Amelia was Jim's assistant for many years and writer Joel was a close friend of Jim's so they provide an informed and entertaining insight into these mostly unseen pictures.

You can provide a much appreciated one off donation to the podcast here -  https://buymeacoffee.com/beatlesbooks?new=1

Spencer was a first generation Beatles fan from Liverpool who began making programmes for BBC Radio Merseyside in the mid 70's. He amassed a huge library of interviews with Merseybeat musicians which led to his first book 'Let's Go Down to the Cavern' in 1984.

Many other Beatle books followed, which include his biography of Cavern MC Bob Wooler and a look at the Pete Best sacking 'Drummed Out.'

https://buymeacoffee.com/beatlesbooks?new=1

Jim's book looks at the entwining careers of two of the 20th Century's most important musical artists, and details known meetings through the 60's and beyond - From Lennon's and McCartney's lyrical transformations to George Harrison's growth as a songwriter, Jim showcases the ripple effects of the Beatles-Dylan connection.

Drawing on her own experience of first discovering the film as a child and going on to work in the television industry, Samira shines a spotlight on the craft behind the film's enduring appeal. What makes this film still so thrilling and vital? What made it stand out from most of the pop films that had been made previously?

Gary's book collects beautiful pictures and stories of some of Ringo's legendary outfits from his Beatle years and also delves into the history and significance of each of Ringo's iconic drum kits.

Gary's book can be found here - https://store.juliensauctions.com/ShopCatalog?id=219

Dan's book looks at The Beatles as the ultimate case study for building exceptional teams and examines how each Beatle and the people around fulfilled a role in the organisation, why this was successful and why ultimately, they failed.  

Thank you to every single author that came on to talk to me, and of course to every single listener! I'm looking forward to the next 100...

The story of The Beatles misadventures in The Philippines is well known, but what was the background? Who was to blame for what went wrong? How much danger were The Beatles realistically in? David's thrilling book answers all of these questions and many more and paints a vivid picture of a dramatic few days in The Beatles career.

Allan worked as a culture reporter and music critic for the New York Times for 37 years, between 1977 and 2014, and during that time became the papers unofficial Beatles correspondent. He tells us about his his encounters with Paul and Ringo, his experience in the Dakota with Yoko and how his long career was building toward the amazing McCartney Legacy books.

Tom's book covers all of Ringo's remarkable life from his impoverished childhood to the dizzying heights of Beatlemania, from his alcohol hazed 80's to the sober elder statesman of rock, it's all here in Tom's brilliant book. 

Andrew's book tells the story of The Beatles up and down relationship with their American record label and looks at the way they managed The Beatles catalogue through the 1960's - not always to the satisfaction of the band themselves.

Peter began writing for Record Collector magazine in 1980 and was also engaged in work for Beatles Monthly, meaning he was soon in the sphere of many Beatle adjacent people. By the late 1990's he had become a renowned author and his books 'The Art and Music of John Lennon' and 'You Never Give Me Your Money' are two of the finest ever written on The Beatles.

Beginning with the grand narrative of British colonial history pre-Beatles, Richard's book covers the influence of Black music and culture on the Beatles' teenage years in the 1950s, their association with Lord Woodbine, their love of American Rhythm and Blues in the mid-1960s, and extends to a discussion of post-colonial British identity and the lasting effect Black music has had on the Beatles' legacy and continues to have on the solo careers of Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney.

Stuart's book tells the story of 100 fascinating members of The Beatles' supporting cast - people they encountered during their career either in a major or minor way. 

Split into 3 sections, Before The Beatles, With the Beatles and Beyond the Beatles,  Stuart  tells the epic tale of the people who made the band who made Britain, and along the way adds his own experiences, encounters and conversations to further illuminate the story.

He also tells us about his new book on Talking Heads, 'Burning Down The House' which tells the story of one of Rock's most influential groups and the New York scene that they came from.

Robert and Jerry's book tells The Beatles thrilling early story in context, describing the sights and sounds of that time creating an effect that feels like you are you are in the room with The Beatles, from the first Liverpool recording at the Percy Phillips facility to Forthlin Road, their Hamburg sessions with Tony Sheridan, Decca and Parlophone. 

When John's son James was born, and three years later diagnosed with autism, music became a source of precious connection and endless wonder for both of them.

James connected with so much music, but one of his strongest passions was The Beatles. As a Beatle obsessive himself, John talks about his own relationship with the band and tells us how watching his son discover and explore The Beatles became a source of inspiration for them both.

Ian's book traces the twists and turns of their relationship through the music it produced and offers rich insights into the nature of creativity, collaboration and human connection.

We talk about how The Beatles were portrayed in these magazines and how essential their existence was to the first generation Beatles fan.

Seth's book is a highly personal exploration of George's essential contributions to the Beatles and his solo work, as well as his significant role as a Western proponent of Indian music and beliefs.

Volume 2 covers Paul's life from1974 up until the start of 1980 and is researched in the same fascinating detail as Volume 1 was - for this conversation I wanted to focus on what happened to Paul and Wings after their 1976 World Tour concluded, he'd reached the top of the mountain again - what happened next? 

A strong bond between the three of them formed after these interviews, and soon Elliot became an almost daily part of their lives. His book tells the story of this friendship, from the breakup of The Beatles to the birth of Sean, from John’s death and beyond, Elliot was there through it all, either to witness it or as a friendly voice at the end of the phone.

In my view, Neil was one of the largest contributors to British culture of the last 50 years, and is beloved to all Beatle fans as co creator of The Rutles. Yvonne's book is full of humour and love and tells her husband's remarkable life story with all the insight you'd expect.

David's book begins at Live Aid, where Paul McCartney sings into a defective mic, and ends today where he and Ringo are more celebrated than ever. The book looks at how we got here- via knighthoods and Nobel prizes for rock's greatest generation.

Patrick interviewed Paul, George and Ringo at various points during their solo careers, and uses this a basis to tell The Beatles story from beginning to end - with particular focus on how the Beatles legacy and impact grew after they went their separate ways. 

The Guardian piece referenced in this episode can be found here - https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/aug/24/from-sorting-fan-mail-to-seeing-abbey-road-being-made-my-life-as-a-teenage-beatles-employee

Greg and Andy tell the story of this tour in great detail - from it's conception to The Beatles frenzied arrival and look at the legacy that they left behind. 

Ali met George in a Florida boxing ring in February 1964 - and ten years later as Ali was staging one of the great sporting comebacks George was struggling across America on his Dark Horse tour - Tracy's book looks at the journey these two men took over those 10 years and how 60's icons dealt with the changing world of the 70's.

Debbie fell for The Beatles in late 1963 and soon found herself in the audience for their first US TV appearance on Ed Sullivan. This led to a lifetime of devotion and many crazy adventures and Beatle encounters - she shares all these stories with me, including a less than satisfactory meeting with the lads themselves.

From Hunter Davies to Derek Taylor, from Michael Braun to Richard Dilello - Mark offers his own fascinating insight into the books that so many of us have on our Beatle shelves. 

Despite some disparaging words from a certain John Lennon, Mary and Sylvia, along with Val and Pam form The Liverbirds, and become a thrilling live act, garnering huge success particularly in Germany - they share their story, including their many Beatle related encounters, with me for this episode.

Aaron tells us the story of the varied collection of artists on the label, and how as a commercial venture, it wasn't quite what George had hoped it would be.

the team that conducted John Lennon's last ever interview on December 8th 1980.

Laurie talks about what she calls the best and worst day of her life - and how its outcome went on to affect her over 40 years later.

Ken reveals for the first time the true story of one of The Beatles closest friends - in equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking.

What inspired them to make such a lavish purchase? Why did the sale fall through?

Jonathan answers these questions and more - his Substack can be found at https://followthesun.substack.com/

How did they go from the cold nights of a small Scottish tour in January to the cusp of world domination in Decemeber?

That Was Me is an engaging and insightful journey through the prolific and awe-inspiring career of Paul McCartney. With focus on Sir Paul’s post-Beatles years, Richard Driver explores the vast output of McCartney, from his homespun solo albums to his more elaborate compositions and productions, and from his videos and tours to his collaborations with his former Beatles and a multitude of other pop stars.

Steve's book tells the stories behind all The Beatles cinematic adventures, how they reflected the wider cinematic trends of the 60s and why we all keep going back to watch them time and time again.

Starting work at Vidal Sassoon's salon at the start of the 60's, Leslie soon finds himself cutting The Beatles hair - and forming a friendship in particular with Paul McCartney.

He tells us stories from the Magical Mystery Tour bus, what it was like running a salon for Apple and meeting Paul again in 2012.

Meeting Muhammad Ali, playing to 70 million on Ed Sullivan, taking part in iconic photoshoots, as usual The Beatles packed in so much into their time - and Bob's book focuses on first hand accounts to tell this fascinating story.

Peter came into The Beatles world via his sister Jane's relationship with Paul McCartney, and soon Peter was a pop star himself as he and his musical partner Gordon Waller took one of Paul's songs to the top of the charts.

Peter then went on to a hugely successful career in music production and promotion, including a famous stint at Apple Records.

Perhaps best known in Beatles circles for his involvement in the Concert for Bangladesh - Leon was an incredible talent who had played on most of Phil Spector's biggest songs before starting a stellar solo career and formed a close friendship with George Harrison. 

Colin is the custodian of Mendips, John Lennon's childhood home in Liverpool, and his book covers John and Paul's early years, and how their songwriting partnership developed into donating songs to other artists. 

Tony joined Decca Records at 16, and as London started to swing, was one of it's most vital promotion men.

Tony got to know The Beatles during the mid 60's, and by the start of the 70s was employed by Apple, and worked on promoting both John and Ringo's solo albums.

His friendship with Elton John led him to introduce him to John Lennon - and Tony was directly involved in John's famous Thanksgiving appearance with Elton at Madison Square Garden in 1974.

This is such a heroic and exciting period for Paul, as he recreates himself in the immediate aftermath of the Beatles breakup – a period when, newly married and with a growing family, he conquered depression and self-doubt, formed a new band, Wings, and recorded five epochal albums culminating in the triumphant smash, Band on the Run.

At the start of 1963, The Beatles were a successful local Liverpool band with one hit single; twelve months, two albums and the arrival of Beatlemania later, they were on the cusp of world domination.

Thoroughly researched and featuring interviews with 300 people - Dafydd shines a light onto that most thrilling of Beatle years.

This book explores the work of two of the most influential composers of the twentieth century. Five decades after the breakup of the Beatles, the music of John Lennon and Paul McCartney continues to fascinate and inspire. Evidence suggests that their uniquely eclectic approach can be traced back to the Liverpool College of Art. Following on that idea, this book explores the creative dialogue between John Lennon and Paul McCartney, both with the Beatles and on their own, that grew out of that early influence.

Many people will recognise the famous zebra crossing. Some visitors may have graffitied their name on its hallowed outer walls. Others might even have managed to penetrate the iron gates. But what draws in these thousands of fans here, year after year? What is it that really happens behind the doors of the most celebrated recording studio in the world?

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 - John's book looks at how and why these two cultural phenomena endure - what that says about Britain and what the future holds for Mr. Bond and the Fab Four.

Firstly, Bernadette was a Beatles fan from the Cavern, and tells us stories of their adventures in Liverpool, and how she ended up as George Harrison's girlfriend. Secondly, after noticing an influx of Beatle tourists in Liverpool through the 80's, Mike and Bernie hatch the idea for the The Beatles Story museum, an attraction on the Albert Dock which has gone on to have over 5 million visitors.

In 2015 Jonathan was granted the rights from Yoko Ono and the Lennon Estate to adapt John Lennon’s first book of poetry and prose into a theatrical production.  The show went on to be a huge hit at the 2015 Edinburgh Festival and was remounted at the V&A in 2016 where it ran alongside the ‘You Say You Want A Revolution?’ exhibition.

James' book dives deeply into the song’s origins, recording, visual presentation, impact, and eventual influence on the remaining pat of The Beatles career

In June 1989, Paul Du Noyer was contacted by Paul McCartney's office in London and asked to interview the star as they had met once before and enjoyed a good rapport.

In the years that followed, Paul Du Noyer continued to meet, interview and work for Paul McCartney on a regular basis, producing magazine articles, tour programmes, album liner notes, press materials and website editorial. It's likely that Du Noyer has spent more hours in formal, recorded conversation with McCartney than any other writer.

Jay shares his memories of the time he spent with John - what it was like interviewing him on the stand, and what he observed about John and Yoko, just as they were retiring from the public eye.

More information about the book can be found at https://www.lennonthemobsterandthelawyer.com/

Richard's book is the first to discuss fan subcultures. It combines academic theory on fandom with compelling original research material to tell an alternative history of the Beatles phenomenon: a fans' history of the Beatles that runs concurrently with the popular story we all know.

Ted tells about the time he spent with Stuart's sister, Pauline, how Stuart fitted in with the other Beatles, and how his early death cast a huge shadow over The Beatles for years to come.

You can read ted's piece here - https://www.newyorker.com/culture/essay/the-beatle-who-got-away

Yoko is one of the most complicated and misunderstood characters in the whole Beatles story, she arrives fully formed into the story in her mid 30s - Donald's book provides some insightful and revealing detail on her life before she met John, looks at the impact he had on her art career, and how she put her life back together after his death.

More information about this book, including pre sale links can be found at https://sutherlandhousebooks.com/product/yoko-ono-preorder/?fbclid=IwAR1VKN

Jenny shares with us tales of having George as her brother in law, modelling in Swinging London, living in San Francisco in 1967, and joining The Beatles on their meditation retreat to India in 1968.

Signed copies of Jenny's book can be ordered at www.thejennyboyd.com/

You can read the article here - https://medium.com/@JahHills/on-claudio-the-man-who-sought-out-john-lennon-to-ask-if-his-songs-were-about-him-c0b34c5d57ac

Jon's book is a dual biography of John Lennon and Bob Dylan, and discusses their relationship; their politics; their understanding of history; and their deeply held spiritual beliefs. In revealing how each artist challenged the restrictive social norms of their day, the author shows how his subjects asked profound moral questions about what it means to be human and how we should live. 

We also share our thoughts on Peter Jackson's 'Get Back' series.

Bob also tells us about his latest book - a stirring and thrilling look at the 70s biggest band, Led Zeppelin. 

More about Bob and his books can be found at https://bobspitz.com/

I was intrigued as to why an author would choose to write John's story in this style - and Jude tells us the challenges and rewards of writing in this style. We also discuss 'Shades of Life' - the newest book in her series which looks at John in 1965.

Jude's work can be found at https://www.johnlennonseries.com/

Rolling Stone plays a huge part in The Beatles story, be it John's 1970 Lennon Remembers interview, the famed February 1981 issue after John's death or is almost complete dismissal of Paul's solo work through the 70s and 80s. Joe's book shines a fascinating light on both the magazine and Jann Wenner himself - and tries to explain how this one magazine is such an important part of the post split Beatles narrative.

Lance's book charts the remarkable lives of both legendary tailor Tommy Nutter, and his photographer brother, David. Tommy found himself in the Beatle world via his partner, Peter Brown and The Beatles fell in love with his suits- John, Paul and Ringo are all wearing one on the Abbey Road cover and David's talents led him to be chosen to photograph John and Yoko's 1969 wedding. 

John was invited to scour through the hours of recorded audio and video from January 1969 and select entertaining and insightful passages of dialogue that help illustrate this fascinating and dramatic month in The Beatles career.

More information about Tim and his writing can be found at https://timrileyauthor.com/

Rob's book looks at The Beatles from the perspective of a fan born after the band split up - What do the Beatles mean today? Why are they more famous and beloved now than ever? And why do they still matter so much to us, nearly fifty years after they broke up?

Rob's passion and knowledge of The Beatles really came across both in the book and the interview itself - and it was quite reassuring to hear how much Harry Styles loves 'Back to the Egg'...

Using timelines derived from release dates, studio sessions and personal encounters, Luke Meddings reveals the paths of influence across an astonishing 4-year period between 1963 and 1967, in which these iconic artists cross-pollinated like crazy - via recordings, rivalry, rumours, artistic envy and quite a few drugs. 

This is some of the strongest Beatle writing I've read in a long time and it was fascinating talking to Luke about his journey writing this book.

More information can be found at https://weatherglassbooks.com/shop/what-they-heard

David has been writing about music since the 1970's, and was involved in the launches of Smash Hits, Q and The Word Magazine. He is also one half of the Word in Your Ear podcast.

His book looks at the British Invasion of 1964 - how did this happen? What made America embrace The Beatles so fully? How did the cultural conversation between the two nations change of the past 50 years?

Daniel examines The Beatles untimely demise - and from the ashes compiles a track list for an imagined final album, pulling together unfinished demos, forgotten B-sides, hit solo songs, and arguing that together they form the basis of a lost Beatles masterpiece.

This is a exuberant and fun read - and I had a great time debating with Daniel what songs should and shouldn't be included.

After a successful career in local bands in his native Newcastle through the 80s, Bob found himself involved in The Beatles Anthology film. Bob interviewed Paul, George and Ringo at length at various exotic locations. He shares his observations and memories of the project - and what it was like to be told off by Neil Aspinall!

Brian had 2 photo sessions with John, an afternoon stroll around New York with Yoko in 1972, and then a session just with John at the Dakota in 1975. He also attended the Madison Square Garden show earlier in 1972.

Brian shares his observations and memories of John and Yoko (plus an encounter with George!) with us and tells us the stories behind some of his wonderful pictures.

Dan and I look at the initial success and impact that this massive selling book had on both The Beatles and Paul McCartney's reputation - what drove it's success, and where it sits today amongst an ever growing Beatle library.

Ken and Jason paint a fascinating and enlightening picture of George Harrison and Eric Clapton in 1970, such a key year for both of them. George - dealing with the passing of his band, his relationship and his mother produces one of the great Beatle solo albums and Eric, bruised from the breakup of yet another band makes the tortured 'Layla'. Ken and Jason tell us how these albums came together, what happened next, and how this enduring friendship coped in the most trying of circumstances.

More information about the book can be found at  https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/paul-howard/i-read-the-news-today-oh-boy/9781509800049

Hers is the first book to offer a detailed presentation of the band's social and cultural impact as understood through the experiences and lives of women. Drawing on a mix of interviews, archival research, textual analysis, and autoethnography, this scholarly work depicts how the Beatles have profoundly shaped and enriched the lives of women, while also reexamining key, influential female figures within the group's history.

More information about this book can be found at https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/a-womens-history-of-the-beatles-9781501348051/

Stefan dispels the myth that Apple was the great Beatle folly - it not only was home to hugely successful artists like James Taylor, Badfinger and Mary Hopkin, but it carefully cultivated The Beatles image, and is now a multi million dollar empire. 

This fantastic book is published by Cherry Red, and can be purchased at https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/those-were-the-days-2-0-the-beatles-apple-book/

John shares with us his experiences of working with Neil Aspinell, his views on the strengths and weaknesses of the book, and his fascinating opinions on other great and not so great Beatle Books of recent times.

Drawing on historical and contemporary accounts, Joy and Fear brings to life the frenzied excitement of Beatlemania in 1960s Chicago, while also illustrating the deep-seated hostility from the establishment toward the Beatles.

You can follow John on Twitter @JohnFLyons2

'Beatlebone' is set in 1978, where John Lennon has escaped New York City to try and find the island off the West Coast of Ireland he bought eleven years prior. 

I tend to shy away a bit from Beatle Fiction - but this is a quite brilliant novel, genuinely thrilling at every turn and Kevin perfectly captures the thoughts going round in John's head.

More information about this book and Kevin's other novels can be found at  https://canongate.co.uk/contributors/10834-kevin-barry/

Bob shares the fascinating story of his friendship with John and Yoko - from the early days on Bank Street to preparing a book to mark Yoko's 80th birthday.

Bob took some of the most recognizable pictures ever of John and Yoko and captured almost every key moment of their life in the US.

Examples of Bob's work and more information about his book can be found at http://www.bobgruen.com/

Compiled from her own diary and extensive scrapbooking - Patti's diary offers a real insight into real time Beatlemania, and tells us first hand what it was like to experience The Beatles story as it happened in real time.

More information about this book can be found at https://diaryofabeatlemaniac.com/

'Strange Days Indeed—A Scrapbook Of Madness' is a day-by-day account of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s artistic and personal partnership from 1968-1980 that will transport the reader back in time to accompany John and Yoko as their future unfolds.

Chip reveals his writing process, the challenges he faced when researching, and how he feels about this huge project now it's come to an end.

More information about the book, including sales links, can be found at https://lennonology.com/

Still the only official Beatles biography ever published, Hunter's book is an essential read - he had unparalleled access not only to The Beatles but to family, friends and colleagues - some of whom would never be interviewed again. Andy and I look at how this book was created, why it still matters in 2021 and what it tells us about what readers wanted in 1968 and beyond.

Andy Miller is a reader, editor and author of books including 'The Year of Reading Dangerously' and the '33 1/3' volume on The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society. He is also co host of Backlisted, a podcast that gives new life to old books.

We focus on Brian Epstein - one of the biggest influences on The Beatles, a man absolutely central to their story, but a man still misunderstood 50 years after his sad death.

Darryl's fascinating book can be purchased here : https://www.amazon.co.uk/Velvet-Mafia-Gay-Swinging-Sixties/dp/1787602311

We also discuss his current book 'Sonic Boom' a thrilling telling of the Warner Brothers Records story - maybe the most famous label in rock n roll.

Peter's books can be viewed and ordered from https://www.peteramescarlin.com/books

Chris's short story collection 'Mothers' can be purchased here https://www.faber.co.uk/tutors/chris-power/ His debut novel 'A Lonely Man' will be released in April of this year.

Her book was a personal eye opener for myself and made me re evaluate my whole outlook on Beatles Books - it was real privilege to talk her.

Erin's excellent blog can be found at https://beatlebioreview.wordpress.com/about/

Based on interviews with hundreds of fans of different ages and genders, Beatleness is a richly textured cultural history, showing what it was like to grow up immersed in Beatles—from Ed Sullivan to the Apple rooftop—eagerly awaiting each record and watching their evolution.

More information about this book and author can be found at http://beatleness.com/

Tom's book paints an illuminating picture: from McCartney's nervous breakdown following the Beatles' split through his apparent victimisation by the authorities to the rude awakening of his imprisonment for marijuana possession in Japan in 1980 and the shocking wake-up call of John Lennon's murder. At the same time, the book shines a light on the wonderfully varied and thrilling records that Paul and Wings released through this period.

Ravi had a remarkable and long life - and his influence on The Beatles and particular George Harrison was huge. Oliver's book deals with Ravi's amazing story in great depth and gets to the heart of Ravi's friendship with George. 

More information and sales links for this book can be found at https://www.olivercraske.com/indiansun

No discussion of The Beatles and comedy would be complete without discussing The Rutles - and Jem documents how Eric Idle and Neil Innes created the most influential rock n roll spoof in history.

Fab Fools can be ordered at http://www.candy-jar.co.uk/books/fabfools.html

I'm joined by renowned journalist and writer Tony Barrell to discuss 'The Beatles on the Roof' - a fun look at the events leading up to The Beatles final 'concert' in January 1969. 

Tony met with and interviewed dozens of people who were either involved in or attended that blustery London lunchtime - he shares their memories and more over the course of our chat.

More information about Tony's book and sales links can be found at https://www.tonybarrell.com/raising-the-roof/

After his 13 days as Beatle - what happened to Jimmie? Jim's book tells this often surprising and always mysterious tale in his gripping book.

Jim's book can be ordered from his website at  https://rockandrolldetective.com/books/the-beatle-who-vanished/