John & Paul

A Love Story in Songs

By: Ian Leslie

Narrated by: Chris Addison

*INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER*

"We think we know everything, but author Ian Leslie proves otherwise. His new book, 'John & Paul: A Love Story in Songs,' is, astonishingly, one of the few to offer a detailed narrative of John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s partnership. And it’s a revelation." ―Los Angeles Times

"It is stunning to follow Leslie’s insights into how far and fast John and Paul traveled, how profound their preternatural alliance was, and how epic their heroic journey. I’m sorry John isn’t here to read this book. I hope if Paul does read it he feels the depth of appreciation and gratitude and intelligence it contains." ―The New York Times

John Lennon and Paul McCartney knew each other for twenty-three years, from 1957 to 1980. This book is the myth-shattering biography of a relationship that changed the cultural history of the world.

The Beatles shook the world to its core in the 1960’s and, to this day, new generations continue to fall in love with their songs and their story. At the heart of this phenomenon lies the dynamic between John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Few other musical partnerships have been rooted in such a deep, intense and complicated personal relationship.

John and Paul’s relationship was defined by its complexity: compulsive, tender and tempestuous; full of longing, riven by jealousy. Like the band, their relationship was always in motion, never in equilibrium for long. John & Paul traces its twists and turns and reveals how these shifts manifested themselves in the music. The two of them shared a private language, rooted in the stories, comedy and songs they both loved as teenagers, and later, in the lyrics of Beatles songs.

In John & Paul, acclaimed writer Ian Leslie uses the songs they wrote to trace the shared journey of these two compelling men before, during, and after The Beatles. Drawing on recently released footage and recordings, Leslie offers us an intimate and insightful new look at two of the greatest icons in music history, and rich insights into the nature of creativity, collaboration, and human intimacy.

©2025 Ian Leslie (P)2025 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

We think we know everything, but author Ian Leslie proves otherwise. His new book, 'John & Paul: A Love Story in Songs,' is, astonishingly, one of the few to offer a detailed narrative of John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s partnership. And it’s a revelation."
―Los Angeles Times

"In John & Paul: A Love Story in Songs, author Ian Leslie details their union with perceptive insights bolstered by extensive research."
―People

"John & Paul shows us that the band’s collective closeness grew out of an earlier intimacy between the Beatles’ twinned geniuses. It celebrates the convoluted, beautiful and tragic nature of a songwriting partnership that still reverberates across the universe." ―Wall Street Journal

Wow! Such truth!

This is an incredible story, especially if you know about music. It gives detailed descriptions of the chords, instruments and lyrics used in each song and how advanced their ideas were. They were geniuses and in the same esteemed “club” as Rogers and Hammerstein, Lerner and Lowe and the Gershwin’s. They changed music for ALL time. You will not be sorry to have listened to this astonishing book!

Because it was he: because it was me.

That line from Montaigne describing his extraordinary relationship with La Boetie, which Ian Leslie ends this book on, beautifully elevates the scope and depth of John and Paul's devotion to one another. I've spent most of my life as something of a Beatle aficionado, but this is the first book to center specifically on this incredible, if at times dysfunctional, relationship. Before reading this amazing book, my opinions regarding them were colored mostly from their acrimony and I often wondered how they were able to work so closely together, but Leslie's book performed something of a heart transplant on me and now I see they held a deep love and devotion for one another that transcended all the chaos. I found it all inspiring as well as heartbreaking, but either way, it has completely reset my feelings about their relationship. This book is a must for any Beatle fan.

How lucky are we?

What a lovely listen. Sure, I am a lot more emotional now (at 42 y/o) than I was ten or (dios mio) twenty years ago. But I felt so damn lucky listening to this book. Lucky that we live in a cosmos where these two dudes met; lucky they opened up to each other through music in a time where opening up was in the basement closet bomb shelter; lucky that they loved each other. Thanks, Ian.

Redefines the Beatles biography

Clever, insightful and groundbreaking, a telling of the familiar Beatles story from a completely new and perpetually surprising angle. This is the Beatles book everyone should read.

Fresh Perspective

I didn’t think there was anything new to be said about the Beatles, in particular Lennon and McCartney. A friend recommended this and I thought “why not?” not having any expectation beyond a pleasant trip down memory lane. That expectation was blown away in the first few pages. The author did a great job taking a look at two of music’s most iconic figures in a fresh way. And in a way that makes the most sense - through their music. It’s a remarkable achievement and I thoroughly enjoyed the book and rediscovered the music that means so much to me having come of age to its soundscape. The narration is first rate, especially the narrator’s facility in mimicking John and Paul’s voices convincingly. Nice touch. Great read.

Insight into this brilliant pair

The Beatles changed my life and I think I have read almost every book written about them. This one was a much needed deep dive into their complex, painful and beautiful relationship. I loved the way the author wove their songs into their history .

Balance

According to this author, Paul is a workaholic, and driven taskmaster and John is a dependent, mentally ill wreck — or nearly so. Fans of Paul should love this. Fans of John might feel that their hero is being attacked.

I’ll have to read some other points of view to confirm or deny the information contained in this book.

Lots of interesting details about the group…Ringo and George are also included in the analysis.

The reader has — at least in my opinion — a harsh voice, but makes few mistakes and does a good job.

New insights.

The detail of the author. I’ve read dozens of books about the Beatles. This is the first in many years that had some new insights.

If you’re a Beatles fan, listen!

I thought I knew all there is to know about John and Paul, and the Beatles, yet this was an amazing listen, The storytelling and narration is spellbinding. I highly recommend this book. Listen to a chapter, press pause, and listen to the song… it’s Beatles ecstasy!

Fresh angle

Having read numerous Beatles biographies I barely trusted the rave reviews of this one claiming there are new insights, etc. Well, there absolutely are. This is a warm, perceptive portrait of the friendship in and through song—just as the title says—that produced the most remarkable song catalogue of the second half of the 20th century (and still counting). Beautifully narrated too.