Shout!
By Philip Norman
- Release Date: 2011-05-17
- Genre: Music
Description
Updated to include Paul McCartney’s knighting and the deaths of John Lennon and George Harrison.
Philip Norman’s biography of the Beatles is the definitive work on the world's most influential band—a beautifully written account of their lives, their music, and their times. Now brought completely up to date, this epic tale charts the rise of four scruffy Liverpool lads from their wild, often comical early days to the astonishing heights of Beatlemania, from the chaos of Apple and the collapse of hippy idealism to the band's acrimonious split. It also describes their struggle to escape the smothering Beatles’ legacy and the tragic deaths of John Lennon and George Harrison. Witty, insightful, and moving, Shout! is essential reading not just for Beatles fans but for anyone with an interest in pop music.
Reviews
Good history, bad musicology
3By subcmdrNo argument this is the most well researched book in the Beatles library. However he loses credibility with his musical reviews. Example, he characterizes George Harrison as an “average guitar player,” which isn’t accurate even on a technical level. But considering GH’s guitar creativity, he was revolutionary with his intricate and perfected weavings precisely refined to the need. Using the author’s yardstick, where he conflates technical chops with artistry, one might consider Dream Theater to be a better band than the Beatles. But as long as you are willing to overlook his uninformed opinion and instead focus on historicity, the book is well worth a read.Exceptional book for Beatles fans
5By RonNHA great book with all kinds of insights into each of the Beatles.Good read
4By crazy-pantsMissing a lot of great details from more recent books (and photos). But altogether very honest.In Depth
5By Rustman18For any fan of the Beatles' music who is just starting to want to learn more about the group I recommend this book. Norman's book provides just enough detail to keep the reader entertained without becoming dull and boring. It allows the reader to understand the group from their humble "Quarrymen" days, to the breakup and resulting solo careers of each Beatle. I seriously recommend this book, as well as Norman's other book "John Lennon: the Life".
