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The Beatles Encyclopedia: Everything Fab Four
Legendary in music and popular culture, the Beatles were one of the most successful bands of all time. The collective achievements of the Fab Four affect a broad demographic that includes today's children, Millennials, Gen Xers, and Baby Boomers. This one-volume condensed paperback edition of "The Beatles Encyclopedia" brings the Beatles' dramatic story alive, highlighting the humanity of the quartet of artists that has made them an enduring artistic and social phenomenon.
The entries in this condensed encyclopedia provide in-depth biographical information about the Beatles and their circle as well as fascinating historical background and key details about their most important works, giving readers broad coverage that addresses the major aspects of the band's and its individual members' phenomenal achievement. The easy-to-use A-Z resource also includes a biographical chronology and a discography as well as a bibliography that directs readers to excellent sources of additional information in print and online.
The entries in this condensed encyclopedia provide in-depth biographical information about the Beatles and their circle as well as fascinating historical background and key details about their most important works, giving readers broad coverage that addresses the major aspects of the band's and its individual members' phenomenal achievement. The easy-to-use A-Z resource also includes a biographical chronology and a discography as well as a bibliography that directs readers to excellent sources of additional information in print and online.
- GenresMusicNonfiction
656 pages, Paperback
Published November 21, 2016
8 people are currently reading
38 people want to read
About the author
Kenneth Womack
85 books172 followersKenneth Womack is a world-renowned authority on the Beatles and their enduring cultural influence. His latest book project involves a two-volume, full-length biography devoted to famed Beatles producer Sir George Martin.
Womack's Beatles-related books include Long and Winding Roads: The Evolving Artistry of the Beatles (2007), The Cambridge Companion to the Beatles (2009), and The Beatles Encyclopedia: Everything Fab Four (2014).
Womack is also the author of four novels, including John Doe No. 2 and the Dreamland Motel (2010), The Restaurant at the End of the World (2012), Playing the Angel (2013), and I Am Lemonade Lucy! (2019).
Womack's Beatles-related books include Long and Winding Roads: The Evolving Artistry of the Beatles (2007), The Cambridge Companion to the Beatles (2009), and The Beatles Encyclopedia: Everything Fab Four (2014).
Womack is also the author of four novels, including John Doe No. 2 and the Dreamland Motel (2010), The Restaurant at the End of the World (2012), Playing the Angel (2013), and I Am Lemonade Lucy! (2019).
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 2, 2022
If you're a Beatles fan (as in fanatic), this is excellent for your library
I bought the very expensive hardback edition because I am a fan(atic) about them (not the el-cheapo paperback or Kindle editions ONLY listed here on GoodReads).
I only gave 4 stars because of the high price. If it was a more reasonable price (like under $100) I would have given it 5 stars. It cost $190!! :-(
I read both volumes cover to cover (not too hard during the COVID-19 pandemic and lock down) and enjoyed virtually all of it.
I skipped past most of the individuals own work (which is a fair amount) as I was not as interested in the behind-the-scenes looks into their singular works (though I liked most all of their post band work).
You can get a better idea of who these amazing and very very poor kids were and what they became.
You can also pick up aspects/angles of their personality from this compendium (not like there aren't millions of opinions from everyone in the world
You can form your OWN opinion based on the facts presented.
They were EXTREMELY competitive and just as clever and hardworking as you can imagine. They really were hard scrabble street kids that made it BIG TIME and you can pick up on this through out.
Paul's comments are always a little more flowery and nice and usually oversimplified and more puritanical (and wrong). He comes off as a pushy leader internally.
John's comments are usually rude, angry and you can see how much a bully he was. But he seems to be more honest about their shenanigans and provides more credible explanations of things (vs Paul's bland and poor diversionary attempts of "truth")
George seems stifled and very much a passive/aggressive jerk.
Same for Ringo for that matter. He was (and still is?) an excellent band drummer, nothing flashy (as he hated that). He was passive up to the point where he got so bored he left (during the White Album). He was not interested in growing as a musician whereas the other 3 worked their asses off to keep up with the burgeoning technologies and new styles and techniques at the time. The Beatles INVENTED automatic voice double tracking and they really got into the bits and pieces of engineering LONG BEFORE computers make everything easy for subsequent artists.
No one younger than 50 yrs old realizes ALL of what the Beatles did for music, musicianship and entertainment.
If they're interested, they can get this book and see for themselves.
I bought the very expensive hardback edition because I am a fan(atic) about them (not the el-cheapo paperback or Kindle editions ONLY listed here on GoodReads).
I only gave 4 stars because of the high price. If it was a more reasonable price (like under $100) I would have given it 5 stars. It cost $190!! :-(
I read both volumes cover to cover (not too hard during the COVID-19 pandemic and lock down) and enjoyed virtually all of it.
I skipped past most of the individuals own work (which is a fair amount) as I was not as interested in the behind-the-scenes looks into their singular works (though I liked most all of their post band work).
You can get a better idea of who these amazing and very very poor kids were and what they became.
You can also pick up aspects/angles of their personality from this compendium (not like there aren't millions of opinions from everyone in the world
You can form your OWN opinion based on the facts presented.
They were EXTREMELY competitive and just as clever and hardworking as you can imagine. They really were hard scrabble street kids that made it BIG TIME and you can pick up on this through out.
Paul's comments are always a little more flowery and nice and usually oversimplified and more puritanical (and wrong). He comes off as a pushy leader internally.
John's comments are usually rude, angry and you can see how much a bully he was. But he seems to be more honest about their shenanigans and provides more credible explanations of things (vs Paul's bland and poor diversionary attempts of "truth")
George seems stifled and very much a passive/aggressive jerk.
Same for Ringo for that matter. He was (and still is?) an excellent band drummer, nothing flashy (as he hated that). He was passive up to the point where he got so bored he left (during the White Album). He was not interested in growing as a musician whereas the other 3 worked their asses off to keep up with the burgeoning technologies and new styles and techniques at the time. The Beatles INVENTED automatic voice double tracking and they really got into the bits and pieces of engineering LONG BEFORE computers make everything easy for subsequent artists.
No one younger than 50 yrs old realizes ALL of what the Beatles did for music, musicianship and entertainment.
If they're interested, they can get this book and see for themselves.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews