And in the End

The Last Days of the Beatles

By: Ken McNab

Narrated by: Peter Kenny

Length: 9 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

Ken McNab's in-depth look at the Beatles' acrimonious final year is a detailed account of the breakup featuring the perspectives of all four band members and their roles. A must to add to the collection of Beatles fans, And in the End is full of fascinating information available for the first time.

McNab reconstructs for the first time the seismic events of 1969, when the Beatles reached new highs of creativity and new lows of the internal strife that would destroy them. Between the pressure of being filmed during rehearsals and writing sessions for the documentary Get Back, their company Apple Corps facing bankruptcy, Lennon's heroin use, and musical disagreements, the group was arguing more than ever before, and their formerly close friendship began to disintegrate.

In the midst of this rancor, however, emerged the disharmony of Let It Be and the ragged genius of Abbey Road, their incredible farewell love letter to the world.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Guide to the 100 Best Books of the Year - 2020

A Macmillan Audio production from Thomas Dunne Books

"In And in the End, the Scottish journalist Ken McNab focuses engagingly, and insightfully, on the band’s final year...Mr. McNab’s portrait of the band in its twilight neatly conveys the hazards of fame and the enduring value of youth, talent and a touch of madness.” (Wall Street Journal)

©2020 Ken McNab (P)2020 Macmillan Audio

So many reasons why

Good story with insight
Tells how everything started falling apart. So many reasons and hurt egos.

Depressing story, but the author can’t help that.

I grew up with the Beatles and have read many books about them. While this was a depressing listen, that’s because 1969 was a depressing year for the Beatles. The author and narrator just told it like it was, which is good and how it should be handled.

The story could make you think less of the Fab Four individually, but it shouldn’t. These were young men who lost their way after the death of Brian Epstein, and fell into the clutches of people like Allen Klein and Magic Alex. They were so naive, even with the street smarts they learned early on. None of this should take away from the rest of their story, which was about a musical an personal tour-de-force that is unlikely to be repeated in today’s environment of media noise and saturation. It is the stuff legends are made of, but even the characters in legends can be flawed like the rest of us.

You Took Your Lucky Break And Broke It In Two

I thought that this was a very interesting “take” on The Beatles last year as a group. I am well versed with Beatle history and found this audiobook to be factual. What I really liked about it was that the author gives us a sequential breakdown of the calendar events of 1969 that led to the final disillusion of the band. Especially interesting to me was the arrival of prospective manager Allen Klein and the author’s analysis of how his contractual actions were the final straw in driving a wedge between The Lads. Also, the added historical significance of certain events, such as the date of the last appearance of all four Beatles together in the studio. My only criticism is I wish the author would have spent a little more time discussing how Paul McCartney recorded and released his first solo album with the DIY press release that led to the press publishing the headline “Paul Quits The Beatles “ and the aftermath of the fan’s reaction. Overall, this is an excellent audiobook and I plan to listen to it again as there is so much understand.

The end of an era

Well told final year of the Beatles. Sad, but a must read for any Beatles fan.

Familiar ground but a good listen

Ken McNab presents a straightforward month-by-month account of the last days of the Beatles. He begins in January 1969, when the band showed up at Twickenham Studios to begin filming the “Get Back” project, an ill-fated attempt to show the Beatles rehearsing for a live concert — a concert that was supposed to provide the film’s climax. (It did, in a way: the rooftop concert ends the film “Let It Be,” with a puzzled audience staring up from the street below.)

There were many problems. Since Brian Epstein’s death, the Beatles were floundering, and their attempts to right course took Lennon and McCartney in different directions. Allen Klein came into the mix and began a campaign of self-promotion that was not always justified by actual performance. Another problem was heroin: John Lennon and Yoko Ono were users, and his erratic behavior and stony-faced apathy during much of the “Get Back” filming was partly due to the drug.

None of this will be a surprise to anyone familiar with the history of the Beatles. There are no bombshells or exposès here, though McNab fills in a number of details that I'd forgotten or never knew. His account overlaps with Peter Doggett’s reporting in You Never Give Me Your Money. My recollection is that Doggett includes significantly more detail, especially about the “Get Back” sessions, which seem to fly by here. I’ll have to reread that one now: I think, if I were to recommend one over the other, it would have to be Doggett’s book. But McNab’s month-by-month structure helps communicate a sense of awe: really and truly, could all of this have happened in one year?

Peter Kenny, the narrator, does a good job presenting the material. He avoids the trap of trying to do impressions of the Beatles, although he does do a kind of “Liverpool Lite” accent when quoting one of them. He does a reasonable job with the Americans as well. (A lot of them sound like hard-bitten New Yorkers, but many of those quoted may, in fact, BE hard-bitten New Yorkers, so I'll give him a pass on that one.) The important thing is that his pace is steady and the narrative remains clear throughout.

A very fulfilling read for an avid Beatles fan

This is a great account of the last year of the Beatles. It is well read and the story is fantastic. It uncovers mass amounts of information I never knew. It also settles the score on who ultimately broke up the Beatles. Hint: it’s not Yoko.

L:ast Days of the Beatles

This covers the last two or so years of the Beatles when they recorded Let It Be and Abbey Road. Lot of interesting details on the making of these albums and the friction between the Beatles themselves

for every fan, and those who don't understand

A must read for any fan of The Beatles. My one caveat: if John is your favorite this book does not always cast him in the best light. The research is thorough and meticulous. The information is packed onto every page. And the nostalgia is real.

Pretty complete breakdown of events

Paints a comprehensive portrait of the villains, heroes, and plenty of those in between in the gradual, then sudden breakdown of the Beatles. Enjoyable listen.

A Lot of New Details

This is as good of a retelling of this familiar story as any I’ve heard, a lot of new details. Very entertaining, some good history.