As Time Goes By by DerekTaylor

A really brilliant and a different take on the 60s, includes great Beatles inside information. Derek Taylor is famous for being the Beatles press agent during Beatlemania and then went off to work for The Byrds, Captain Beefheart among others as a press agent as well as one of the original organizers for the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967.  

Taylor portrays early Beatlemania as a very scary world - especially in America where he meets the Mayor's wife who insists that The Beatles wake up from their sleep to meet her and her daughter. Also when Derek Taylor takes a ride with someone who not only wants to meet the Beatles with his son but is also a horrible and violent racist. Incredible snapshots of that period of time, and all of it has a tinge of disgust or a real heavy darkness. 

The best, almost magical chapter describes a trip (in more than one sense of the word) with McCartney to play with a brass band up north (the track 'thingumybob'), on the way back they stop at a village and treat the people in the pub to a rendition of McCartney's new song 'Hey Jude' on the pub piano.

The Man Who Gave the "Beatles" Away: The Amazing True Story of The Beatles' Early Years by Allan Williams

In the book, "The John Lennon Letters," edited by Hunter Davis, Lennon recommends "The Man Who Gave The Beatles Away" several times. Lennon's letter to photographer Jurgen Vollmer dated April 1975 states in a postscript: "there's a book coming out -- 'Macmillan Publishers' -- its by Allan Williams (he took us to Hamburg first) -- it's all about 'THEN'-- Liverpool/Hamburg -- pre Brian Epstein -- it's called 'THE MAN WHO GAVE AWAY THE BEATLES.' -- Quite funny -- and sad." In a letter to journalist Robert Weinstein (dated, "june already" 1975) who had written John for confirmation on some facts regarding a record The Beatles cut in Hamburg, Lennon adds this postscript (spelling the author's first name incorrectly, among other typos, which I am including here for authenticity): "Ther's a very good book on those days called 'The Man Who Gave the Beatles Away' (Alun Williams)* I've forgotten which publisher ... it's new, but available. *he was our first 'manager' ... he took us to Hamburg ... tra la la' Excuse typing!"

Sometime later, possibly 1976, Lennon responded to a short survey from a fan named Mark who asked: "Have you read Allan Williams' 'The Man Who Gave The Beatles Away?' Lennon's reply: "Yes". "Is it completely true or has the story been fictionalized somewhat?..." Lennon's reply: "Mostly true."

Fans of the boy-next-door Beatles proceed with caution. You'll find out a bit more about your fab four than you may have bargained for. Williams pulls no punches, painting the boy-next-door Beatles (aka Brian Epstein) as whoring, touring, cussing, drunk and disorderly kids sowing their oats (just like Doris) as they honed their musical chops in the dark, dank, dubious clubs of Hamburg and Liverpool. Williams takes you on a wild ride of the proverbial sex, drugs and rock and roll antics of five red-blooded British lads, belting out American Rock and Roll in Liverpool and German clubs, but you almost don't want the story to end, because we all know how it does end. Bottom line. A great, fast, fun read. Take it from John Lennon himself. And John oughta know.

    
              1976                                          1975                                        1977

The Longest Cocktail Party by Richard DiLello

The Longest Cocktail Party is one man's account of the history of the Beatles' company Apple Corps, the break-up of the Beatles, and the beginning of their solo careers. The title is a reference to the press office's habit of entertaining members of the media, and the company's potential business partners, with expensive drinks, luncheons and perks – which ultimately led to a financial and spiritual hangover, as did the unrealised potential of the company.

DiLello served as the "house hippie" (formally termed Client Liaison Officer; a sort of in-house youth consultant and gofer) at Apple's Savile Row headquarters, from 1968 until 1970, becoming one-on-one acquainted with each of the Beatles, many of their wives and girlfriends, and also the inner circle of agents, managers, and others who worked for and with Apple. These included business manager Allen Klein, attorneys Lee Eastman and John Eastman, road managers (and Apple directors) Mal Evans and Neil Aspinall, press agent and author Derek Taylor, members of Apple bands Badfinger and White Trash, the staff, and the countless visitors to the office.

DiLello covers events including the launching parties for Apple Records and artists like White Trash and Mary Hopkin, the ill-fated Apple Christmas party in 1968 (with two Hells Angels as guests), the Beatles' rooftop concert appearing in Let It Be, the lawsuits that began as the Beatles grew apart, and finally the closing of the Apple press office. His reports are described first-hand, always with a sense of humour, and a sense of hope.

2014

1972

1981

2001

1973

The Beatles in Richard Lester's a Hard Day's Night : A Complete Pictorial Record of the Movie by J. Philip Di Franco

The book contains the script of "A Hard Day's Night", over 1200 still shots from the movie, an extended interview between director Richard Lester and the book's editor, J. Philip Di Franco, an introduction from producer Walter Shenson, and both the original 'Village Voice' review and a separate introduction to the book by film critic Andrew Sarris. The back cover of the book even reproduces the 'New York Times' review by Bosley Crowther.

The twist in the book script is that it reproduces the original screenplay by Alun Owen, and thus includes material that was cut during the making of the movie, as well as including newer material added in the course of shooting the film. Various [bracketed] and (parenthetical) sections distinguish between [the original material that got jettisoned] and (the later additions). For the scholarly-minded Beatles fan, it makes for an interesting comparison to see the script and to compare it with the finished film.

A Twist of Lennon by Cynthia Lennon

Cynthia married John while he was still in art college, and shared the frenzy and stardom the Beatles created. It's all here, form the early days in German clubs, through the Ed Sullivan Show. A Hard Day;s Night, Sergeant Pepper's, The Maharishi - Cynthia Lennon lived the Beatle experience.

  

                                                             1978                               1980

Mersey Beat: The Beginnings of The Beatles by Bill Harry

Replica pages of the voice of the famous Liverpool sound, including original writings by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. 

"This compilation of articles and advertisements not only gives a good flavour of the early days of the Beatles, but also of the era of Merseybeat. This book takes us from 1961 to 1964, when the Beatles were internationally famous. However, this is a wonderful book to pore over and gives you a real sense of Liverpool during the early Sixties. There are advertisements giving advice on "Courting a Catholic" (mixed marriages are always tricky!), articles on Pete Best, the origins of the Beatles ("a man appeared on a flaming pie") and Rory Storm and the Hurricanes without Ringo."