The Beatles

The Biography

By: Bob Spitz

Narrated by: Alfred Molina

Length: 10 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's summary

Even before the Beatles hit the big time, a myth was created. This version of the Beatles legend smoothed the rough edges and filled in the fault lines, and for more than forty years this manicured version of the Beatles story has sustained as truth, until now.

The product of almost a decade of research, hundreds of unprecedented interviews, and the discovery of scores of never-before-revealed documents, Bob Spitz's The Beatles is the biography fans have been waiting for.

Never before has a biography of musicians been so immersive and textured. We are there in the McCartney living room when Paul and John learn to write songs together; backstage the night Ringo takes over on drums; in seedy German strip clubs where George lies about his age so the band can perform; and at the Ed Sullivan Show as America discovers the joy and the madness. From Shea to San Francisco, through the London night, on to India, through marmalade skies, across the universe, all the way to a rooftop concert and one last moment of laughter and music.

It is all here, the highs and the lows, the love and the rivalry, the drugs, the tears, the thrill, the magic never again to be repeated. Bob Spitz's masterpiece is, at long last, the biography the Beatles deserve.

©2005 Bob Spitz (P)2005 Simon & Schuster Inc. All rights reserved.

Critic reviews

• Winner of Audio Publishers Association 2007 Audie Award, Non-Fiction, Abridged

"As with all great history writing, Spitz both captures a moment in time and humanizes his subjects. While some will blanch at the unsettling dark sides of the Beatles, most will come to appreciate the band even more for knowing the incredible personal odysseys they endured." (Publishers Weekly)

Excellent from start to finish!

I've read many books about the Beatles and there is a lot of content here I didn't know before. And Molina brings their story to life with outstanding narration. Excellent from start to finish! Highly recommend.

biased but good

The book should be retitled "why you should hate john lennon" bit i enjoyed the book very much, although obviously biased against john lennon for whatever reason. still worth listening to

The ups and downs (and downs) of Beatles

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

This is a good start for anyone who wants to get an overview of the history of the Beatles. A word of warning though: few persons come out looking good in the end so if you harbor a idealized image of the band it might get smudged.

What other book might you compare The Beatles to and why?

The focus of this book is the drama and personal relationships. A supplementary book would be Ian MacDonald's "Revolution in the Head: The Beatles' Records and the Sixties" which focuses entirely on the recordings (each and every one of them). That one is a must-have for any Beatles fan.

Any additional comments?

Alfred Molina does a good job but I can't help to wonder how it would be if it was read by someone with a northern accent.

Great narration on a good book

Alfred Molina did a superb job in making this an enjoyable listening experience. Good content, not much new information but overall entertaining.

Solid Beatles Book!

Very thorough history of 1958-1964. After that, it’s lacking, but it’s never boring. If you love the Beatles it’s good.

Exciting Read

All these decades later the mania is still infectious, and does grip the reader as they listen. It's funny, I'd read this book in paperback years ago, and remember it being a tome. In audio format, I wished it could have been longer. I would not have minded perhaps more statistics, actual sales numbers, more insights about the group's impact globally, to parallel the fascinating stories of the individuals involved. A great read and listen.

Overall nice read but nothing new

Would you listen to The Beatles again? Why?

No. Probably not. Although I find anything about the Beatles interesting, there were really no new details about the greatest band of all time.

Which scene was your favorite?

The discussions regarding the Lennon and McCartney friendship and song writing partnership.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The stories about Lennon's childhood are very sad but well known to most fans. I would have liked a deeper insight into Paul, George & Ringo's backgrounds.

Any additional comments?

This book is probably for the beginning Beatles fan who desires to know more about their childhood backgrounds and humble beginnings. The narrator was excellent. I was hoping for some newly revealed funny stories and insights behind the scenes during their Hamburg and World touring years.

Bob Spitz

A refreshing insight to the inner world of the Fab Four's climb to the top and eventual disbanding. Spitz takes us on this journey from school boys to icons, the whole time keeping his pulse on the real lives of the four young men at the center of it all. - Scott Dreher, X-Ray Star

Epic

This is a phenomenal work of art, detailing the lives of the most important cultural force of the 20th century.

Perfect

Superb overview that mixes the personal backgrounds with the history of the band and some great insight on how their iconic songs reached fruition. Molina's narration is spot on.