First published 2006
Mark Lewisohn opens his comprehensive examination of the Beatles by focusing on their formation and early struggles. He traces John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr from their Liverpool beginnings through their rise to global fame. The author documents both their public performances and private moments, revealing how the four musicians navigated unprecedented success while growing apart as individuals. Lewisohn draws from extensive research to chronicle their recording sessions, tours, business decisions, and personal relationships. He shows how creative tensions and external pressures gradually strained the band's unity. The book follows their journey through albums like "Sgt. Pepper's" and "Abbey Road" while examining the forces that ultimately led to their dissolution. Lewisohn presents a detailed portrait of how four young men changed music history before their partnership ended.
Genres: biography, history, 20th-century, non-fiction, music, 21st-century
Vibes: detailed, emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: partnership-dissolution, rise-to-fame
Setting: Liverpool
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
365 pages · Paperback · Hamlyn (UK)