in the first section "WISHING" where the reader gets to know how two of the most prominent figures in music history meet up after when Paul sees John playing in his old school skiffle group "The Quarry Men". You feel like your there witnessing it all happen. In the prologue Philip Norman clears up the criticism he received from reviews of Shout, most claiming his bitterness of Paul McCartney. This 'dislike of Paul' was what let down the book for me. Being a "John-person" than a "Paul-person", Norman constantly shows hatred of him - particularly in chapter 21. The Book had little information on the songs and didn't go into great detail - since i'm a music student, i would have preferred this. I also didn't like his criticism of Heather Mills and Paul's marriage with her. His attitude and his self-centred remarks appalled me and left the tone all a bit sour towards the end of the book. This biography is 'conscientously researched' - a really good aspect of the book, but at times, it is let down by the authors sneering remarks. So finally... Buy it if you don't like Paul McCartney either... buy it if you love John Lennon and the Beatles... and buy it, simply because this is the definitive Beatles biography.
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by Philip Norman
by Hunter Davies
by Ian MacDonald
by Hunter Davies
by Beatles
