Product Description

The worldwide bestseller that defines the band that defined an era.

In this behind-the-scenes look at the most famous musical group in history, Hunter Davies gives the complete story of the Beatles. As the only authorized biographer, Davies had full access to the Fab Four as well as their help and encouragement. He spent eighteen months with them when they were at the peak of their musical genius and at the pinnacle of their popularity, and he remained friends with each of the members as they went their separate ways.

This updated edition addresses recent changes in the lives of the Beatles: Paul's marriage, George's death, and their new books and records. 42 photographs.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #602643 in Books
• Published on: 2004-04-08
• Binding: Paperback
• 416 pages

Marshall McLuhan
A document of our century.

Synopsis
This new edition of Hunter Davies's 1968 authorised biography of one of the greatest pop groups of all time includes many rare photographs and illustrations. A new introduction covers the years since the last revised edition of the book.

About the Author
Hunter Davies, formerly an editor for the Sunday Times of London, is the author of numerous books. He lives in London.

Customer Reviews

Nice cover, shame about the cover
Twice I've ordered this book from Amazon, expecting to get what is illustrated here on the page, and twice I have received a book with an absolutely dreadful cover, bearing a nasty, probably copyright-free, cover showing the Beatles looking like four village idiots. Its an utterly uncharacteristic photo of the people we know as the Beatles, and makes having the book slightly distasteful. It shouldn't matter but it does. Whoever is responsible for the cover design should be shot, and Amazon should stop selling products that don't match up to the description.

Crucial: only Davies knew them all as a band
Hunter Davies is a great writer who has been lucky enough to write about some fascinating subjects. But none better than the Beatles.
His research centres in 1967-8, with the Beatles at work on the White album and it's a sort of glossed picture. For example, he doesn't go into John's infidelities - he is still the family man here - nor does he divulge all he knew about Brian Epstein, though he deals with this in the add ons to a later edition.
Yet even with this, he spent such a long time with them - and they obviously like him - that you get really intimate details. He is best on John and George -I think- and finds Paul the hardest to get to grips with.
This isn't the perfect biography, as he concedes: it's a bit like he never quite got on top of the mountain of material he accumulated, but it's totally readable and rich in detail. If you are interested in the Beatles, this is a gold mine, and it catches something of the Sixties London atmosphere too.
Even more to the point, loads of great books have been written about the Beatles since, "Revolution in the Head", "Shout" etc.etc. but no one except Davies had the opportunity to get this close.
You can read Lennon interviews or the Miles book on McCartney, but they are biassed. Davies captures them as they really were in the latter stages: his portrait is both perceptive and affectionate. A terrific book.

It is worth 11 stars!
This book is for all those Beatles fans who were unfortunate enough to miss them in the 60's. This book gives you a detailed description of their life and works, in an entertaining yet informative way in which everyone is able to understand. Superb! Well done Hunter James