#the beatles books

[crepesuzette2023]

I'm in love with "The Fifth Beatle: The Brian Epstein Story" by Vivek Tiwary, Andrew C. Robinson & Kyle Baker

The 10th anniversary edition appeared in 2023. I got it for Christmas.

I love it because it's not an illustrated biography (nor is it a Beatles book)—it is a journey into Brian's mind. The illustrations are expressive and unusual. The writing tells truth as poetry. It's worthy of a man who saw what others could not—and made it his mission to share it with the world.

It shows the nights of Liverpool, where Brian learns that love is dangerous, and the stylish success of the family business, where he's Mr. Brian.

The magic moment when he meets the band that will be the life and death of him. The majestic bullfight of fame and love begins...

The book gives him an ally, an angel, a demon.

The rejections. The world saying no, go back to—

The Screams. Ed Sullivan. Nat Weiss. Boys. The Philippines. Sgt. Pepper.

Brian's loneliness and greed for success are not shown as a character weakness, but a reaction to not being allowed to love openly, due to the barbaric reality of "The Wilde Laws." There is always something missing, never a place to rest.

The book plays with metaphors and symbolism. It serves banter and stings, it seduces and cuts. And in the end...

The 10th Anniversary Edition has lots of additional material, such as an annotated playlist, early sketches, and various writings.

"... brian already had at least two social marks against him—he was Jewish and he was gay.

christ, you know it ain't easy, dusty springfield was catholic and gay but she was able to sing her way through it.

brian had to stand in the wings and watch his lads twist and shout

but those wings became the wings of the world" (andrew loog oldham) [all illustrations from THE FIFTH BEATLE: The Brian Epstein Story (10th Anniversary Edition, 2023), by Vivek Tiwary, Andrew C. Robinson & Kyle Baker. More materials on the book's website]

[loveinstreams]

"unauthorized biography" "unofficial biopic" that's a big budget rpf fanfiction if you ask me

[innitmarvellous]

I'm fucking crying

[georgeharrisonsmiling]

Nowhere man: The final days of John Lennon. Robert Rosen

Prisoner of Love: Inside the Dakota with John Lennon. Peter Doggett | Release cancelled in 2021

Lennon in America. Geoffrey Giuliano

[muzaktomyears]

I love that whenever Allan Williams talks about the Beatles he's like, ah yes, they were stinky little feral rat children begging for crumbs <3

from Liddypool: Birthplace of the Beatles, David Bedford (2017)

[cosmix-soup]

i went to a book shop today and they had a book of illustrated beatles lyrics and THIS was the picture they used for two of us.... the writers knew

[zilabee]

[Tells the story of Pete Shotton 'casually' inviting Paul to be in the band and Paul 'casually' saying yeah okay.] To celebrate, he lost his virginity that evening - and then told his mates. The news flew around, "Hey, guess what? Paul's shagged a girl!"

Tony Bramwell - Magical Mystery Tours

[flamememeago]

Old bug bits that have no other place to go

[mostlyghostie]

I redrew my favourite books! This time I added my favourite albums too.

Books:

Paul Auster - 4321

Phillip Pullman - Northern Lights

AS Byatt - The Children’s Book

Charles Dickens - David Copperfield

William Goldman - The Princess Bride

George Saunders - Lincoln in the Bardo

RC Sherriff - The Fortnight in September

Kazuo Ishiguro - An Artist of the Floating World

Jon McGregor - Reservoir 13

David Mitchell - The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet

Elizabeth Strout - Olive Kitteridge

Alice Munro - Hateship, Loveship, Courtship, Friendship, Marriage

Marilynne Robinson - Home

John Williams - Stoner

Albums:

Love - Forever Changes

Lou Reed - Transformer

Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes

Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea

Sam Cooke - Live at the Harlem Square Club

Martha - Blisters in the Pit of My Heart

Big Thief - Masterpiece

The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses

Joanna Newsom - Divers

Richard Dawson - 2020

George Harrison - All Things Must Pass

The Beatles - Abbey Road

(I’ve added a new listing to my shop where you can request a big custom print like this of your own favourite stuff to display on your wall!)

Shop / Instagram

[abutterpie]

Excerpt from “The Beatles” by Bob Spitz

[m1ssunderstanding]

[ceofjohnlennon]

Paul McCartney for The Beatles Monthly Book n°40, November/1966.

[dovetailjoints]

[georgeharrisonsmiling]

[muzaktomyears]

Justin DeVilleneuve, manager of sixties super model Twiggy and close McCartney friend, recalls the climate at Abbey Road during those days [making the White Album]. "The strange thing was that when they were all together they went peculiar, as if an invisible barrier had fallen. Paul, my pal, blanked me completely; Ringo looked elsewhere; George gave me a long stare; John was the one I didn't know well - we were only nodding acquaintances - so I couldn't speak to him. After ten minutes talking to myself, I turned round, calling them 'fucking Scouse gits,' or words to that effect, and stormed out of the studio. Footsteps behind me. It was John. He put his arms around my shoulders. 'Sorry, Justin, we're a bunch of eyes fronts,' but he didn't say 'eyes fronts' if you get my gist... The mad thing is, when I met Paul next he behaved as if nothing had happened. Weird. Together they were weird."

Two of Us: John Lennon & Paul McCartney Behind the Myth, Geoffrey Giuliano (1999)

[harrisonsbabygirl]

1963