The Beatles Anthology Reviews

• The Definitive Chronicle At Last

  
  By A3Q83VI243WI7U on 2000-10-14
  Hundreds of books have been written about The Beatles, but it is
  crushingly obvious when reading this Anthology volume that by far the
  best one would naturally come from the bandmembers themselves. [The
  price] seems like an incredible bargain considering the size and
  quality of this work, which covers the years 1940 (the birth of Ringo
  and John) to the breakup in 1970. At 368 coffee-table sized pages
  it's already huge, but the small print makes it almost double that
  size.

  The book would be worth it just for the photos alone, which
  are beautifully reprinted--many from the early years are actually in
  color--chronicling dozens of previously unpublished, intimate moments
  taken straight from the group's personal archives. But what really
  makes this one essential is the text itself, which is taken from
  interviews conducted with Paul, George and Ringo in the 90s and an
  exhaustive compilation of Lennon quotes from all points in his life (I
  recognized many, but there were also some I've never seen before).
  Even after the dozens upon dozens of biographies which have recounted
  the group's earth-shattering tale ad nauseum, you feel like you're
  reading it for the first time. All four bandmembers speak with a
  thousand times more wit, frankness and detail than all of their
  previous biographers combined; in fact, they manage to offer up
  juicier tales, and more interesting spins on already known events,
  than anything you've read before even in the most gossipy bios--and
  you get it this time knowing that it's honest (you know it's honest
  when you hear conflicting memories about certain events!).
  

  "Anthology" is especially revealing when it comes to the
  childhoods and Hamburg era: you get to hear about the first time
  George got laid (right in front of the other three bandmembers!), or
  when Ringo was a member of the Dingle gang, or what they did at
  teenage parties. The detail is so thorough and vividly recalled for
  the early years (and butressed by the photos) that you feel like
  you're living it as it actually happened. No stone is left unturned
  about the famous years, either: George and Ringo philosophize about
  their first LSD trips and the meaning of "Tomorrow Never
  Knows", the Maharishi controversy is finally put to rest (hint:
  he never made a pass at anybody), and new insight is shed on the
  evolution of the friendships between John and the other three. More
  is made about the breakup than was on the "Anthology"
  videos, including Yoko's presence and the business hassles, as well as
  the making of "Abbey Road". Finally, all of this is told
  with such an elegant sense of Beatle humor that even the heaviest
  moments are a joy to read. Also included are excerpts from Stu
  Sutcliffe and Brian Epstein's personal diaries. With this volume now
  finally released, the only other essential Beatle books to get are
  Lewishon's "Beatles Chronicle" and Miles' "The Beatles:
  A Diary", both of which give exact reference dates and
  descriptions for every live show, radio, recording and filming session
  (as well as more great photos).
  
  
  

• A joyful book!

  
  By A2WLZD9BY669HY on 2000-10-28
  How can any Beatles fan not be delirious over the arrival of this book? I spent four hours glued to it, lovingly turning each page, laughing, smiling and astounded over so many previously unseen photos. I have 400 Beatles books in my collection in many different languages. This book beats them all in content, style, text, arrangement and producing pure bliss in the reader. Some of the early photos from the Cavern and Hamburg years have appeared before in Mike McGear's 1977 book, but there are other new photos when the boys were so young it's almost piercing to look at them.

  My only slight criticism is that much of the text was lifted directly from the Beatles Anthology series. This was disappointing, but the soaring positives of this weighty book cancel out any whining. For all of us Beatles fans, this is the apex of what will be offered for a long time. You will cherish this book and get endless hours of fascination and enjoyment from it. John, Paul, George and Ringo...still producing powerful emotions. They always will.
  
  

• Informative and Personal

  
  By A1ZP3F3PSDURB4 on 2000-10-05
  With the wealth of info already out there on The Beatles, one may ask "Do we need more?" In some cases, the answer would be... "No." In this case, I say "Welcome."

  This book is huge for one thing. There are a lot of pictures you've seen before, but a lot of personal pics seen for the first time. Like the video Anthology, we get to see a more personal side to The Beatles in this book. One drawback is that you'll notice some of the same images from the video as you do in here. Also, in terms of content you'll often just see written quotes from the video. Regardless, there is plenty of new material here to make this a "5 star" effort. Having read almost every Beatle book out there, I would have to say this is a definite buy.

  Final Note: Once again, only drawback is some overlap with the video Anthology which is expected.
  
  

• A New Spin on a Old Tale

  
  By on 2000-10-05
  "The Beatles Anthology" doesn't reveal much new history about the band; the Beatles are already perhaps the most exhaustively chronicled and dissected group in history, and there are books that offer day-by-day diaries of the Beatles' lives and their music. (There's even one book, Mark Shipper's "Paperback Writer," that's a hilarious semi-fictional history, complete with loopy footnotes.)

  What "Anthology" does do is offer first-person viewpoints from the four men who sat in the eye of the storm called "Beatlemania" and present their often very different memories of the same events.

  The book's release comes more than 30 years since the group's breakup. During that time, each band member embarked on varyingly successful solo careers, and also endured an unfathomable tragedy -- the 1980 shooting death of Lennon by a deranged fan. Despite the distance that time has provided from their days as the best band on the world, the living members say they will always be Beatles.

  "It was a one-way love affair," says Harrison. "People gave us their love and their hysteria, but the Beatles lost their mental health."

  Ringo Starr's thoughts are more poignant. It's "impossible to turn the page and say, I'm no longer a Beatle," he says. "To this day, and for everyone, that's all I am."
  
  

• it made bestseller before it hit the shelves

  
  By AMXZBLFR0EAJ6 on 2000-11-02
  In my mind.... rather in my reality and in the reality of others this book is merited the award for Best book ever (if I said so myself). This book offers more than just a good read and amazing rare photographs....it offers the hard work solely belonging to the beatles themselves, achieving a rather important stage in their life together and apart from each other. this book made me buy two copies at once never having a doubt in my mind that I wouldn't regret this. the Beatles giving their words, their pictures and their lifes to us goes to show how important it is that this book must be read by all.

  the book is like others, but only because it tells the story about the Beatles from beginning to end. recounting their number one hits, their incounters with love-peace-drugs-spirituality and politics and because it demonstrates a peculier sense in telling the story it self. But in nowhere can you ever find the complete works of all four Beatles + george Martin, Mal evens, derek taylor and brian epstein all together in one writing. the pictures themselves could take on the honour of representing the beatles in a fashion never before witnessed.

  the book was great and deserves for billions to be bought.

  thank you beatles I hope we read from you again.
  
  

• Fabulous!
  By AX8SWWB9837TA on 2000-11-22
  I was going to give this book 4 stars, until half-way through I was struck by the pure genius of it all. Why? It's like a cover song - when someone else plays a Beatles song, does it ever really sound as good as the original? Rarely. "Anthology" is a huge tome of a book comprised entirely of interviews and snippets from the Fab Four themselves, with a very few extras from their manager, studio producer, etc. It seems like a coffee table book, but it certainly isn't - over 350 large pages of fine print.

  The reason why this book ALMOST got 4 stars is because of the inherent nature of a book made entirely of quotes - natural conversation doesn't translate well onto the printed page, especially when so many people are quoted from different periods in their lives. The book never says "In 1964, the Beatles recorded Rubber Soul" or anything like that. Instead, the quotes gradually roll around to telling you, until you realize "Oh, we're in the studio again". Often this book is disjointed and hard to follow, especially if you don't anything about the Beatles.

  However, few people know nothing about the Beatles! After the first 30 pages, you get used to the style of presentation, and later on you realize the beauty of it all - these boys are down-right inspiring. Worked in with all the tours and stories and pranks and bad rumors and other nonsense are wonderful descriptions of their music and how it was written, what its inspiration was, and the trials that were faced to create it. The Beatles didn't idolize themselves, not like their fans do, so the words just flow out effortlessly and pure, just like their music did. This was their lives, no big deal, this is what they did. The creativity is catchy.

  If you are a die-hard Beatles historian, I'm positive that nothing new is said in this book. There is no "myth-making" in these pages - their fights and disagreements are very bluntly presented - but you can see a "No Big Deal" kind of attitude formed. It's is only natural, the survivors are turning 60, after all. Like the video series and the CDs, this version of Anthology is a warm revisit of a wonderful little rock'n'roll band. Check it out.
  
  

• As Good as it Could Get For the Best of All Time
  By A1E1KVAGZ8AHJN on 2000-11-21
  The book is packed with photos, memories, ads, and trinkets of all varietie, and not just the ones Beatles fans have seen forever - some are pretty rare. It's sure to feed the appetite of Beatles fans for years. Well worth the price, and a great gift. It's both a comprehensive encyclopedia on the band, and a great coffee table book with its beautiful silver cover. Recommended to any serious Beatles fan. It's more enjoyable with each passing day.
  
  
• "Beatlemania" in America in 1964
  By AONQAAU9P40BS on 2000-12-07
  The Beatle's Anthology is much more than another peek at the Fab Four.Turning as I almost always do from back to front, I stopped first to see what was shared In 1964. The pictures accurately portray a time of innocence in America captured by the happy and fresh "look" of these four young and extremely high energized young men. All teenage girls adored the Beatle's because they were so cute but I believe their energy is what actually captured our attention. The pictures through-out the anthology portray not only the Beatles but showcase the mood that was prevalent,as well. The feelings are totally captured by the story each picture tells about not only the evolution of the Beatles spirituality and evolution of their consciousness but the feelings that were felt not only in this country but around the world at the time, and so this is also a book that unintentionally chronicles the pulse of America, as well. (I was going to rate it a four because I would have rather had a collection of smaller books but since it also tells another story it warrants its massive bulk and is definitely a coffee table book.)It surprised me to feel and see this as I looked at the book the first time, it really was amazing and you can see by the pictures how young and fresh the Beatles looked and how their energy traveled around the world, and the pages remembering this time showed the Beatles totally happy and the energy level in the country was extremely high and they were the personification of that time! And as the pictures change it is easy to remember each time by the changing somber and reflective moods as each year brought more serious issues to our awareness.But 1964 was my year for experiencing the Beatle's and that is what I would like to share...definitely a fun year! So I was thinking about the Beatles, because I have been hearing and reading about them recently, and stepped back in my memory to 1964, when the Beatles music made its way to our high school, in a small town in the California desert, and how the music was part of our daily reality. We all ate lunch outside by the football field, and there was a little ticket booth that we used for a music shack during lunch each day, and we played the Beatles everyday at lunchtime. My girlfriends and I worked at the Fox and Crest theaters and all of the Beatle movies were playing and we thought all of the Beatles were so cute. My boyfriend at the time became my husband and he hated the Beatles because he had to watch their movies every night when he came to pick me up after work! They had so much energy and were so cute and had such wit that they amused us. We loved the Beatles and thought Paul was so cute, and John was so deep, and George was so quiet, and Ringo always amused us with his wit. Enjoying the fun memories of a time of innocence when just like the teenagers in "American Graffiti" we all dragged main street then through the Fosters Freeze parking lot in a loop thru Bakers then back over to Fosters Freeze over and over seeing who was out and especially to make sure we were seen! My boyfriend let me drive his baby blue 1960 Dodge with the huge fins in back, and it had push buttons so I thought it was great, and I found out later the reason he trusted me with his car was because he wanted to make sure other guys knew I was his girlfriend! Which scored huge points with me as a result of his caring enough about me to do something so romantic! Fun memories and I see I have a Rubber Soul album with the price still on it... the price $3.96.
  
  
• The "War and Peace" of Beatles Biographies
  By A2F3L0KH83VAZY on 2000-11-20
  Wow. First off, one can't help but marvel at the fact that this book is HUGE! This makes every other Beatles biography look rather pathetic in comparison. The sheer number of superbly reproduced, and more often than not never-before-seen, photographs is mind-boggling. This is the absolute definitive story of the Beatles, as told by them, so all the speculation and conflicting stories that have surfaced in previous books is completely irrelevant. If you are a Beatles fan, then this book is an absolute MUST. And believe me, once you buy this book, you will be able to retire any and all of your existing Beatles biographies for use as coasters, placemats, puppy training papers or the like. I also strongly encourage you to look into the new CD, "Beatles 1." All 27 of the original number 1 singles have been digitally remastered (spectacularly, I might add!) and the sound is unbelievable.
  
  
• The Ultimate Beatle Artifact !!
  By A1D663YD036KNH on 2000-10-12
  "Anthology" is THE ultimate Beatle artifact. Anyone who loves the Beatles will be blown away by this 368 page monster packed with hundreds of rare photos and the real story behind the music as told by John, Paul, George and Ringo. True, thousands of books have been written about the Beatles but, "Anthology" is the first to be written BY the Beatles. That's what makes this book so refreshing and unique.

  Everything--and I mean EVERYTHING -- from their Liverpool upbringing through their bitter 1970 breakup is discussed and debated. Ironically, the Beatles often disagree on the details of their historic career. For instance John always claimed that the Beatles smoked pot at Buckingham Palace while being awarded the MBE by the Queen in 1965. George, however, says it never happened. John claims to have written the classic "In My Life" all by himself, while Paul swears it was a collaboration! Such tid-bits -- and there are many of them -- are what makes "Anthology" so much fun to read.

  The book is adorned with hundreds of beautiful, glossy photos -- many of which have never been seen by the public. Most impressive are rare color shots from the Canary Islands in '63, Miami, New York and Tahiti in '64 and India in '66 and '68.

  "Anthology" is truly breathtaking in terms of content and scope. I suspect it will take many months to fully disect and digest the wealth of information contained within its pages. This is a truly remarkable piece of work that I would highly recommend to anyone whose life was changed by the Beatles and their fabulous music. Five stars are not enough.
  
  

• Got to Get This Into Your Life...
  By A2I76BCSG18NIK on 2000-10-06
  Just got the "Anthology" yesterday, and let me throw a few words at you:

  Hefty. Dense. Comprehensive.

  Pictures? It's crammed with them.

  Is it readable? While most books made up of interview quotes can be frustratingly Helter Skelter, the quotes in "Anthology" are edited so that the book flows in a highly readable narrative style.

  I feared that this book might be a cheap cashing-in. Rather, it's a beautifully mammoth effort.
  
  

• their name liveth forever more...
  By A2ZT0NWDDH1U5C on 2000-10-23
  As a first generation Beatlesfan,I have read many books over the years on the Beatles.Some excellent,some good but most just plain exploitive.Because of the principals involved namely John,Paul,George,Ringo et.al,this tome(no exaggeration)offers as close to a definitive look into their history as we are likely to receive.As such it is a beautiful and awesome undertaking. The text is revealing with some insightful and perceptible comments, though I suspect some of it is revisionist.The photographs and artwork are exceptional,if a tad familiar.Fortunately there are many I've never seen. The coffee table design is a bit cumbersome but I imagine that would be the only practical layout.One thought,however, intrigues me while reading this anthology. I can't help but wonder what John Lennon's contemporary views on his Beatle past and this book would be.At any rate, the Beatles appeal is timeless and in my life I've loved them all.
  
  
• THE Best Book - How could you not like it???
  By AMX0PS4052US4 on 2000-12-06
  First of all, I would like to say that I was not a huge Beatles Fan before I read this book. I mean, I liked the Beatles and I had a couple CD's, but the thing was I didn't really know enough about them to like them. This book changed all that.

  I actually purchased this book for a speech that I had to do in school on "The Musical Journey of the Beatles." I started out using it like a refrence book. You know, look in the index, then go the page and read about the subject you want to put in your speech. I soon found, however, that this was impossible. It was so interesting that I just kept on reading after I had found the topic I was looking for. And reading and reading and reading and.... well, you get the idea.

  There are so many little factoids here that you can't find anywhere else. Like, where Sgt. Pepper came from. "The orginal idea for Sgt. Pepper came from Paul. While on a trip to the West Coast, he encountered a trend of long group names. 'People were no longer The Beatles or The Crickets, they were suddenly Fred and his incredible shrinking greatful airplanes' as John explains in THE BEATLES ANTHOLOGY" That's a line from my speech, and there are tons more like that.

  So, it doesn't matter if you are or if you are not a Beatles Fan. If you have even gotten to this page, you have some intrest in them, so go ahead, spend that $36.OO (it's a 40% discount!!), and invest in the single most useful tool to prevent Beatles ignorance.

  (By the way, just in case you cared, I got an A on my speech!)
  
  

• WHAT BEATLES FANS HAVE PRAYED FOR! A WONDERFUL GIFT!
  By AIEEK7AHXKZCC on 2000-10-30
  This comprehensive book is a real treat for serious, die-hard Beatles fans. It has a myriad of previously unpublished photographs and all of the photographs in the book are first rate.

  The book does a real service by covering each band member. I really enjoyed the "updates" of each surviving Beatle. The interviews of the three surviving Beatles throughout the 1990s was refreshing and certainly provided unique insights into the (I think) world's number one band. John was quoted extensively throughout the book and the inclusion of John's comments was vital to the construction of the group. Hailed as the "Chief Beatle," John, now deceased was certainly a central figure and input by and about him was vital. These updates provided the reader with a sense of each Beatle; one came away feeling that they had a relatively accurate portrayal of the input and interpersonal relationship of each member.

  On a lighter note, one smiles at the adolescent hijinks of the Beatles in their pre-glory days. The "Fab 4" are portrayed as normal kids engaging in typical teenage rebellion and mischief. In reading a description of George's "sexual rite of passage," one can almost smile at the sheer adolescence of it. Ringo, the lovable basset hound eyed drummer describes of a harsh life in the rough Dingle section of Liverpool and of the crowd he ran with in his salad days. Paul appears to be "prematurely mature," and John was a natural comic. John had a WICKED sense of humor and a DELICIOUS gift for the satirical. He was a riot! This book does justice to John's work and the compositions he and Paul shared with the world.

  I loved this book and I would certainly recommend it. This is a work to be treasured and taken seriously.
  
  

• Huge Fan has Slight Disappointment
  By A165QHRKDKSGJC on 2000-11-12
  Hello to all fellow fans

  I bought this book the day it came out, and excitedly began to read as soon as I got home. However, I found more joy that first day flipping through and looking at the (wonderful) photographs than actually reading, and I continue to feel the same way. As interesting as these different points of view and recollections are, the book becomes rather monotonous after 150 or so pages. I ended up skipping to commentaries on my favorite albums rather than reading from cover to cover. I would recommend this book to any avid fan, but if you're simply looking for a good read, I suggest you search elsewhere. (Don't take this wrong and think I don't like the music, because the Beatles albums are my favorite.)

  Love it anyway - Angela
  
  

• Everything you could ever want to know...
  By A135X6C76V4CLV on 2000-10-05
  Wow! Where do I begin? This fascinating book contains intimate details on every aspect of The Beatles career - from start to finish. Comments from John, Paul, George and Ringo are frank, engaging and often very funny. The photographs are from the Beatles own private collection and some of them are really amazing...

  It's worth every cent.
  
  

• GET BACK
  By A7FJVRLMG5BF9 on 2000-11-20
  As the Beatles are one of the most enduringly popular bands ever, still selling albums at full price (in the UK anyway), yet another Beatles book has to offer a great deal to stand out. And this book does. The quality and quantity of what is inside is outstanding. As to authenticity, it is difficult to argue with the words of the Four themselves, with the three living members making contributions from their personal archives.

  Given the competition with published works on the band, this book does stand out for its look and feel, which is tightly packed with images and quotes. Graphically, the style might be called `busy', so I don't suppose I could read it cover to cover in one go. Their career is cover year by year, my favourite being the fateful 1970 with the live rooftop Apple Studio performance as they look so contemporary.

  You may well come away from this book as I do, humming the songs.
  
  

• Good For Those Who Don't Know Much About The Band
  By A2Z5QSXZXBULT0 on 2000-11-11
  For those like me who have read this stuff a thousand times, the book wasn't a revelation. The photos were very good, and there were even some that I hadn't seen.

  The narritatives by the Beatles themselves were a bit dissapointing and didn't probe nearly enough into the personalities of each Beatle.

  For example, we never did hear what Harrison thought about McCartney as a person, a musician, a songwriter, etc. What did Paul think about Ringo as a drummer, Harrison or Lennon as guitarists, etc? What kind of music would they have made had they stayed together?

  I would have preferred some really insightful comments, but the photography made it worth four stars.
  
  

• It's so.......Heavy!
  By A3DLT0JJCVSMVV on 2000-10-14
  Well, that was what I first said after getting this most wonderful boook yesterday. It's almost overwhelming. I flipped through it, oh so carefully, in my attempt to keep it as "new" and "untouched" as long as possible.

  It is worth the wait. It is certainly worth the money. The photos alone are worth the price of the book.

  Just wonderful. This Beatle Boy is very, very happy
  
  

• Don't let the heft scare you off!
  By AZFX7FLEHCWXM on 2000-10-25
  This is a comprehensive overview of the Beatles from the very beginning...full of photos and handwritten notes, school programs, and family reminises. It follows the band through various incarnations (loved the old flyers and advertisements) and various influences. Each member has a voice, and it facinating to see each person evolve into the personalities we remember so well. It is also a comprehensive look into the cultural changes that raced through the 60's. Family and friends also contribute to the narritive, and it is a refreshingly honest and uninhibited look at the band. The eventual breakup of the band is chronicled, and it captures the apathy and ambiguity that made the "announcement" so hard to believe, and fuled the hope the reunion was possible. The actual book was a bit unwieldy.....not one you could cosy up on the couch with. Don't let that discourage you..
  
  
• Don't Pass It By!
  By A295P2KZIWUAWI on 2000-10-10
  This past weekend, my copy of The Beatles Anthology came from Amazon.com. The deliverer was glad she didn't have to go to the front office with it since it's so heavy!

  This book is special because the Beatles themselves are the authors! There are also contributing quotes from Pete Best, Stuart Sutcliffe, George Martin, Mal Evans, Neil Aspinall and others.

  The stories are great, from their childhood (John being an avid reader in grade school, Paul's father supporting his music skills, George mastering the guitar at a young age, and Ringo being shuffled in and out of hospitals) to their days in Hamburg (John claims that's where he truly grew up!).

  In Hamburg, John, Paul, George, Pete, and Stu play various taverns (and meet Ringo) until Stu falls in love and abandons the Beatles. It seems like Ringo fits in better so they eventually sack Best for Ringo.

  Funny stories include Mal breaking a windshield on a cold day while driving the Fab Four to their next gig and the Beatles hiding like school kids from an angry George Martin after missing a recording session!

  They meet celebrities like Fats Domino, Little Richard, the Queen, and the King (Elvis).

  John discusses "Help", "Lucy In the Sky with Diamonds", and "Revolution 9", Paul discusses "Yesterday", "Eleanor Rigby", "Yellow Submarine" and the Abbey Road Medley (particularly its highlight "The End"), George discusses "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and "Taxman", and Ringo discusses "Don't Pass Me By" and "Octopus' Garden".

  There are the sore subjects, too, like Manilla (Paul claims they were the 1st to snub Marcos), John's comments about Jesus, the death of Brian Epstein, the breakup coming close on the White Album and later on Let It Be.

  Although some of the photos and interviews here can be seen and heard in the Anthology video series and some perhaps read in other books, this brings most everything you need to know about the Beatles in full circle.

  And of course, the Beatles experiment with drugs (and later both John and George get
  busted by Sgt. Pilcher for possession of them), seek spiritual guidance from the Maharishi (is he as "cosmic" as they think?), fall in love (John with Yoko, Paul with Linda). Unlike in the video series, there is mention of Paul being "dead" and the final nail in the coffin for the Beatles in late 1969 and 1970.

  You can't tell it all even in this one (no mention of the Christmas singles, save for a poem by John called "Wonsapon a Pool Table"), but since the Beatles themselves (and their closest comrades) speak for the Beatles, a lot of myths and legends are put to rest. If you're a Beatles fan, you won't want to pass this by!
  
  
  

• HEAVY! (In more ways than one)
  By on 2000-10-12
  This book is great. I know you thought there was nothing new to learn about the Beatles but reading it all in their own words lets you in on their intimate perspective as the saga unforlds. And what a story it is. The only complaint I have is that the book is too heavy to hold properly. It should have legs attached and you could make a small table out of it. Yes, it's worth every cent charged for it.
  
  
• My Favorite Book. Ever.
  By on 2004-11-06
  When I was 13 my friend from Oregon sent me a cool animated picture of the Beatles in front of their Yellow Submarine. She thought I was madly interested in them, but really I only knew a few of their songs. I thought "Oh coolness." And then I saw George's hair, and I thought they were the coolest thing ever.
  
  I'm serious. That's how my Beatle kick started!
  
  I took my Aunt Janet to my school for Grandparents/Special People Day, and we went to Books-A-Million to get... something... I forgot. I wanted to find George Harrison's "I, Me, Mine", and I found out they didn't have it... But I found "The Beatles Anthology" instead.
  
  I'M HAPPY I GOT THAT!
  
  The first day I got it I stayed up 'till 12 o'clock that night, and I read about 100 pages at least. It was very fun to me, and I told my friend about it (another friend, not the one from Oregon). She told me that she wouldn't be interested in that stuff, and I thought, "Hey! I'm a Beatles Nerd!"
  
  I never knew anything about the Beatles until I got that book. Now I know a whole bunch of stuff even my parents didn't know! I feel special getting to TEACH them!
  
  The context of the book is excellent. It's in script format, which is good for a biographical/autobiographical book, because it's easier to understand.
  
  In example:
  
  John: Blah blah blah Flaming Pie blah blah blah.
  
  There are some GREAT pictures, and it is very in depth about their music. I didn't know that George could play violin until I reached the part where they broadcasted "All You Need Is Love" around the world. In black in white. So... you get to learn that they dressed up in all those snazzy clothes for nothing!
  
  And I've also been learning some stuff about the music business! It's very fun!
  
  The only thing I don't like about it is that it has uncensored language. I don't mind it, myself, but my dad does, and somehow he managed to come about the "F Word" when I was reading on the floor. He was not pleased. I told him to get over it. He left me alone.
  
  So, anyway... BUY THIS BOOK, DANGIT!
  
  
  
  
  
  
• "The Top a Most, of the Pop a Most"
  By A2OX5YQT44VPDI on 2000-10-08
  This is the book we have all waited for. For almost 30 years we have waited; and MAN!!! Was it ever worth the wait. This book is at first glance; one of the most beautiful books I've ever held in my hands. The paper used is thick, heavy, and smooth as silk. It's a rather large book, which gives the photographs an impact few books have offered before. Even the shots I've seen before are striking. This is by far the most comprehensive document ever published on the "Fab Four". So many surprises, so many "little" details that only the boys could know. Everything about the "Anthology" project has been done with such loving care, and this book is no exception. The beatles have given the world so much over the past four decades; and now, with this rich impressive chronicle, they give us their own personal recollections of a time when the world was just beginning to learn how to ROCK!!! Thank you, John, Paul, George, Ringo, George Martin, Neil Aspinall, Mal Evans, Derek Taylor, Klas Voorman, and Yoko Ono. This is without doubt; the "Ultimate" book on "The Beatles". Still the most influential band in the history of Rock n' Roll.
  
  
• A wonderful spectacle
  By on 2000-10-05
  It's The Beatles! What else is there to say?
  
  
• "Please please us Beatles"
  By ANZ7ZB6XG1783 on 2000-10-11
  This is a pull out your old shoebox full of photo's and reminisce about your life book.. This is not just another book about the Beatles. This is a book by the Beatles! True Beatles fans have heard all the stories before but this book tells us about all the road trips in the van with Neil Aspinall behind the wheel. You chuckle at little things you never knew and get the straight story on stuff you thought you knew.These 4 guys lived each other dearly, stll do. One even says "John was the leader and still is today" they were brothers.. We all have rues with our siblings don't we? Doesn't mean we don't have fond memories still. This book didn't have to happen these guys did it for us the fans. If you never read a book about the Beatles before this book will make you a fan forever....
  
  
• Roll over, Beethoven...even Sgt. Pepper, Mr. Kite, and the Nowhere Man would agree!
  By on 2005-10-13
  The book I trust for full and complete fact---it was WRITTEN by the Beatles!
  
  I recieved this book for Christmas last year, and I didn't really look through it. I thought "too many words". But actually, I've fallen in love with this story! Written and inspired wafter the death of John Lennon (ho would have celebrated his 65th birthday on Sunday), the Beatles Anthology tells of not only what happened, but how Paul, George, Ringo, and yes even John, felt during the crazy and chaotic years of Beatlemania. The Anthology is jam-packed with never-before-seen pictures of the Fab Four when they were kids and backstage, and each Beatle has 3-5 page autobiography, explaining how they got into becoming THE greatest rock-and-roll band in history.
  
  What's really interesting is that the Anthology is not just a book of text and a few pictures, but it's more like a scrapbook, with copies of handwritten letters and lyrics stuck behind the text, pictures collaged together on pages, and as a full GUARANTEE: NO PAGE IS WITHOUT COLOR OR BLACK&WHITE PICTURES. With quotes from not only John, Paul, George, and Ringo, but from George Martin and loads of other Beatle-oriented people. I also like how they show mess-ups of cover albums, such as snapshots of the Abbey Road and Sgt. Pepper albums that weren't any good and never went into print on the covers. Also, still pics from A Hard Day's Night, Help!, Magical Mystery Tour, and even Yellow Submarine are included. And my favorite would have to be the Beatles' actual writings and even drawings, and let's not forget pictures of Penny Lane, Strawberry Fields, the Cavern, Top 10 Club, Abbey Road Studios, and Liverpool itself. Also included is a little prolouge explaining how they got all of the 1,000s of John quotes.
  
  A MUST-BUY for ANY Beatle fan. I am 13 and am re-living Beatlemania with my friends...and this is our favorite book!!! You can't "beat" it! You've got to get this into your life!!!!!!
  
  
• BORING BORING BORING
  By on 2000-10-25
  Anyone who is even slightly familiar with the Beatles from any number of past books will learn nothing new here. I have never found a Beatles book as boring as this one, I found myself praying the book would end. Paul can put you to sleep with one paragraph, Ringo is forever trying to defend himself as a great drummer (He wasn't even the greatest drummer in the Beatles) and George is so pompous that I stopped reading him about halfway through to get to the end more quickly.

  Anyone who wants to know the real story of the Beatles would be far better served by "The lives of John Lennon" by Albert Goldman.
  
  

• Fantastic!
  By A19JYLHD94K94D on 2001-06-26
  So very many books were written about the Beatles, and so many TV documentries were made about them. Anthology is definitely the best one yet, and I don't think there will ever be another book as complete and sincere as it. For the first time the Beatles tell their own story (yes, even John - material from old intreviews with him are beautifuly collected and edited into the book), along with some help from George Martin, Derek Taylor and Neil Aspinall and some old quotes from Brian Epstein, Mel Evans, Pete Best and others, and that makes Anthology a truly unique experience. The story is told from such a personal viewpoint that you will feel like you're part of the band. George, Ringo, Paul and John will become your closest friends for the period of reading the book.

  Anthology covers every (well, probably almost every) aspect of the Beatles' life and musical career. It starts as four seperate stories as every band member describes his childhood, then melds into the story of the band. All the interviews from the wonderful Anthology TV series are in the book, but so are many more. There are far more details - especially about the music itself, which was neglected in the series. While in the series some albums were hardly mentioned, in the book the Beatles refer to almost every song, telling a thing or two about its background. Also, more touchy subjects which were avoided in the series appear here - such as, the (phony) death of Paul McCartney, the (real) death of Stuart Sutcliffe, the unfortunate Hell's Angels incident and the terrible case of Charles Manson and his connection to the White Album. The photographs and documents shown in the book are facsinating as well.

  And no, it's NOT too long. The only problem with the book is its weight, which makes it quite uncomfortable to read. Anthology is a superb book, which reminded me why I used to love the Beatles so much and got me to hear all their albums again - twice.
  
  

• George Harrison (1943-2001) Rest In Peace Dear Friend
  By A1IWY8H9NRL9K6 on 2001-12-01
  There are few subjects more fascinating to me, than the way the Beatles came together as childhood friends and parted not too many years later as heros, visionaries, and architects of societal change. The music they gave us will quite likely live for all of human history. Their wit and humanity gave us laughter, hope and vision for our own dreams. The stories in The Beatles Anthology are interesting on a human level, yet read like legend-in-the-making as the Beatles phenomenon takes its place in the history of the years that have passed. The photographs in the book are plentiful and outstanding...helping us to imagine the amazing musical excitement, and electrical energy pulsing through the crowds in the early club days. Beautiful and interesting photos chronicle the entire journey of the band from start to finish. We have lost a great friend and hero with the premature passing of George Harrison. Without him the Beatles could not have generated the magic, the music and the societal introspection they did. This priceless book belongs in the collection of every serious Beatles fan, and will undoubtedly fascinate and delight anyone curious about the facts, times and adventures behind the greatest pop music group of all times. Thank you George Harrison for all of the musical treasures you have left us and for a life so beautifully lived.
  
  

• The Beatles Anthology
• A Hard Day's Write, 3e: The Stories Behind Every Beatles Song
• Anthology 3
• Help!
• Anthology 2