Rating: 
Summary: Looking for the One After 909? This is it.
Review: From "Love Me Do" to "The Long and Winding Road", the Beatles were always viewed by everyon as a phenomenon. I was born five years after the death of John Lennon, fifteen years after the band broke up, and yet, somehow, I've become an avid fan. Looking at the so-called 'authorized biographies' and such, I thought that this would be some kind of touchy-feely novelistic biography.Boy, was I wrong! From the minute I opened it in the bookstore to a random page, I was thrilled. Gung-ho pictures, poignant comments from the four and their closest friends and co-workers(like George Martin). Reading John Lennon's autobiography was a particularly moving moment, seeing the disillusioned Beatle's take on his own hard life. The whole book is not to be read start to finish, in my opinion. Open it to a page and start. I guarentee that you won't put it down until they prise your fingers from the book. Don't Pass this one By. Get Back online and BUY THIS BOOK!
Rating:
Summary: A New Spin on a Old Tale
Review: "The Beatles Anthology" doesn't reveal much new history about the band; the Beatles are already perhaps the most exhaustively chronicled and dissected group in history, and there are books that offer day-by-day diaries of the Beatles' lives and their music. (There's even one book, Mark Shipper's "Paperback Writer," that's a hilarious semi-fictional history, complete with loopy footnotes.) What "Anthology" does do is offer first-person viewpoints from the four men who sat in the eye of the storm called "Beatlemania" and present their often very different memories of the same events. The book's release comes more than 30 years since the group's breakup. During that time, each band member embarked on varyingly successful solo careers, and also endured an unfathomable tragedy -- the 1980 shooting death of Lennon by a deranged fan. Despite the distance that time has provided from their days as the best band on the world, the living members say they will always be Beatles. "It was a one-way love affair," says Harrison. "People gave us their love and their hysteria, but the Beatles lost their mental health." Ringo Starr's thoughts are more poignant. It's "impossible to turn the page and say, I'm no longer a Beatle," he says. "To this day, and for everyone, that's all I am."
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic, but a BIT incomplete
Review: I can't say enough about how great this book is. I ran out the day it went on sale and bought it. The photos are fabulous, and I can't say anything that hasn't been said already. However, they are typically vague on the Pete Best controversy. I did have a great laugh at Ringo's recollection of seeing John and Yoko nude on the "Two Virgins" LP cover! A Beatle fan must.
Rating:
Summary: The Most Comprehensive Collection of Its Kind
Review: This is an awesome anthology! A book written about the Beatles by the Beatles, what more could a Beatles' fan ask for? It begins by introducing each of the Beatles, giving detailed events which occurred in their lives up to the point at which each became a member of the Beatles. Moreover, the book is written in chronological order by year - from 1960 to 1970, and describes in detail how the band was formulated, the changes in membership that the band went through up to the point of the final group with Ringo included. The text is blended well with writing and pictures, drawings, song lyrics, paintings, sketches, music composition pages, etc. So while reading, the reader is very much engaged. Each of the Beatles, or Beatles' manager, producer, recorder, public relations specialist, etc. describes their 'take' on certain events from press conferences, recordings, songs being written, tours, studio time, interviews, situations odd and strange, people met along the way, marriages, divorces, children, everything one could imagine which occurred in the ten year period covered in the book. The book includes rare photos, opinions, pictures of letters written which have never been seen until this book, recording schedules, etc. This is a definitive Beatles collectors item and any Beatles fan should not be without it.
Rating:
Summary: Don't Pass It By!
Review: This past weekend, my copy of The Beatles Anthology came from Amazon.com. The deliverer was glad she didn't have to go to the front office with it since it's so heavy! This book is special because the Beatles themselves are the authors! There are also contributing quotes from Pete Best, Stuart Sutcliffe, George Martin, Mal Evans, Neil Aspinall and others. The stories are great, from their childhood (John being an avid reader in grade school, Paul's father supporting his music skills, George mastering the guitar at a young age, and Ringo being shuffled in and out of hospitals) to their days in Hamburg (John claims that's where he truly grew up!). In Hamburg, John, Paul, George, Pete, and Stu play various taverns (and meet Ringo) until Stu falls in love and abandons the Beatles. It seems like Ringo fits in better so they eventually sack Best for Ringo. Funny stories include Mal breaking a windshield on a cold day while driving the Fab Four to their next gig and the Beatles hiding like school kids from an angry George Martin after missing a recording session! They meet celebrities like Fats Domino, Little Richard, the Queen, and the King (Elvis). John discusses "Help", "Lucy In the Sky with Diamonds", and "Revolution 9", Paul discusses "Yesterday", "Eleanor Rigby", "Yellow Submarine" and the Abbey Road Medley (particularly its highlight "The End"), George discusses "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and "Taxman", and Ringo discusses "Don't Pass Me By" and "Octopus' Garden". There are the sore subjects, too, like Manilla (Paul claims they were the 1st to snub Marcos), John's comments about Jesus, the death of Brian Epstein, the breakup coming close on the White Album and later on Let It Be. Although some of the photos and interviews here can be seen and heard in the Anthology video series and some perhaps read in other books, this brings most everything you need to know about the Beatles in full circle. And of course, the Beatles experiment with drugs (and later both John and George get
busted by Sgt. Pilcher for possession of them), seek spiritual guidance from the Maharishi (is he as "cosmic" as they think?), fall in love (John with Yoko, Paul with Linda). Unlike in the video series, there is mention of Paul being "dead" and the final nail in the coffin for the Beatles in late 1969 and 1970. You can't tell it all even in this one (no mention of the Christmas singles, save for a poem by John called "Wonsapon a Pool Table"), but since the Beatles themselves (and their closest comrades) speak for the Beatles, a lot of myths and legends are put to rest. If you're a Beatles fan, you won't want to pass this by!
Rating:
Summary: The Ultimate Beatles!
Review: This book transcends its overt purpose of being an anthology of the Beatles. Anyone who loves the music the Beatles gave us will find much rewarding material here. Those who want to know about how success can be accomplished in popular music will be riveted. Those who like to look back on popular culture in times past will have a happy trip. If you just love exciting photography, there is much to attract you to this volume. I found myself singing the Beatles' songs to myself as I read the text and looked at the illustrations. That was the best part! To me, the most thought-provoking part of this book was its rags-to-genius quality. The Beatles were unlikely candidates to become leading musical innovators. Most of them were so poor that their families lacked indoor bathrooms when they were growing up. None of them could read music. The combined number of music lessons they had was less than ten in total. They could not afford musical instruments. Their families could not afford to subsidize their careers. Yet they were observant about the new, in contact with what moved their hearts, listened intently for better music, and worked with a never-ending frenzy to fulfill their passion for the music. It's vastly more heartwarming and fascinating than any rags-to-riches story ever can be. I had never understood John Lennon's complaints about the "packaged, predictable" Beatles until I read in this book about the type of band they were while evolving their style. Particularly in the Hamburg gigs, they were more like a jazz combo that played rock and roll. The music was free form, and they stretched some songs into being as long as an hour and a half. In fact, their commercial success was a tremendous tragedy for their artistic success because they were probably at the edge of developing a whole new musical genre that would have become the dominant one today. I'm sorry it never happened. I feel even more sorry for them, in realizing that they knew what they lost and must feel it very deeply. I was also moved by the story of their tempestuous friendship. These guys went through tremendous stresses, strains, and deprivations together. They fought, they disagreed, they slugged each other, and they appreciated each other. Yet, there was a strong enough pull towards each other that allowed the group to continue through its amazing journey, despite the difficulties. To have had such friendships, even if they are eventually lost, must be an amazing experience. Few will know this closeness in their lives. I came away from this book with a new appreciation for the Beatles. Before this book, the Beatles were all about (for me) how they sounded and looked, and how I reacted to that. Now, I see them as being role models for important aspects of human experience that we should all appreciate. Before closing, I do have two words of caution. This book is very open about the major and minor vices of life. As such, this book could make the wrong impression on adolescents. They don't need too many new ideas about how to rebel, and this book could be read that way. That's not what the Beatles were doing, but a 13 year old could see it that way. Second, as revealing as the book is, more is ultimately still hidden below the surface than is revealed. These young men knew a lot of pain, and that pain was an important source of their brilliance. Don't be offended that they did not share more. It was probably very painful to share as much as they did. I would like to give the editors major credit for developing a successful dialogue style in the book that included quotes from John Lennon. It must have been the dickens to read through all of his many quotes, and to weave them into material comparable to what can be developed in a simple interview where the others could be aware of what each other said. "Take a sad song, and make it better."
Rating:
Summary: Looking for the One After 909? This is it.
Review: From "Love Me Do" to "The Long and Winding Road", the Beatles were always viewed by everyon as a phenomenon. I was born five years after the death of John Lennon, fifteen years after the band broke up, and yet, somehow, I've become an avid fan. Looking at the so-called 'authorized biographies' and such, I thought that this would be some kind of touchy-feely novelistic biography. Boy, was I wrong! From the minute I opened it in the bookstore to a random page, I was thrilled. Gung-ho pictures, poignant comments from the four and their closest friends and co-workers(like George Martin). Reading John Lennon's autobiography was a particularly moving moment, seeing the disillusioned Beatle's take on his own hard life. The whole book is not to be read start to finish, in my opinion. Open it to a page and start. I guarentee that you won't put it down until they prise your fingers from the book. Don't Pass this one By. Get Back online and BUY THIS BOOK!
Rating:
Summary: their name liveth forever more...
Review: As a first generation Beatlesfan,I have read many books over the years on the Beatles.Some excellent,some good but most just plain exploitive.Because of the principals involved namely John,Paul,George,Ringo et.al,this tome(no exaggeration)offers as close to a definitive look into their history as we are likely to receive.As such it is a beautiful and awesome undertaking. The text is revealing with some insightful and perceptible comments, though I suspect some of it is revisionist.The photographs and artwork are exceptional,if a tad familiar.Fortunately there are many I've never seen. The coffee table design is a bit cumbersome but I imagine that would be the only practical layout.One thought,however, intrigues me while reading this anthology. I can't help but wonder what John Lennon's contemporary views on his Beatle past and this book would be.At any rate, the Beatles appeal is timeless and in my life I've loved them all.
Rating:
Summary: Magical mystery tour through the Beatles' career
Review: This book purports to tell the Beatles's story in their own words (though augmented by memories from people close to them like Brian Epstein, producer George Martin, roadies Neil Aspinall and Mal Evans, and publicist Derek Taylor), and does the job quite well. I would estimate that at least 80% of the information contained in this book is already old hat for die-hard Beatlemaniacs who have memorized Mark Lewisohn's "Complete Beatles Chronicle" and read every Beatle book out there. But it's not so much the substance of the information as the way in which it is told--it's great to be able read about these events from the Beatles' point of view, even as seen through the prism of the thirty to forty years that have passed. And I am grateful that George was able to participate in the whole Anthology project before his untimely death in 2001. The modern-day comments from Paul, George, and Ringo were apparently taken from the interviews from the Beatles Anthology circa 94-95 (if you watch the entire video/DVD and compare it to the text in the book it's pretty obvious). Hard-core fans will be able to recognize where many of the other quotes came from, although they aren't sourced, unfortunately--after each such quote there's merely a superscript such as "64" or "70" showing the year it was said, with no reference to the publication or interview it was taken from. That said, the editors had an incredible job piecing this thing together; they could almost be listed as co-writers! There's a great deal of eye-candy (photographs, memos, handwritten notes, drawings, etc.), which are fascinating to look at. Sometimes, though, the arrangement of text, typeface, and photographs on the page seems rather random and thrown together, and even can make it difficult to read (for example, page 177, which tells about George and John's first LSD trip is printed on a background of garish red with magenta and orange text that all but obliterates the actual text). But it's never dull. Despite the fact that it may be a bit of a chore to read, since it's large and heavy (even in paperback), it is a joy to read and I heartily recommend it to all Beatle fans.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent production.
Review: I thought the book was excellently produced, but would have liked more input from non-Beatles and from sacked drummers (nudge nudge wink wink). For instance, Lennon and McCartney recount the time they finished up "I Wanna Be Your Man" for the Rolling Stones; I'd like to have had a word from Mick Jagger and Keith Richards about that experience as well. To the reviewer who complained that they were still slamming Pete Best's drumming ability and mental acuity, or lack thereof, forty years on--that's not strictly true. Pretty much all the statements in the book on that subject are at least 35 years old. But I'd still like to have seen some more input from Pete, as well as a page or two regarding his post
Beatles musical career. He did actually have one, and did fairly well for a couple of years. But, as this book presents him, he was basically a non-entity, just the last in a long line of drummers who occupied the Beatles' drum stool before Ringo came along. There have been some conflicting reports on the musical skills of the various members of the band, ca. 1962. McCartney's own brother said of the group at that time, none of them was a rocket scientist, musically speaking, and it could have been any one of them fate could have chosen to go. Granted that statement was a bit disingenuous in retrospect, but wrt Pete Best it seems as if there was always an official policy in the Beatles' organization to purge his memory. For instance, when the BBC tapes were put on CD, the first two shows, with Pete Best, were omitted due to problems with the 'sound quality'. I've heard some of those performances, and the sound was fine. The drumming wasn't fantastic, but seemed more than adequate in the context.
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