Paul McCartney biography by Philip Norman due in May

Hmmm. In that case, I guess "Queenie Eye" takes on a whole new meaning...

 

I finished this the other day. Too many mistakes or questionable claims like Paul called Pete Best about Anthology money. And the talk about Macca's Bush Baby/doe eyes and his leg hair instead of his music.

 

Yeah, I suppose that'd make another good drinking game: take a shot everytime Norman makes some reference to Paul's physical appearance. You'd need a BIG bottle, no question about it!

I finished the post-Beatles half of the book. For those who haven't read it: Norman takes a ridiculous amount of space (IMO) documenting Paul's marriage to Heather Mills (or as I like to call her, "The One-legged trollop"). It gets pretty tabloidesque at that point. Once the divorce is over, Norman then zips through the remaining years at lightning speed: the New album (one of Paul's best in years IMO) gets about a paragraphs' mention while Electric Arguments (another one of Paul's best) gets no mention at all. At least Norman mentions the other Fireman projects. He then ends the book with a self serving epilogue about meeting Paul backstage at one of his Liverpool gigs.

Anyway, time to psyche myself up for tackling the first half of the book...better get that bottle of tequila ready

 

The end where Norman leaves a McCartney concert before the end with six songs to go and chats with an elderly security guard before he exits the final scene in the book- is this supposed to symbolize something?

 

I was able to read 100 pages before I lost interest and the book needed to go back to the library. I especially didn't care for mention of the teenage Quarrymen/Beatles group sexual proclivities. I mean, how does that matter at all?

 

Haven't read it, but this book sounds like a complete disaster.

 

I would call it a disaster in parts rather than a complete disaster, but I certainly wouldn't recommend it to anyone, and I won't be reading it again.

 

I'm only about 200 pages into it. I wouldn't call it a disaster, though it doesn't (so far) seem to have much to set it apart from any of the previous Paul bios.

 

sorry to hear the disappointing reviews. sounds like i will just stick with some of the earlier biographies.

 

You didn't get suspicious when Helga the Barfly decided to "help you read" the book? You thought she wanted something other than your wallet, when she was reaching beneath your coat?

 

My tote bag? ...

 

I'm not sure I'd do that...it's still miles better than the Sounes book, and the Carlin book is ok but a bit too superficial and fanboyish. The Norman book isn't great but it's overall probably the best of the lot, IMO.

 

Wanted to buy it ( contrary to my earlier opinion )! Seen it the other day in a bookshop. Flicked through it ( one or two new photos). Content looked cut in paste, a contractual effort or something. Last chapter mentions James ( son) musical activities.

 

I was surprised -not to mention a little disappointed- that Norman does not go into the same sort of depth regarding McCartney's family background that he did Lennon's.

Of all the McCartneybios I've read, this one does remind me most of Yesterday by Chet Flippo (which was my favourite), to the point where I'm sure Philip Norman read Yesterday as part of his research as it seems like he literally paraphrases passages straight from Flippo's book. Even though it has been years since I read Yesterday, reading through Norman's book I've thought more than once, "Yeah, I remember this from Yesterday...like, almost word for word!" Except of course Chet Flippo added a bit of a humour/lightness to his book whereas Norman's is pretty dry and humourless.

 

20 bucks woud be better spent on Miles " Many Year's From Now" methinks !

 

Strange thing was i wanted to buy it, prove myself wrong. Would love a Paul McCartney official auto biography, can't see that happening now.

 

Many Years From Now is probably the closest we're gonna get to that, even if it really does only go up to 1970. Oh well, I suppose we have the Wingspan documentary for the 70's era as well.

Naturally, when my wife asked me, "So how's that McCartney book I got you?" I didn't say the author was a bleedin' idiot who got a lot of things wrong and came across like a robot with a British accent, of course I said, "Oh, it's pretty good..."

 

An autobiography wouldn't satisfy the biggest fans, unless they think he'd suddenly become a warts and all self-analyst, and an official biography wouldn't do so, either, because it would be even more polite and respectful than Norman's book. What ideally you'd need is a completely independent author, with good knowledge of music and culture and society, with incredible access to all the key associates, and McCartney, too. And that ain't going to happen.

But someone like Norman should have written a MUCH better book. There's really no excuse for how sloppy and superficial that book is.

Part of the problem is that most editorial groups these days are full of twentysomethings who know the price of everything and the value of nothing. They'd know a McCartney biography would sell, but they'd have little or no idea of what it should cover, save for a bit of sex and scandal, and they'd probably have little or no real respect for McCartney himself. So I can imagine Norman getting very little editorial pressure to shake himself up and revise the anodyne tosh that he sent in. But the man should have a bit more pride in his work.

 

Yes indeedy. His Lennon book was much better, at least he (Norman) came across as somewhat involved in the material.

 

That would be the book I'd like to read!!! And McCartney deserves such a book. I would also add to that list not only an independent author, but a great writer as well. It will be written one day, but after the fact no doubt.

 

Obviously you know which side your breads buttered on

 

Yeah... What the hell, she didn't know, she just saw the book in the store and figured it'd make a good birthday present, her heart was in the right place, at least...we may have only been married for four years but I do know better than to complain about a gift.

 

She's given you the gift of having an informed opinion on this thread!

 

Well, yeah...except for that one guy in this discussion who claimed to put me on ignore because he didn't like my attitude and thought I was "rude" Like, did that guy ever read any of my posts in any other discussions I've made here over the last five and a half years? "Opinionated" should be my middle name!