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One Two Three Four: The Beatles in Time

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( 4,278 ratings, 658 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
One Two Three Four: The Beatles in Time by Craig Brown is an engaging biography that explores the phenomenon of The Beatles, weaving together an array of anecdotes, memories, and insights from the people who knew them best. The book takes readers on a journey through the rise and enduring impact of the iconic band, offering a kaleidoscopic view of their world and the cultural landscape they helped shape.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you are fascinated by the cultural and historical impact of The Beatles, enjoy immersive storytelling with a unique blend of biography and anecdotal memoir, or appreciate a rich tapestry of perspectives from those who knew or were influenced by the band. It offers a lively, multifaceted glimpse into the era that shaped their extraordinary journey.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

SHORTLISTED for the Baillie Gifford Prize’s 25th Anniversary Winner of Winners award

WINNER OF THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE 2020

A Spectator Book of the Year • A Times Book of the Year • A Telegraph Book of the Year • A Sunday Times Book of the Year

From the award-winning author of Ma’am Darling: 99 Glimpses of Princess Margaret comes a fascinating, hilarious, kaleidoscopic biography of the Fab Four.

John Updike compared them to ‘the sun coming out on an Easter morning’. Bob Dylan introduced them to drugs. The Duchess of Windsor adored them. Noel Coward despised them. JRR Tolkien snubbed them. The Rolling Stones copied them. Leonard Bernstein admired them. Muhammad Ali called them ‘little sissies’. Successive Prime Ministers sucked up to them. No one has remained unaffected by the music of The Beatles. As Queen Elizabeth II observed on her golden wedding anniversary, ‘Think what we would have missed if we had never heard The Beatles.’

One Two Three Four traces the chance fusion of the four key elements that made up The Beatles: fire (John), water (Paul), air (George) and earth (Ringo). It also tells the bizarre and often unfortunate tales of the disparate and colourful people within their orbit, among them Fred Lennon, Yoko Ono, the Maharishi, Aunt Mimi, Helen Shapiro, the con artist Magic Alex, Phil Spector, their psychedelic dentist John Riley, and their failed nemesis, Det Sgt Norman Pilcher.

From the bestselling author of Ma’am Darling comes a kaleidoscopic mixture of history, etymology, diaries, autobiography, fan letters, essays, parallel lives, party lists, charts, interviews, announcements, and stories. One Two Three Four joyfully echoes the frenetic hurly-burly of an era.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

One Two Three Four: The Beatles in Time by Craig Brown is praised for its infectious enjoyment and originality. The book offers a kaleidoscopic and exhilarating biography of The Beatles, lauded as both brilliant and hilarious, appealing even to those who are not fans of the band. Reviewers highlight its unique structure and style, describing it as a critical appreciation, personal history, and a masterpiece combining scholarship with entertainment. The book is considered a fresh and gripping take on the Beatles' story, earning admiration for its witty and moving narrative.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780008340032

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 18 March 2021

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Fourth Estate Ltd

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 42.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 460g

Pages: 656

About the Author

Craig Brown has been writing the Private Eye celebrity diary since 1989. He has also written parodies for many other publications, including The Daily Telegraph, Vanity Fair, The Times and The Guardian. He is the author of several books, most recently ‘The Lost Diaries’ and ‘One on One’.

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