Beatles Biography by Mark Lewisohn (6th edition)- plus Lewisohn news. *

There is one for sale right now in the Miscellaneous Classified section here:

https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/thre...-aldridge-1980-edition-delta-dell-usa.846994/

 

Nothing is holding up part 2, Mark is working on it as promised.

 

It’s the Steve Hoffman forum. Great in so many ways, but sometimes talking sense is to no avail ;-)

 

Here is Mark, researching the exact location of the beach scenes in the Help! movie. This is exhausting and time-consuming work!!!:

 

Aww, I enjoyed Growing Up With The Beatles, for what it was. Being born three months before they broke up, I'm usually fascinated with first hand accounts from fans.

 

Shipper's book is absolutely essential; no other Beatles book even gives passing mention to their 1979 reunion album and tour.

 

I appreciate that you share your deep and thorough knowledge of all things Beatle.

Your list took me back. I remember seeking out any good Beatles read I could find in the 70s. I agree with your top 2 and spent many an hour pouring over those two in particular. John himself read (and responded to) the Carr and Tyler.

I think I have Love Me Do buried in the basement. Am I right in remembering that that one was unusually realistic for 1964 and quotes John using a certain word that begins with “f”?

 

Hmmmm. You were born and three months later the Beatles broke up!!??

And to think I used to blame it on Yoko......

 

One essential pre-1981 book missing from that list that I have to flag up is "Apple to the Core" by Peter McCabe & Robert D. Schonfeld (1972).

 

Also The Longest Cocktail Party

 

Did anyone mention Mike McCartney's "Thank u very much" book?

Some Lennon letters otherwise uncompiled, at the very least.

 

Also Roag Best, "The true beginnings of.."
Some familiar pics but uncropped, and the first ever photo of someone listening to the Beatles (Billy Fury).


Soz if I'm repeating stuff already mentioned.

 

When I got into the fabs in around 1982 there were bugger all books around. I remember two books that I still have that were really important to me back then. They were 'The Long and Winding Road' and 'Working Class Heroes' both by Neville Stannard on Virgin Books. The first was a full(ish) UK and US discography of The Beatles releases and the second was the same but Solo discographies. They provided really useful information for the time and lots of photos of sleeves and advertisements. There were 4 books in the series but I can't find 3 and 4 listed on-line now - just the first two. I remember books three and four were yellow and green but although I can't remember their subjects they didn't appeal to me at the time so I didn't get them.

It's amazing how many books there have been over the years but, as noted, there were only a few good ones in the 70s.

 

I've just tried to check out books 3 & 4 as mentioned above and found some info. Book 3 was called 'Paperback Writers' (Beatles in print) by Bill Harry (the green one), Book 4 was 'Beatlemania' (the Beatles on film) by Bill Harry again (a grey cover, not yellow) and book 5 was 'Beatles for Sale' by Bill Harry which was a Memorabilia guide (light blue cover). All on Virgin Books.

 

The two Neville Stannard volumes are among my most treasured possessions. They wouldn't be of much interest to anybody today but those books were my guide to collecting the Beatles/solo catalogue in 1983/84, I would look through them practically every day! There were actually 5 books in the virgin series, the other three all written by Billy Harry. Book 3 "Paperback Writers" was green and compiled a list of all available Beatles books. Book 4 "Beatlemania" was grey and dealt with film, video and TV appearances and book 5 (light blue) looked at memorabilia and fanzines. There was also a Paul McCartney solo book in a similar style.

 

Yep. They're pretty ragged looking nowadays, loose pages and all, and have been made redundant over the years but I could never part with those two books, they were essential to my early Beatle fandom.

 

I totally agree on Schaffner, it’s such a pity he died so young. My favorites before Tune In came along were his and Norman’s, which I know is riddled with craziness but is an extremely beautifully written book all the same.

I just finished The Longest Cocktail Party last week and was surprised by how engaging it was. It paints a vivid picture of working, or trying to work, in that office...

 

Those Neville Stannard books were some of my favorite books back then. As each of the new volumes came out from that set they were numbered
with "The Long And Winding Road" being #1. The numbered edition of that was and expanded edition. "Revised & Updated"
I bought that edition too after I had the first issue.

I liked the cover of the first edition. It showed the UK LP covers on the front and the US LP covers on the back.

 

I dislike it when ANY writer does that.

 

He should have known better ...

 

I have all those books you listed and agree with your selections. Good list. I would add Bill Harry’s 1977 ‘Mersey Beat: The Beginnings of The Beatles. If you’re a fan of the early Beatles, Merseybeat, and the Liverpool music scene, then this is a fascinating read. Literally the story of The Beatles as it happened, in real time.

 

I have both of the Bill Harry books, they were really informative in those pre-computer days.

I picked up a bunch of great Beatles books when I visited Liverpool in 1984 (my dad was born and raised there). One that I got that I've never seen since is a compilation of all the John Lennon/Beatles stories from the Liverpool Echo. Another was a then-new edition of The Cavern Club Story. Both are great books.

Has there ever been a "Beatles Books" thread here? I'd imagine there was but I didn't find it while searching.

 

Yes, take a look at this thread
Beatle book recommendations

 

Did I ever tell you about...

 

That was a very good compilation, and a short but interesting introduction by Bill too. Omnibus Press did a lot of excellent music related books in the late 70s/early 80s.
Another pre 1980 book I have in a similar vein is a facsimile collection of newspaper pages from the first US tour of Aug/Sep 1964 which I think is called 30 days that shook the world; fascinating insight into the adult reaction in the US.