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Love and Let Die

Bond, the Beatles and the British Psyche
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( 819 ratings, 106 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
Love and Let Die explores the simultaneous emergence of two British cultural icons: The Beatles and James Bond, both debuting on the same day in 1962. The book delves into their contrasting representations of British identity, contrasting working-class liberation with establishment control. Over sixty years, it reveals the complex relationship between these giants of culture and how they have shaped British aspirations and fantasies.
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Format: Hardback
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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 will appeal to readers interested in British culture, music and film history, as well as fans of The Beatles and James Bond who want to understand their lasting impact from a social and cultural perspective.

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A singular work of narrative non-fiction that explores the unexpected connections between two titans of the British cultural psyche - the Beatles and the Bond films - and what they can tell us about class, male identity and our aspirations over sixty dramatic years

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

The Beatles are the biggest band there has ever been. James Bond is the single most successful movie character of all time. They are also twins. Dr No, the first Bond film, and 'Love Me Do', the first Beatles record, were both released on the same day - Friday, 5 October 1962. Most countries can only dream of a cultural export becoming a worldwide phenomenon on this scale. For Britain to produce two on the same windy October afternoon is unprecedented.

Bond and the Beatles present us with opposing values, visions of Britain and ideas about male identity. Love and Let Die is the story of a clash between working-class liberation and establishment control, and how it exploded on the global stage. It explains why James Bond hated the Beatles, why Paul McCartney wanted to be Bond and why it was Ringo who won the heart of a Bond Girl in the end.

Told over a period of sixty dramatic years, this is an account of how two outsized cultural monsters continue to define our aspirations and fantasies and the future we are building. Looking at these touchstones in this new context will forever change how you see the Beatles, the James Bond films and six decades of British culture.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781399600163

Publisher: Orion Publishing Co

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 15 September 2022

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Weidenfeld & Nicolson

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 46.0mm

Width: 158.0mm

Height: 238.0mm

Weight: 774g

Pages: 528

About the Author

John Higgs is the author I HAVE AMERICA SURROUNDED, THE KLF, STRANGER THAN WE CAN IMAGINE, WATLING STREET, THE FUTURE STARTS HERE, WILLIAM BLAKE NOW, WILLIAM BLAKE VS THE WORLD and LOVE AND LET DIE. He lives in Brighton.

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