Tune In

The Beatles: All These Years

By: Mark Lewisohn

Narrated by: Clive Mantle

Length: 43 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

Tune In is the first volume of All These Years - a highly-anticipated, groundbreaking biographical trilogy by the world's leading Beatles historian. Mark Lewisohn uses his unprecedented archival access and hundreds of new interviews to construct the full story of the lives and work of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr.

Ten years in the making, Tune In takes the Beatles from before their childhoods through the final hour of 1962 - when, with breakthrough success just days away, they stand on the cusp of a whole new kind of fame and celebrity. They've one hit record ("Love Me Do") behind them and the next ("Please Please Me") primed for release, their first album session is booked, and America is clear on the horizon. This is the lesser-known Beatles story - the pre-Fab years of Liverpool and Hamburg - and in many respects the most absorbing and incredible period of them all. Here is the complete and true account of their family lives, childhoods, teenage years, and their infatuation with American music; here is the riveting narrative of their unforgettable days and nights in the Cavern Club, their laughs, larks, and adventures when they could move about freely, before fame closed in.

For those who've never read a Beatles book before, this is the place to discover the young men behind the icons. For those who think they know John, Paul, George, and Ringo, it's time to press the reset button and tune into the real story, the lasting word.

©2013 Mark Lewisohn (P)2013 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Beyond essential . . . a wildly evocative portrait . . . The saga is clearer and richer here than it’s ever been. Lewisohn writes in novelistic detail and with the obvious conviction that none of the previous Beatles biographies have ever been good enough.” (Entertainment Weekly)

“A radical event and a joy to read . . . Lewisohn’s work stands as a monumental triumph, a challenge not merely to other Beatles biographers but to the discipline of biography itself. If only all important subjects had their Lewisohn.” (Washington Post)

“The biggest, deepest Beatles book ever.”—Rolling Stone “The widest possible angle on an extensive and engrossing group biography built on a well-raked mountain of exacting new research . . . expertly controlled and propelling.” (New York Times)

Magical mystery tour

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Thank you, Mark Lewisohn and Clive Mantle. In 2 years, I'll be 64. Still no grandchildren on my knee. Yet like many my age, The Beatles rocked me into adulthood, a long, strange trip. Every time I changed, they changed. Who was first? God, it was magical! With Lewisohn's sharp skills as a writer and a depth of material that is mind boggling, and Mantle's ability to tell the story and do the accents, we have here a book that requires a review, my first in 10 years of membership. (note the 5 stars across the board). This is simply a great piece of work. To be savored. This really happened, folks. Here's the story of how it happened; listen up and be amazed over and over and over again. I'm 2/3 of the way thru Tune In (volume 1!!) and to summarize: music is love.

Perfect book perfectly performed.

This deep and detailed account of the Beatles' early years is as good as it gets, painting an incredibly deep and rich portrait of the people and places involved. Clive Mantle's narration is impeccable as he glides from different Liverpudlian accents to German and proper British and beyond. A tour de force.

FAB-Tastic

Outstanding details and insight of The Beatles from their early beginnings. Every die hard fan will love this book.
The narration is fantastic and the imitation of the Beatle's voices and others were great and made it highly entertaining.
A MUST for all Beatles fans.

Amazing Detail

Excellent Material, we'll written and extremely well presented by the reader. I can't wait to read part two and three.

best ever

loved it. wish part 2 was out story was told great . great job i give it 5 stars

Does for The Beatles What Caro Does For LBJ

Lewisohn has embarked on a superbly well-sourced and multi-layered investigation of this near-miraculous cultural phenomenon. So many familiar stories gain essential context here. Many parts of the Beatles' myth promoted over the years are upended,. The narrator's ability to mimic the voices of the Beatles and their circle is eerily accurate but often amusing.

Great book

But the "American" dialects this reader uses are beyond comical. I respect that the author does a nice variety of characterization with the various British accents, and does to my ear a fine job of characterizing the German and others. But when it comes to American English? Should've called in a ghost reader.

Narrator

Excellent narrator, often imitating characters authentically without getting cheesy. The english accent throughout was also authentic.

Amazing

Loved every minute of this book! All 39 hours worth! The narrator was fantastic too. He does so many different accents for the different direct quotes and it makes it so much lore enjoyable to listen to. Seriously this is highly recommended!

43 hours of magic

simply amazing, spellbinding. you can't stop listening once you start. brings the world of 1950s england to vivid life. undisputably authoritative and the absolute must listen or read of all time for any Beatles fan. I can't believe how good this book was truly can't recommend enough.