The Beatles Anthology

Book Description

Created with their full cooperation, The Beatles Anthology is, in effect, The Beatles' autobiography. Like their music, which has been a part of so many of our lives, this landmark release is warm, frank, funny, poignant and bold. At last, here is The Beatles' own story. Each page is brimming with personal stories and rare, vintage images. Includes over 340,000 words and over 1300 images, including unseen photographs and personal memorabilia.

Customer Reviews:

Great Book - Great stories........2007-05-22

The only negative is the size of the book. There should be a smaller hardcover or paperback edition. The content is superb and a great coffee table book, but it's difficult to curl up with this book in bed.

An amazing book.......2007-05-13

I really liked Anthology. Not because it told the basic story, which I already got from other biographies. What makes this book really valuable is that it gives the view from inside the eye of the hurricane.

I mean, what's it like when the world starts screaming in your face?

Telling moments... There's a snapshot of John and Paul clutching their guitars as they head onstage for a concert, but their eyes are grim and tired. Paul is holding up his guitar like he needs a shield to ward off a punch to the face. It's a rather frightening photograph, and you feel sorry for them.

Or you wonder, what was George Harrison thinking, when he set off on a stroll through Height-Ashbury - that no one would notice him?

Or you sense, how much fun they seem to have had touring Australia.

Or their "family photos" from vacation trips... about as boring as anyone's photos. Except it's them. THEM.

The book seamlessly works fresh material from the three Beatles (and a few others) with parts of old John Lennon interviews, so it all reads smoothly, like it was all done at once - really great. The book is a fascinating trip all over again... I read it for two days through and hardly put it down.

Only Book You Need.......2007-05-11

As a hard core Beatles fan I can recommend many books,but if I had to recommend only one it would probably be this one. This is a complete,definitive biography,told in their own words. Not surprising that they should feel the need to do this. With all the tabloid fiction out there, I'm surprised they didn't do this earlier. I'm also not surprised that some people are calling it incomplete, saying that this seems to be their version of the story that they want put out. Could it be because this IS the actual true story about them? No really! Do they mean to imply that they ( the Beatles) actually know more about this subject (the Beatles) then some idiot who met them twice, or (maybe not at all) and decided to make some money by writing a second rate book? The audacity! This book tells the story from birth to break up. There is no filler, just facts. And it is told in their own funny,matter of fact,no nonsense way.

Of course the music is the spotlight. Each album is gone over with a fine tooth comb and you are lifted right into the atmosphere, and events unfolding behind the scenes that made each album special. Actually everything they talk about,from their childhoods to Beatlemania seems to lift you right into the scene. This is helped by the gorgeous pictures, almost all of them from their personal collections. Even if you are illiterate you will want this book just for the pictures. By the way, John's quarter of the story is told through interviews. Thank goodness he gave so many. Some of the pictures even have his written comments scrawled on them,showing us exactly how he felt at the time. There are hundreds of pictures of documents, handwritten play lists, handwritten lyrics, notes, hotel and restaurant bills,lists of concerts (again with John's handwritten comments about what was going on.) These guys kept everything! I can't beleive that Paul and Ringo actually kept plane and hotel receipts from a long ago trip to Greece with Jane Asher and Maureen Cox.(at that time,the future Mrs. Starkey) There is even a document at the top corner of one of the pages, (I bet a lot of people missed it) which refers to the request for some lice removal medicine to be delivered to one unfortunate Beatle's home. Of course they are NOT talking about head lice,and having read Peter Brown's pointless,vindictive book,The Love You Make,I know that this may have been Paul's way of saying,'Yes it's true but Epstein's creepy,lackey had no right to put it in a book (and make lots of money). Or maybe I read it in that other rag, Yesterday by Chet Flippo. I had the misfortune of reading both books. Don't make the same mistake.

Don't get me wrong, I don't mind reading juicy,personal stuff as long as it's true and not embellishment. And there are plenty of interesting,sexy, stories,and stories of John's craziness but coming from their mouths, I know they are true. Except for that peeing on nuns story. Really John! George says it never happened and I beleive him. This book is like a huge memoir. A personal scrapbook and photo album. You will enjoy it's beauty,candidness, and it's entertaining style. And it's not true that most of these stories have been told before. I've read hundreds of books on the Fabs and 90% of this book is fresh, especially the early years. While you're at it, get the Anthology DVD set also. It's completely different from this book! Talk about quality, and value for money! Something that's always been important to the Beatles.

Everything Beatles! By the Beatles! What could be wrong?.......2007-05-09

Take 4 guys from England that changed the world of music forever and have them tell the story of their meteoric rise to fame and dominance of the music industry for decades and what do you have? THE BEATLES ANTHOLOGY.

John, Paul, George and Ringo made the music that we listen to today what it is. Without the British Invasion, we would never have had the development of rock and roll as it is today. Elvis and the Beatles, they are the fathers of rock and roll. This is half of that story.

The Anthology is a great compilation of photos, album covers, artwork, lyrics, personal stories, articles and everything else Beatles. If you like the Beatles, then this is the source for every bit of information about the first super-group. You can probably find other books out there about the Beatles, but this was written by the fab four; you really can't go anywhere else to get the information you get in this book.

This is a must have for any Beatles fan. A must have for anyone that appreciates the history of music and rock & roll. Well, this is just a must have.

What more can I say? The Beatles were the original. Their story is great, their music is great, this book is great. Fact, period, end of story.

THE BEST CHRONICLE OF THE BEST ROCK AND ROLL BAND: THE BEATLES AGAIN!!!.......2007-01-10

WoooW!! What an elaborated and extensive material about the best band in the world! this book has every moment, every day, every story about the greatest John, Paul, George and Ringo told by themselves; this book is an invaluable work and every people who likes every kind of music has to buy it! I recommend it especially for the young people who begin to play music and former musical groups with their friends, I'm sure everyone will love this book. THE BEATLES SHOKING ALL THE WORLD AGAIN!!!

The Beatles As Musicians: Revolver through the Anthology

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Well done
A Fine Review Of The Beatles' Later Music
A 10-Star Salute
Best study of the Beatles' music
Excellent book

The Beatles As Musicians: Revolver through the Anthology
Walter Everett
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0195129415

Book Description

Given the phenomenal fame and commercial success that the Beatles knew for the entire course of their familiar career, their music per se has received surprisingly little detailed attention. Not all of their cultural influence can be traced to long hair and flashy clothing; the Beatles had numerous fresh ideas about melody, harmony, counterpoint, rhythm, form, colors, and textures. Or consider how much new ground was broken by their lyrics alone--both the themes and imagery of the Beatles' poetry are key parts of what made (and still makes) this group so important, so popular, and so imitated. This book is a comprehensive chronological study of every aspect of the Fab Four's musical life--including full examinations of composition, performance practice, recording, and historical context--during their transcendent late period (1966-1970). Rich, authoritative interpretations are interwoven through a documentary study of many thousands of audio, print, and other sources.

Customer Reviews:

Well done.......2007-05-16

To understand the majority of this book one would need a music theory background, possibly at the graduate level.

I was surprised at the amount of other information provided as to ho played which instrument.

Very well researched.

A Fine Review Of The Beatles' Later Music.......2005-07-14

This book and its companion (which traces the Beatles' music from its beginnings through "Rubber Soul") demonstrate that there are writers who are serious about the remarkable music of the Beatles. Apart from Mellers' rather professorial, pedantic book and Riley's excellent, approachable book, there is a dearth of material on the music of the Beatles, apart from their sociological or gender ramifications, their cultural iconic status and their effect on fashion and morals, etc. And the music is the only aspect of the Beatles that should matter, since they were incredible musicians and their music has clearly withstood the test of time. Forget other recent books about the Beatles, such as "Meet the Beatles," which reassesses their sociological and gender significance largely by repeating what was previously written about them. Everett succeeds brilliantly in reviewing the Beatles' music as if he were reviewing the music of any great composer. For those who do not have a background in music theory, certain parts of this book may be difficult to comprehend. However, it is worth the effort. A fine achievement.

A 10-Star Salute.......2004-09-03

If you are interested in the technical aspects of the Beatles' music, then make this book your best friend. This book has a plethora of information that will enthrall readers from those who are mildly interested in the Beatles to their most inveterate fans.

As noted in another review, for those who are not interested in the technical parts of this work, skip ahead to other parts of this book and prepare to be delighted. This book is a compliment to the intelligence of its readers; this author has done a sterling job of researching his material.

Hats off and a 10+ star review for this book!

Best study of the Beatles' music.......2001-11-30

A goldmine for anyone interested in the Beatles! By far the best study of the Beatles' music, indeed of any repertory of popular music. Everett includes technical analyses that will assist and inform musicians and scholars. BUT the general reader must not be scared off by the technical sections! If you're not familiar with music theory, skip the technical parts and you still have the best coverage of the Beatles as composers, with historical and personal details accurately recounted for each song and album. Impressed by Everett's work, the Beatles gave Everett unprecedented access to sketches and other unpublished material.

Both author and publisher deserve 10 stars for this magnificent effort.

Excellent book.......2001-10-20

The author knows his subject and, when considering the market for the book, must have decided not to "dumb it down". Good work!

Beowulf to Beatles and Beyond: The Varieties of Poetry

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Beowulf to Beatles and Beyond: The Varieties of Poetry
David R. Pichaske
Manufacturer: Macmillan Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Anthologies | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0023953802

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ANTHOLOGY OF THE LITERARY KIND
This Gets a Rave Review, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!
Essential to any Beatles library

The Beatles Literary Anthology

Manufacturer: Plexus Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0859653153

Book Description

Spanning 40 years, The Beatles Literary Anthology compiles accounts of the Beatles by mainstream reporters, rock journalists, cultural commentators, acquaintances, and friends, including Greil Marcus and Geroge Melly. This extensive collection recounts the group’s rise from the Merseybeat music scene; the British invasion that made them icons in the U.S.; their experimentation with song structure and sound-recording technique that redefined pop music; their embracing of psychedelic drugs and pacifism; and the separate paths band members followed after their acrimonious breakup. The Beatles’ influence on the baby boom generation is also acknowledged in essays by writers on both sides of the pop-culture divide. Conveying the excitement of youth culture during the great social changes of the 1960s, the writers underscore the extremes of a career virtually unparalleled in mass-media history.

Customer Reviews:

ANTHOLOGY OF THE LITERARY KIND.......2005-11-22

Before the Beatles,anthologies such as this were usually reserved for Dickens,Sherlock Holmes or Shakespeare.
Now we have one for the Beatles-which was followed by a seperate one for Lennon-and its one of these kind of books where you can dip in anywhere.
Interesting to read what the critics in Philadelphia thought of the new English group

This Gets a Rave Review, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!.......2005-03-12

This is a book of extraordinarily high caliber. Like the Beatle book by Mojo, this one includes a myriad of magazine articles spanning the Beatles' careers as well as musical analyses, comprehensive biographies and analytical dissections of each Beatle.

One drawback the book has are some inaccuracies, e.g. that George Harrison did not contribute in a musically significant way until 1969 with the release of the Abbey Road album. That just isn't true. George Harrison was a gifted guitarist and extraordinary lyricist who had been writing songs for years prior to 1969! Just LISTEN to the 1966 stellar gem "Revolver" which has 3 songs by George Harrison. The intensity of his lyrics and his unique guitar playing helped define the Beatles as the extraordinary band that they were. Suggesting otherwise is counterproductive.

On the plus side, this book digs quite deeply into history and provides fascinating accounts of the inception of the Beatles; Pete Best's dismissal from the group in 1962 and his replacement Ringo Starr; personal accounts from Best himself; Beatle manager Brian Epstein's first encounter with the boys in 1961.

Each Beatle and the influences that helped shape and guide him down his individual Long & Winding Road are discussed in depth; their philosphies; political ideologies and core values and beliefs are explored as well.

If you are on a quest for buried treasure, you will find plenty of it in this book. You will uncover anecdotes about Beatle conventions; Murray the K, a New York disc jockey who followed the Beatles around during their first trip to America in 1964; his views on John's wife Yoko in later years; John's and George's tragic and untimely demise as well.

Even with the death of two Beatles (at the time of this review), the book does an excellent job of portraying their staying power and how they continue to influence music and other art media.

All in all, a solid job. I highly recommend this one, yeah, yeah, yeah!

Essential to any Beatles library.......2004-10-08

Obviously this book should be picked up by any hardcore Beatles fan, but it might be even more essential if you're just a casual Beatlemaniac. Why? Because it contains excerpts from the vast volume of writing on the Fab 4 which you'll probably just dip a toe in otherwise. This anthology compiles magazine articles, both contemporary and retrospective, excerpts from biographies and autobiographies, analysis of music, "I was there" recollections, and dissections of the Beatles as a cultural phenomenon. The last category is often the weakest, since it tends to combines pompous extrapolation with incorrect "facts" and worthless repetition of conventional wisdom, i.e. that George Harrison didn't write any worthy songs till Abbey Road. Yeah, right: even leaving aside his love 'em/hate 'em Indian experiments, the White Album contains gems like the underrated & chilling Long, Long, Long and the widely acknowledged masterpiece While My Guitar Gently Weeps.

But that's a minor quibble, and the book is full of buried treasures, too many to mention. I'll focus on the cream of the crop here. Culled from original drummer Pete Best's autobiography, we hear the tale of how Best got sacked for Ringo, this time from the horse's mouth (including an interesting anecdote about Best and manager Brian Epstein). Epstein himself has an entry, a truly fascinating account of discovering the Beatles in a sweaty Cavern performance. Then there's an eyewitness account of the Elvis-Beatles meeting which, contrary to press releases of the time, did not go well. Primarily due to Lennon's acerbic mouth.

Speaking of John, we get to see how far left he swung after expressing doubt about politics in "Revolution": in an interview with British radicals, he pledges admiration for Chairman Mao and is brimming with angry Marxist rhetoric. A quote included in this section brings him down to earth by describing the room full of air-conditioned fur coats he and Yoko kept around this time that they were attacking capitalists. Future feminist Gloria Steinem submits a circa '64 interview with John Lennon which spends more time painting a vivid picture of the Beatles' chaotic stage show and backstage milieu than talking to the "sarcastic Beatle." A Q&A with George Harrison expresses his spiritual views, and the best interviews in the book are taken from Playboy, including one with all the Beatles in '65 in which they come off as surprisingly frank and honest. They describe themselves as agnostics and freely discuss topics ranging from sex to religion. Also included is Maureen Cleave's 1966 portrait of Lennon which caused all the controversy by quoting his thoughts on Jesus.

And though I've already criticized a lot of the Beatles punditry, there are exceptions: mainly stuff written at the time, before the Beatles legend was set in stone. Pieces by Paul Johnson and John Gabree debunk the Beatles as musicians and pop icons, Gabree a tad more effectively than Johnson, whose arrogant vitriol is truly shocking. Also critical is William F. Buckley, condemning what he sees as the Maharishi's vapidity and scolding the group for not looking in their own backyard, accusing them of being ignorant of Christianity and Western thought. Pauline Kael is observant as always in her review of Yellow Submarine, and excerpts from the diaries of Andy Warhol and Noel Coward reveal their take on the pop phenomenon.

Chances are you'll find whatever it is you're looking for in this book. Starting with the Beatles' roots in working-class postwar England and the art schools of the 50's, through their gigs in Hamburg and the Cavern Club, into the first outside analysis that greeted the early singles and albums, past first-hand accounts of Beatlemania at the height of its madness (it's astounding nobody died in the frenzy), the recording of Rubber Soul, the first evidence of backlash against the Beatles' popularity, lots of cultural commentary on Sgt. Pepper, into the dissolution of the band. And all kinds of cultural phenomena surrounding the group are put under the microscope too. Swingin' London, the Maharishi, Charles Manson, the rock renaissance of the 60's, even the bootlegs of the 70's and the spoof group "The Rutles" are touched upon. One of the most entertaining sections details a rabid Beatles convention, in which publicity-hound DJ Murray the K puts in his 2 cents on Yoko. Near the end of the book, there's quite a bit of ink spilled on the murder of John Lennon and the quieter death of George Harrison and, you know, the dream is over.

Quite a stocking stuffer.

The Beatles Anthology (ISBN: 0811826848)

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The Beatles Anthology (ISBN: 0811826848)
The Beatles
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Beatles Anthology. Das Buch.
Beatles
Manufacturer: Ullstein Buchverlage GmbH & Co. KG / Ullstein Tas
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 3550071329

The Beatles forever: A celebration of "The Beatles anthology" : the fab four's life stories, live concert photos (Gold collectors series entertainment magazine)

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The Beatles forever: A celebration of "The Beatles anthology" : the fab four's life stories, live concert photos (Gold collectors series entertainment magazine)
David Fantle
Manufacturer: H&S Media Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0006RLA6A

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The Beatles: Anthology 1: 1958-64
Susan Wilson
Manufacturer: UFO Music
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Beatles: Anthology 2: 1965-68
Stuart Nero
Manufacturer: UFO Music
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Do You Want To Know A Secret: A Fab Anthology Of Beatles Facts

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Do You Want To Know A Secret: A Fab Anthology Of Beatles Facts
Keith Topping
Manufacturer: Virgin Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0753510413

Book Description

Innovative look at the Beatles' life and legacy that's packed with strange-but-true facts, from fab anecdotes on legendary radio and TV appearances, to what you can hear if you listen really closely to their often surreal lyrics. Accesible and original, Beatles urban myths are shattered and the world of John, Paul, George, Ringo - and their music - is revealed in a fresh light.

Book Description

Critics against Culture: Anthropological Observers of Mass Society—a collection of essays on the history of anthropology focused on Benedict, Boas, Sapir, and modernist thought by one of American anthropology’s leading scholars—explores the roots of anthropology’s early involvement with the study of American society. The essays making up this volume, focused on the critique of mass society and the history of the culture concept, examine Boasian anthropologists as critics of mass society. The book also includes two new, unpublished essays: one on Alexis de Tocqueville and Margaret Mead, the other on Jules Henry and Richard Hoggart. Handler offers a striking analysis of Boasian cultural criticism and the intersection between anthropology, American studies, and cultural studies.

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Critics Against Culture : Anthropological Observers of Mass Society
Richard Handler
Manufacturer: NY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MU70CE

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Critics Against Culture: Anthropological Observers of Mass Society
Richard Handler
Manufacturer: University of Wisconsin Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OS1FVG

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