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The Beatles from A to Zed: An Alphabetical Mystery Tour
A legendary record producer and performer takes readers on an alphabetical journey of insights into the music of the Beatles and individual reminiscences of John, Paul, George, and Ringo.
Peter Asher met the Beatles in the spring of 1963, the start of a lifelong association with the band and its members. He had a front-row seat as they elevated pop music into an art form, and he was present at the creation of some of the most iconic music of our times.
Asher is also a talented musician in his own right, with a great ear for what was new and fresh. Once, when Paul McCartney wrote a song that John Lennon didn’t think was right for the Beatles, Asher asked if he could record it. “A World Without Love” became a global No. 1 hit for his duo, Peter & Gordon. A few years later Asher was asked by Paul McCartney to help start Apple Records; the first artist Asher discovered and signed up was a young American singer-songwriter named James Taylor. Before long he would be not only managing and producing Taylor but also (having left Apple and moved to Los Angeles) working with Linda Ronstadt, Neil Diamond, Robin Williams, Joni Mitchell, and Cher, among others.
The Beatles from A to Zed grows out of his popular radio program “From Me to You” on SiriusXM's The Beatles Channel, where he shares memories and insights about the Fab Four and their music. Here he weaves his reflections into a whimsical alphabetical journey that focuses not only on songs whose titles start with each letter, but also on recurrent themes in the Beatles’ music, the instruments they played, the innovations they pioneered, the artists who influenced them, the key people in their lives, and the cultural events of the time.
Few can match Peter Asher for his fresh and personal perspective on the Beatles. And no one is a more congenial and entertaining guide to their music.
Peter Asher met the Beatles in the spring of 1963, the start of a lifelong association with the band and its members. He had a front-row seat as they elevated pop music into an art form, and he was present at the creation of some of the most iconic music of our times.
Asher is also a talented musician in his own right, with a great ear for what was new and fresh. Once, when Paul McCartney wrote a song that John Lennon didn’t think was right for the Beatles, Asher asked if he could record it. “A World Without Love” became a global No. 1 hit for his duo, Peter & Gordon. A few years later Asher was asked by Paul McCartney to help start Apple Records; the first artist Asher discovered and signed up was a young American singer-songwriter named James Taylor. Before long he would be not only managing and producing Taylor but also (having left Apple and moved to Los Angeles) working with Linda Ronstadt, Neil Diamond, Robin Williams, Joni Mitchell, and Cher, among others.
The Beatles from A to Zed grows out of his popular radio program “From Me to You” on SiriusXM's The Beatles Channel, where he shares memories and insights about the Fab Four and their music. Here he weaves his reflections into a whimsical alphabetical journey that focuses not only on songs whose titles start with each letter, but also on recurrent themes in the Beatles’ music, the instruments they played, the innovations they pioneered, the artists who influenced them, the key people in their lives, and the cultural events of the time.
Few can match Peter Asher for his fresh and personal perspective on the Beatles. And no one is a more congenial and entertaining guide to their music.
272 pages, Paperback
First published October 29, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
June 7, 2020
The Beatles A to Zed by Peter Asher is a 2019 Henry Holt & Company publication.
I know what your thinking. Another book about the Beatles? Don’t you think that by now this group has been examined in every which way one can possibly imagine? Yes, but for some reason I never grow weary of reading about the Beatles- However… it has to be a quality book, and not a rushed to market ‘cash grab’ or gossipy tell-all.
With Peter Asher’s name attached, and with the super high ratings for this one, I just couldn’t help myself- so, yes, ANOTHER Beatles book.
So, what did this new book have to offer that countless others books haven’t already rehashed ad nauseum over the years?
Well, there are plenty of interesting people and places that crop up in this book that were just on the periphery of the band, that made some contribution to the music, the sound or were influenced by the Beatles, or helped to inspire the group, spawning new ideas and creativity.
The author, whose sister once dated Paul McCartney before he met and married Linda, knew the band members personally, and continued to work with or around them for years.
Now, Asher also has his own radio show on SiriusXM, which airs on The Beatles channel, called “From Me to You.” This book stemmed from that show, and one might consider it a ‘radio’ tie in.
The format is part of what makes the book stand out from all the other Beatles books. Asher goes through the entire alphabet, listing all things pertaining to the Beatles associated with that letter. Don’t expect the obvious songs or people and places. Asher did work hard to come up with off the beaten path associations, rare tunes, events or little -known pieces of trivia to keep things interesting.
However, some letters were nearly impossible to work with and Asher’s creativity did elicit a groan or two, but he good naturedly acknowledged the occasional ‘cheating’ and some really far out there connections.
Other than that, Asher had to dig deep to avoid repeating information everyone already knows about the Beatles and worked hard to provide readers with links to the Beatles they might not have known about, or considered previously.
Still, though, at the end of the day, a lot of the information wasn't all that new- or unknown- but was merely presented to me in a different, more challenging way, so that it felt fresh.
It’s a fun book, however, and Asher had an enthusiastic approach, sprinkled with humor and inside knowledge that added a personal touch to the book.
Although the book didn't quite live up to all the high praise, for me, at least, it was a nice book to thumb through on a hot, lazy afternoon. It's an easy read, and gave me something light and pleasant to enjoy that didn’t require a great deal of concentration. Once again, I am reminded of why I love the Beatles and the myriad of ways the group influenced music and pop culture.
3.5 stars
I know what your thinking. Another book about the Beatles? Don’t you think that by now this group has been examined in every which way one can possibly imagine? Yes, but for some reason I never grow weary of reading about the Beatles- However… it has to be a quality book, and not a rushed to market ‘cash grab’ or gossipy tell-all.
With Peter Asher’s name attached, and with the super high ratings for this one, I just couldn’t help myself- so, yes, ANOTHER Beatles book.
So, what did this new book have to offer that countless others books haven’t already rehashed ad nauseum over the years?
Well, there are plenty of interesting people and places that crop up in this book that were just on the periphery of the band, that made some contribution to the music, the sound or were influenced by the Beatles, or helped to inspire the group, spawning new ideas and creativity.
The author, whose sister once dated Paul McCartney before he met and married Linda, knew the band members personally, and continued to work with or around them for years.
Now, Asher also has his own radio show on SiriusXM, which airs on The Beatles channel, called “From Me to You.” This book stemmed from that show, and one might consider it a ‘radio’ tie in.
The format is part of what makes the book stand out from all the other Beatles books. Asher goes through the entire alphabet, listing all things pertaining to the Beatles associated with that letter. Don’t expect the obvious songs or people and places. Asher did work hard to come up with off the beaten path associations, rare tunes, events or little -known pieces of trivia to keep things interesting.
However, some letters were nearly impossible to work with and Asher’s creativity did elicit a groan or two, but he good naturedly acknowledged the occasional ‘cheating’ and some really far out there connections.
Other than that, Asher had to dig deep to avoid repeating information everyone already knows about the Beatles and worked hard to provide readers with links to the Beatles they might not have known about, or considered previously.
Still, though, at the end of the day, a lot of the information wasn't all that new- or unknown- but was merely presented to me in a different, more challenging way, so that it felt fresh.
It’s a fun book, however, and Asher had an enthusiastic approach, sprinkled with humor and inside knowledge that added a personal touch to the book.
Although the book didn't quite live up to all the high praise, for me, at least, it was a nice book to thumb through on a hot, lazy afternoon. It's an easy read, and gave me something light and pleasant to enjoy that didn’t require a great deal of concentration. Once again, I am reminded of why I love the Beatles and the myriad of ways the group influenced music and pop culture.
3.5 stars
November 16, 2019
3.5 Stars
When I saw that Peter Asher had written a book about the Beatles I pounced on it. Why? He's right in the thick of the best of Beatles history! You might remember him as half of the famous British music duo Peter and Gordon who had a #1 hit with a song called "A World Without Love". If you can't immediately conjure up this tune in your mind, just think of the rather funny lyrics it begins with..."Please lock me away..."! Well, a young Paul McCartney actually wrote that song and gave it away to Peter and Gordon to record. But the Beatle connection is much deeper than this, because Paul dated Peter's younger sister actress Jane Asher for some years and they were even engaged (Jane ultimately broke off the engagement in 1968). Jane Asher was only sixteen when she met Paul while The Beatles were performing on a British show called "Juke Box Jury" where she was a panelist. The Beatles were just becoming famous and had left Liverpool to take up residence in London. Conveniently, Paul was invited to live at the roomy, multi-level Asher residence at 57 Wimpole Street. Paul had a room at the top of the home right across the hall from Peter's bedroom. A good number of Beatles songs were written at this house, probably the most famous being "Yesterday". When I visited London in 1999 this home was part of The Beatles Walking Tour I went on. Peter Asher's mother was a music teacher and in fact, Beatles Producer George Martin had been one of her students! The basement was a music room where she would give music lessons, but when it wasn't used for that John Lennon and Paul McCartney were composing Beatles hits down there such as "I Want to Hold Your Hand"!
When The Beatles launched their entertainment company Apple Corps they appointed Peter Asher as head of A&R for Apple Records. He was responsible for discovering James Taylor and signing him to Apple Records. Later in life he became the manager of Linda Ronstadt and a Grammy winning producer. He has had a very rich career in the music industry, but his intimate association with The Beatles made me keen to read this tome. When I read his introductory chapter to this book I got really excited, as he recounted his personal connection to The Beatles. He of course mentioned that his sister Jane dated Paul for a few years, but he never mentioned the fact that they were engaged. In fact, after the introductory chapter he dropped that topic altogether as if it was off limits. And then I realized that this book wasn't going to be a dishy tell-all about The Beatles. I'm sure he has some really juicy insider stories to tell, but his lips are sealed. What was I thinking? He is still part of the last two living Beatles' (Paul and Ringo) lives, and he would never betray them in such a way.
So, Asher now has a Beatles radio show on SiriusXM where he plays Beatles songs and shares a plethora of Beatle lore and factoids. He used a framework to do the same for this book, specifically, via the alphabet. Yes, he devotes a chapter to each letter of the alphabet, citing Beatles and solo Beatles songs associated with each letter. Sometimes a letter doesn't figure in a lot of Beatles songs, but he's creative and goes off on a tangent with a musical instrument starting with that letter, etc. Not only will he expound upon a Beatles song, but might make mention of other artists that have covered that particular song. Asher has a deep knowledge of the recording studio and specific information on which Beatle played what instrument on each song, along with a wide spectrum of other tidbits. I was impressed with his encyclopedic knowledge of what went down on each Beatles recording.
When I had reached the letter E chapter I briefly lost trust in Asher for a moment when he got a story wrong about how the song "Eight Days a Week" came about. I've heard Paul McCartney tell the story himself many times in his own voice. I listen to a station called "Beatles 181.fm" via the TuneIn Radio app which can be played through the Amazon Echo. I love this station because it plays all manner of Beatles songs, whether it be the standard recordings, alternative versions, or solo Beatles. A wonderful feature of this station is that they often play snippets of either The Beatles or producer George Martin talking about the song before it's played. Paul said that he had temporarily lost his drivers' license due to a driving infraction, and had employed a chauffeur to drive him from London to John's house Kenwood in the country. They used to meet up like a job to write songs, as they were constantly pressured for new material by their record company. Paul engaged the driver in conversation, asking him how he was. The driver replied that he was a bit tired, as he was working 8 days a week! That's when it clicked in Paul's head and he thought, "Right...that's the title of the song we're writing today!" And he told John as such when he arrived at his house. Maybe Asher can correct this particular passage in the book.
Otherwise, this is a quality book chock full of information about Beatles recordings. Asher writes in a pleasant, dare I say British/classy/upbeat "tone". I found this to be the kind of book that you could just pick up and put down at will to delve back into it. I knew a lot of the information already because of being a hard core Beatles fan of many years. Quite frankly, I enjoyed the introductory chapter where he explained who he was and the time that Paul lived in the Asher house and would have loved if things would have continued on that way. Honestly, I found the chapters structured by letters of the alphabet kind of a silly way to write a book. I might well have even put it aside if I wasn't reviewing it. But if you're interested in The Beatles, please give this book a go. I tend to be snarky and a bit cynical when reading Beatles books because I've read so many.
Thank you to the publisher Henry Holt and Company / MacMillan who provided an advance reader copy via NetGalley and Edelweiss.
When I saw that Peter Asher had written a book about the Beatles I pounced on it. Why? He's right in the thick of the best of Beatles history! You might remember him as half of the famous British music duo Peter and Gordon who had a #1 hit with a song called "A World Without Love". If you can't immediately conjure up this tune in your mind, just think of the rather funny lyrics it begins with..."Please lock me away..."! Well, a young Paul McCartney actually wrote that song and gave it away to Peter and Gordon to record. But the Beatle connection is much deeper than this, because Paul dated Peter's younger sister actress Jane Asher for some years and they were even engaged (Jane ultimately broke off the engagement in 1968). Jane Asher was only sixteen when she met Paul while The Beatles were performing on a British show called "Juke Box Jury" where she was a panelist. The Beatles were just becoming famous and had left Liverpool to take up residence in London. Conveniently, Paul was invited to live at the roomy, multi-level Asher residence at 57 Wimpole Street. Paul had a room at the top of the home right across the hall from Peter's bedroom. A good number of Beatles songs were written at this house, probably the most famous being "Yesterday". When I visited London in 1999 this home was part of The Beatles Walking Tour I went on. Peter Asher's mother was a music teacher and in fact, Beatles Producer George Martin had been one of her students! The basement was a music room where she would give music lessons, but when it wasn't used for that John Lennon and Paul McCartney were composing Beatles hits down there such as "I Want to Hold Your Hand"!
When The Beatles launched their entertainment company Apple Corps they appointed Peter Asher as head of A&R for Apple Records. He was responsible for discovering James Taylor and signing him to Apple Records. Later in life he became the manager of Linda Ronstadt and a Grammy winning producer. He has had a very rich career in the music industry, but his intimate association with The Beatles made me keen to read this tome. When I read his introductory chapter to this book I got really excited, as he recounted his personal connection to The Beatles. He of course mentioned that his sister Jane dated Paul for a few years, but he never mentioned the fact that they were engaged. In fact, after the introductory chapter he dropped that topic altogether as if it was off limits. And then I realized that this book wasn't going to be a dishy tell-all about The Beatles. I'm sure he has some really juicy insider stories to tell, but his lips are sealed. What was I thinking? He is still part of the last two living Beatles' (Paul and Ringo) lives, and he would never betray them in such a way.
So, Asher now has a Beatles radio show on SiriusXM where he plays Beatles songs and shares a plethora of Beatle lore and factoids. He used a framework to do the same for this book, specifically, via the alphabet. Yes, he devotes a chapter to each letter of the alphabet, citing Beatles and solo Beatles songs associated with each letter. Sometimes a letter doesn't figure in a lot of Beatles songs, but he's creative and goes off on a tangent with a musical instrument starting with that letter, etc. Not only will he expound upon a Beatles song, but might make mention of other artists that have covered that particular song. Asher has a deep knowledge of the recording studio and specific information on which Beatle played what instrument on each song, along with a wide spectrum of other tidbits. I was impressed with his encyclopedic knowledge of what went down on each Beatles recording.
When I had reached the letter E chapter I briefly lost trust in Asher for a moment when he got a story wrong about how the song "Eight Days a Week" came about. I've heard Paul McCartney tell the story himself many times in his own voice. I listen to a station called "Beatles 181.fm" via the TuneIn Radio app which can be played through the Amazon Echo. I love this station because it plays all manner of Beatles songs, whether it be the standard recordings, alternative versions, or solo Beatles. A wonderful feature of this station is that they often play snippets of either The Beatles or producer George Martin talking about the song before it's played. Paul said that he had temporarily lost his drivers' license due to a driving infraction, and had employed a chauffeur to drive him from London to John's house Kenwood in the country. They used to meet up like a job to write songs, as they were constantly pressured for new material by their record company. Paul engaged the driver in conversation, asking him how he was. The driver replied that he was a bit tired, as he was working 8 days a week! That's when it clicked in Paul's head and he thought, "Right...that's the title of the song we're writing today!" And he told John as such when he arrived at his house. Maybe Asher can correct this particular passage in the book.
Otherwise, this is a quality book chock full of information about Beatles recordings. Asher writes in a pleasant, dare I say British/classy/upbeat "tone". I found this to be the kind of book that you could just pick up and put down at will to delve back into it. I knew a lot of the information already because of being a hard core Beatles fan of many years. Quite frankly, I enjoyed the introductory chapter where he explained who he was and the time that Paul lived in the Asher house and would have loved if things would have continued on that way. Honestly, I found the chapters structured by letters of the alphabet kind of a silly way to write a book. I might well have even put it aside if I wasn't reviewing it. But if you're interested in The Beatles, please give this book a go. I tend to be snarky and a bit cynical when reading Beatles books because I've read so many.
Thank you to the publisher Henry Holt and Company / MacMillan who provided an advance reader copy via NetGalley and Edelweiss.
January 24, 2020
Peter Asher takes us on a tour of Beatles history, from Apple Records to zebra crossings (like the one on the Abbey Road cover album). Prepare to read this with a music streaming source nearby as he reminds you of songs you love and informs you about songs you don't (Beatles covers, Beatles influences, etc). There's not a lot of new Beatles stuff here, but it was still really enjoyable for two reasons:
1) It's like driving around town listening to Asher tell you stories about the Beatles (I did the audio version of this). And he has some good ones because he was friends with them, and Paul was dating his sister, and he also has some other good industry-insider stories because he had a group of his own. He's charming and funny as a story-teller.
2) Asher gives a lot of background not just into specific Beatles songs or albums (though that's the majority of it), but also into the history of musical styles and instruments. His history of the piano was the best part of the book.
I've now read five Beatles books, and I would rank them like this, I think:
1) Dreaming the Beatles - Rob Sheffield
2) Tune In - Mark Lewisohn
3) The Beatles - Mark Spitz
4) The Beatles from A to Zed - Asher
5) You Never Give Me Your Money - Peter Doggett
1) It's like driving around town listening to Asher tell you stories about the Beatles (I did the audio version of this). And he has some good ones because he was friends with them, and Paul was dating his sister, and he also has some other good industry-insider stories because he had a group of his own. He's charming and funny as a story-teller.
2) Asher gives a lot of background not just into specific Beatles songs or albums (though that's the majority of it), but also into the history of musical styles and instruments. His history of the piano was the best part of the book.
I've now read five Beatles books, and I would rank them like this, I think:
1) Dreaming the Beatles - Rob Sheffield
2) Tune In - Mark Lewisohn
3) The Beatles - Mark Spitz
4) The Beatles from A to Zed - Asher
5) You Never Give Me Your Money - Peter Doggett
December 16, 2019
Well, if nothing else, we can be assured that Peter Asher did not use a ghost writer for this slight but charming collection of anecdotes and digressions: if it weren't for the slightly random sense of order imposed by its alphabetical layout, this wouldn't have any structure whatsoever, and his writing style is...um, non-professional. Asher comes across as a likable, humble man aware that he lucked into a career as a musician, producer, A&R man and artist manager primarily because Paul McCartney took a liking to his sister. There's not much in the way of new information or insight, but it's a pleasant enough way to spend a rainy afternoon.
December 18, 2019
Enjoyable, but a bit rambling, with little deep detail. Didn't learn much at all that I wasn't already aware of.
August 6, 2025
Pop star, producer, famous musicians' manager, housemate of Paul McCartney, brother of Jane Asher, (and much more) Peter Asher, of Peter & Gordon fame, takes us on a magical, but not-very-mysterious tour of Beatles trivia. Every letter of the alphabet gets a look in from this knowledgable, longtime fan of the fab four. Everyone's written a book about the Beatles, but Asher's is more interesting because he was there. But not just there, he was also a contemporary and friend of the band members. He worked at Apple Records and Paul lived in his family home for a couple years when they were younger. He's got anecdotes and insights up the wazoo! This is not meant to be comprehensive, but rather a very casual and comfortable overview of the band. It's quite enjoyable!
November 8, 2019
I'm a sucker for anything Beatles and Peter Asher gives the reader a proper music perspective.
December 30, 2019
Kind of fun backstories about the songs. Not a lot new here, but Peter Asher was in the thick of it and is quite a charming storyteller.
August 8, 2019
The Beatles from A to Zed: An Alphabetical Mystery Tour from Peter Asher is a delightful trip through all things Beatles related.
This is not a dictionary or encyclopedia that might be comprehensive but boring. This is a lot of Asher's recollections and tidbits using the alphabet as a rough structure to give it some organization. And, perhaps more important, to offer new connections between songs, people, and events. This is not about The Beatles and only about The Beatles, but rather about everything Beatles-related. Their solo careers, other versions of their songs, some tidbits from Asher's own musical history. So don't be upset if some paragraphs only mention one of them only in passing, one of the underlying themes of this book is the amazing breadth of not only what they accomplished but the influence they had directly and indirectly.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of this book is the conversational tone. It is less like reading a book and more like sitting around with someone who knew The Beatles both collectively and individually. Just so happens that someone is also a musician, producer, and manager, so his knowledge of the industry is as important to the book as his knowledge of the group.
I like the alphabet structure because in some ways it makes it even more like a conversation with somebody. We often start talking about something then some part of what we're talking about reminds us of something else, and so on. This is like that, except a letter is the starting point and unifying element of each chapter.
While Asher does not get into the details of the songs he discusses, he quite often does get into the musical basics (chords, transitions, instruments). To illustrate the difference between this and some other books, he will mention that George played his 12 string on a certain song and it gave a specific feel to it. Some writers will mention that as well as what other guitars might have been used on overdubs and how everything was mic'ed. There are plenty of books that get into the specifics of the technology and the production, this isn't one of them. That doesn't make it better or worse, it makes it different, they have different goals.
Perhaps there is no greater tribute for a book about musical artists than to say that it made me go and listen to many of the songs again. This book did that, and it introduced me to some songs with which I was unfamiliar, maybe an obscure solo effort that is available in a video but was never released, or a cover by another artist that really strikes a chord for Asher.
I would highly recommend this to any fan as well as any reader interested in music history. While this is largely a trip down memory lane for those of us who bought all those albums when released back in the day, Asher also branches out and shows what influenced The Beatles as well as who they then influenced, so this is a major chapter in music history.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
This is not a dictionary or encyclopedia that might be comprehensive but boring. This is a lot of Asher's recollections and tidbits using the alphabet as a rough structure to give it some organization. And, perhaps more important, to offer new connections between songs, people, and events. This is not about The Beatles and only about The Beatles, but rather about everything Beatles-related. Their solo careers, other versions of their songs, some tidbits from Asher's own musical history. So don't be upset if some paragraphs only mention one of them only in passing, one of the underlying themes of this book is the amazing breadth of not only what they accomplished but the influence they had directly and indirectly.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of this book is the conversational tone. It is less like reading a book and more like sitting around with someone who knew The Beatles both collectively and individually. Just so happens that someone is also a musician, producer, and manager, so his knowledge of the industry is as important to the book as his knowledge of the group.
I like the alphabet structure because in some ways it makes it even more like a conversation with somebody. We often start talking about something then some part of what we're talking about reminds us of something else, and so on. This is like that, except a letter is the starting point and unifying element of each chapter.
While Asher does not get into the details of the songs he discusses, he quite often does get into the musical basics (chords, transitions, instruments). To illustrate the difference between this and some other books, he will mention that George played his 12 string on a certain song and it gave a specific feel to it. Some writers will mention that as well as what other guitars might have been used on overdubs and how everything was mic'ed. There are plenty of books that get into the specifics of the technology and the production, this isn't one of them. That doesn't make it better or worse, it makes it different, they have different goals.
Perhaps there is no greater tribute for a book about musical artists than to say that it made me go and listen to many of the songs again. This book did that, and it introduced me to some songs with which I was unfamiliar, maybe an obscure solo effort that is available in a video but was never released, or a cover by another artist that really strikes a chord for Asher.
I would highly recommend this to any fan as well as any reader interested in music history. While this is largely a trip down memory lane for those of us who bought all those albums when released back in the day, Asher also branches out and shows what influenced The Beatles as well as who they then influenced, so this is a major chapter in music history.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
December 15, 2019
The author, Peter Asher, knew The Beatles personally, was part of Apple Records and spent a considerable amount of time with them while they were in the group as well as afterward when the paths had split.
The book is packed with interesting stories and details, many of which I had never read or about before, which made the read worthwhile.
That being said, the format of the book is awkward, splitting up the material in an alphabetical sequence, and clearly the author seemed to struggle with it. His transitions are often poorly written, and frequently he is straying away from it in a peculiar fashion, making you scratch your head out of frustration from the lack of consistency.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed the book and the author gave me good reason to reacquaint myself with all my old Beatles albums which are discussed in detail as well as countless songs written, recorded and/or performed by John, Paul, George and Ringo after their split. The author knows his stuff and he is also a fan of both the individuals and their music, which makes the book a treasure trove of information for the rest of us who have enjoyed them from farther away.
The book is packed with interesting stories and details, many of which I had never read or about before, which made the read worthwhile.
That being said, the format of the book is awkward, splitting up the material in an alphabetical sequence, and clearly the author seemed to struggle with it. His transitions are often poorly written, and frequently he is straying away from it in a peculiar fashion, making you scratch your head out of frustration from the lack of consistency.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed the book and the author gave me good reason to reacquaint myself with all my old Beatles albums which are discussed in detail as well as countless songs written, recorded and/or performed by John, Paul, George and Ringo after their split. The author knows his stuff and he is also a fan of both the individuals and their music, which makes the book a treasure trove of information for the rest of us who have enjoyed them from farther away.
October 22, 2019
I love listening to Peter Asher on the Beatles Station on Sirius XM, and I have listened to his A to Zed and was thoroughly entertained by his insight. It was just as good reading it. There's just so much in this book to satisfy my innner Beatles super-fan, and as I went through listening to their songs after reading this book it made me see their music in a whole new way, which I LOVE! Highly recommended, Peter Asher knows his stuff and I loved seeing his perspective as he was along for the ride with the Beatles.
December 16, 2019
Fab book about the Fabs! Love Peter's fun way of creatively connecting all sorts of personal, historical tidbits, as well as music info, to The Beatles as he progresses thru each letter of the alphabet. Loved learning new things via this very enjoyable read.
April 5, 2022
As part of a book club prompt, I was looking for a book what "sparks joy." I found this prompt to be a bit of a challenge as I wondered how one might know a book would spark joy without ever having read it. At first I thought I might reread a favorite of mine for the pure joy of it, but decided instead to read a book about one of my favorite bands, written by a friend of theirs, and comprehensive only in its use of the alphabet as a means to organize stories and songs. What an excellent choice and what a joy it was to read.
I was unaware of Peter Asher before buying this book so it was fun to discover how his life and the lives of The Beatles have been intertwined over the past 60+ years. Paul McCartney dated Peter's sister, lived in the Asher's spare bedroom (Peter and Paul shared a wall for a few years), Brian Epstein was a student of Peter's mother, Paul was the songwriter of Peter's first smash hit, Peter ran A&R for Apple Records, and on and on and on the connections go. This unique relationship meant that Peter has a unique perspective on the career of The Beatles and maintained a good relationship with the members of the band as they each went on to their solo careers. Peter also narrated the audiobook which means there was the added benefit of hearing his emotions come through a couple of times as he recounted events of his life.
One major "drawback" of the book was how often I felt like I had to put it down to listen to the songs or artists Mr. Asher was referencing. Coming in at just over 250 pages, this would normally be a relatively quick read, given the musical detours, you should plan on spending much more time with it if you decide to pick it up and read it yourself. If you, like me, find joy in The Beatles and their music, then this book is well worth your time.
I was unaware of Peter Asher before buying this book so it was fun to discover how his life and the lives of The Beatles have been intertwined over the past 60+ years. Paul McCartney dated Peter's sister, lived in the Asher's spare bedroom (Peter and Paul shared a wall for a few years), Brian Epstein was a student of Peter's mother, Paul was the songwriter of Peter's first smash hit, Peter ran A&R for Apple Records, and on and on and on the connections go. This unique relationship meant that Peter has a unique perspective on the career of The Beatles and maintained a good relationship with the members of the band as they each went on to their solo careers. Peter also narrated the audiobook which means there was the added benefit of hearing his emotions come through a couple of times as he recounted events of his life.
One major "drawback" of the book was how often I felt like I had to put it down to listen to the songs or artists Mr. Asher was referencing. Coming in at just over 250 pages, this would normally be a relatively quick read, given the musical detours, you should plan on spending much more time with it if you decide to pick it up and read it yourself. If you, like me, find joy in The Beatles and their music, then this book is well worth your time.
July 29, 2022
This book takes an alphabetical approach to reviewing songs, people, places, and other things associated with The Beatles. It's not intended to be fully comprehensive, but with Peter Asher's perspective as a close friend of The Beatles, and more intertwined in their existence than I care to go into here, it's an interesting, entertaining, and informative look at The Beatles.
With an alphabetic approach to the topic, there's obviously no narrative flow to the book. At the same time, I felt like Peter connected topics very well, and covered things rather thoroughly. Additionally, unless you're ultra familiar with The Beatles, I don't think reading the book alone would be sufficient to appreciate the various things he discusses. Admittedly, I listened to the book one chapter at a time, then would pause the book, and go listen to some carefully curated playlists (thanks to my awesome brother), so I could hear the details of that chapter. The insights from the book certainly have helped me appreciate their music more, and marvel more at their collective and individual genius.
Again - not fully comprehensive (nor claimed to be), but quite comprehensive nonetheless. I doubt anybody who isn't a Beatles fan would enjoy the book, and even those who are might feel a little lost at some stages. I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much if I didn't have the accompanying music to listen to. All things told, however, I loved this.
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Disclaimer: every year (except for one) since I joined a streaming music service, during their annual, personalized "Year in Review", my top-played artist has been The Beatles. I love their music. They changed music in such a drastic way, and have an amazing body of work as a group, not to mention some rather notable careers after their time together. If you're not a Beatles fan, I'd argue you haven't listened to them enough. If you're anti-Beatles, I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't agree on a variety of other things as well.
With an alphabetic approach to the topic, there's obviously no narrative flow to the book. At the same time, I felt like Peter connected topics very well, and covered things rather thoroughly. Additionally, unless you're ultra familiar with The Beatles, I don't think reading the book alone would be sufficient to appreciate the various things he discusses. Admittedly, I listened to the book one chapter at a time, then would pause the book, and go listen to some carefully curated playlists (thanks to my awesome brother), so I could hear the details of that chapter. The insights from the book certainly have helped me appreciate their music more, and marvel more at their collective and individual genius.
Again - not fully comprehensive (nor claimed to be), but quite comprehensive nonetheless. I doubt anybody who isn't a Beatles fan would enjoy the book, and even those who are might feel a little lost at some stages. I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much if I didn't have the accompanying music to listen to. All things told, however, I loved this.
---
Disclaimer: every year (except for one) since I joined a streaming music service, during their annual, personalized "Year in Review", my top-played artist has been The Beatles. I love their music. They changed music in such a drastic way, and have an amazing body of work as a group, not to mention some rather notable careers after their time together. If you're not a Beatles fan, I'd argue you haven't listened to them enough. If you're anti-Beatles, I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't agree on a variety of other things as well.
April 2, 2022
I listened to this book via Audible.
The Beatles from A to Zed is an adaptation of one iteration of Peter Asher's Sirius XM radio show 'From Me To You' into book form. Asher goes through each letter of the alphabet and comes up with songs, people, places, musical references, and more that relate to that particular letter. While it's hardly comprehensive (the author even says as much on multiple occasions - that's not the intent here), there are many interesting stories and connections that are revealed through this examination.
For the uninitiated, Peter Asher is the brother of Jane Asher, Paul McCartney's one-time girlfriend, and one half of the musical duo Peter & Gordon, who has recorded multiple songs written by Paul. This put him right in the thick of the Beatles' early fame, and later he would go on to work at Apple Records. As a result, he has an insight into the band that few others do, which he relays here in twenty-six chapters of wonderful tales and analyses. Some of the connections are quite unexpected - for example, did you know that Peter's mother taught George Martin how to play the oboe?
There are many, many books written about The Beatles that dive into their history, songwriting, and the like. This is not mean to replace any of them, and is simply a fun look into the world of the Fab Four from a new perspective. It's definitely worth a read for any fan of the greatest rock and roll group of all time!
The Beatles from A to Zed is an adaptation of one iteration of Peter Asher's Sirius XM radio show 'From Me To You' into book form. Asher goes through each letter of the alphabet and comes up with songs, people, places, musical references, and more that relate to that particular letter. While it's hardly comprehensive (the author even says as much on multiple occasions - that's not the intent here), there are many interesting stories and connections that are revealed through this examination.
For the uninitiated, Peter Asher is the brother of Jane Asher, Paul McCartney's one-time girlfriend, and one half of the musical duo Peter & Gordon, who has recorded multiple songs written by Paul. This put him right in the thick of the Beatles' early fame, and later he would go on to work at Apple Records. As a result, he has an insight into the band that few others do, which he relays here in twenty-six chapters of wonderful tales and analyses. Some of the connections are quite unexpected - for example, did you know that Peter's mother taught George Martin how to play the oboe?
There are many, many books written about The Beatles that dive into their history, songwriting, and the like. This is not mean to replace any of them, and is simply a fun look into the world of the Fab Four from a new perspective. It's definitely worth a read for any fan of the greatest rock and roll group of all time!
February 24, 2020
This book ticks the right boxes, interest wise, but for whatever reason it didn't hold my interest much. I'm stopping reading and going on to another book. I like you Peter Asher, as a human and as a writer, but this work didn't suit my current Beatle needs. My Beatle needs, to paraphrase Rob Sheffield, are many and ever changing.
April 12, 2023
This autographed copy was a gift so I am happy to own it for that reason. Otherwise it is a rather silly look at the Beatles in a contrived alphabetical format. Nothing new here for most Beatles fans, but Peter Asher's unique perspective at least gives us a fresh point of view.
June 3, 2025
I think I would've preferred just a straight up Peter Asher autobiography. He hints at lots of really interesting stories but spends most of the book pointing out songs he likes and going "wow, this one's pretty good huh?". I respect the energy though lol.
November 22, 2019
This review originally published in < a href="http://www.lookingforagoodbook.com&qu... For a Good Book. Rated 4.35 of 5
It surprises me a little bit that publishers are still pumping out books about The Beatles ... but it surprises only a little bit. The lifespan of finding an audience is likely on the wane, as are the people who will have had a first-hand encounter worth telling.
This particular book is unique because it's presented in alphabetical order (sort of), and because it's written by Peter Asher. For those who don't know, Peter Asher is A) half of the 1960's pop duo Peter & Gordon (whose first [and biggest] hit was "World Without Love" in 1964 - written by Paul McCartney), and 2) the brother of Jane Asher who was Paul McCartney's girlfriend through much of the mid-1960's.
During this period (early to mid-1960's) Paul McCartney lived with the Asher's and so Peter has a very unique view point for a number of McCartney moments. Hearing about the early versions of songs coming from his room, or how McCartney would walk into his room and come out an hour or so later with a finished masterpiece. This is the kind of Beatles memory that we've never heard before and generally makes this book worth reading for Beatles aficionados.
One of the pleasant quirks to the book is that Asher (who is an extremely bright person) plays fast and loose with the alphabet and the Beatles catalog. For instance, when Asher discusses "All You Need Is Love" it is not found under the letter "A" but under the letter "T." "T"?! I won't explain why, but it makes sense in the context of how Asher presents this book.
Also, the alphabet is not just used to discuss song titles, but other aspects of the Beatles and their lives and history. "G" for instance brings Asher to discuss Germany and the Beatles' time there. "S" talks about the Ed Sullivan show.
What is also nice to note is that the book doesn't focus solely on The Beatles as a group, but songs, concerts, and/or events that are a part of each Beatle's solo career or work with another group (i.e. Wings, Traveling Wilburys, etc) are also often brought up through Asher's discourse.
While I am a Beatles fan, I can't say that I'm a Beatlemaniac or deeply knowledgeable about the Fab Four. I can't quote anything about their history (I can't even quote most of their songs), but I enjoy their music, and as an avid reader, I enjoy reading about them. This book was a very easy read. Given the format, I found that when I had a moment to read something, but couldn't get involved in a story, I could pick this up and get a good, short read.
Looking for a good book? The Beatles From A to Zed by Peter Asher is a clever, fresh look at The Beatles by someone who is able to offer to new insight to The Beatles' history.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
It surprises me a little bit that publishers are still pumping out books about The Beatles ... but it surprises only a little bit. The lifespan of finding an audience is likely on the wane, as are the people who will have had a first-hand encounter worth telling.
This particular book is unique because it's presented in alphabetical order (sort of), and because it's written by Peter Asher. For those who don't know, Peter Asher is A) half of the 1960's pop duo Peter & Gordon (whose first [and biggest] hit was "World Without Love" in 1964 - written by Paul McCartney), and 2) the brother of Jane Asher who was Paul McCartney's girlfriend through much of the mid-1960's.
During this period (early to mid-1960's) Paul McCartney lived with the Asher's and so Peter has a very unique view point for a number of McCartney moments. Hearing about the early versions of songs coming from his room, or how McCartney would walk into his room and come out an hour or so later with a finished masterpiece. This is the kind of Beatles memory that we've never heard before and generally makes this book worth reading for Beatles aficionados.
One of the pleasant quirks to the book is that Asher (who is an extremely bright person) plays fast and loose with the alphabet and the Beatles catalog. For instance, when Asher discusses "All You Need Is Love" it is not found under the letter "A" but under the letter "T." "T"?! I won't explain why, but it makes sense in the context of how Asher presents this book.
Also, the alphabet is not just used to discuss song titles, but other aspects of the Beatles and their lives and history. "G" for instance brings Asher to discuss Germany and the Beatles' time there. "S" talks about the Ed Sullivan show.
What is also nice to note is that the book doesn't focus solely on The Beatles as a group, but songs, concerts, and/or events that are a part of each Beatle's solo career or work with another group (i.e. Wings, Traveling Wilburys, etc) are also often brought up through Asher's discourse.
While I am a Beatles fan, I can't say that I'm a Beatlemaniac or deeply knowledgeable about the Fab Four. I can't quote anything about their history (I can't even quote most of their songs), but I enjoy their music, and as an avid reader, I enjoy reading about them. This book was a very easy read. Given the format, I found that when I had a moment to read something, but couldn't get involved in a story, I could pick this up and get a good, short read.
Looking for a good book? The Beatles From A to Zed by Peter Asher is a clever, fresh look at The Beatles by someone who is able to offer to new insight to The Beatles' history.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Read
December 24, 2020MsW: up next
December 3, 2019
This can be a fairly nerdy journey, diving into obscure little song parts and the notes they're played in, but for the most part, it's a fun exploration of songs and other things that begin with the letter A and so on ... For the people that read and dig a lot of Beatles books, much of this is familiar terrain ... Had anyone other than Peter Asher attempted this it would have flopped, but he is so passionate about the subject that you feel his joy ... Peter is a natural storyteller, he personally knew/knows all of the characters and, hell, Paul lived at his house - besides - we all can use a little practice at the alphabet
September 6, 2025
Audio. Lovely! Asher was a great friend of the Beatles and Paul (yes, we are now on first name basis) lived with him and his family in the early days, so he has a lot of inside info. I wish he were able to include clips of the songs he referenced.
November 23, 2019
Very disappointing. I've read dozens of books on the Beatles, so I suppose I'm not really in the core audience for this. There's almost nothing in here that was new information to me, but that's not really the problem. I can re-read tidbits about the Beatles and their music as long as it's presented interestingly and/or well-written. This is neither. Using an A-Z format, for both song titles and general topics (for example, "D" for drums), Asher lets loose with fairly random trivia and insights. He has a personal connection, as Paul dated his sister and lived in the Asher house in the Beatles' early years, yet most of what Asher talks about can be found in any number of other books; actual bits of personal insight are few and far between. His writing style is terrible--he comes off like a first-time teacher awkwardly facing his 7th grade students. To paraphrase: "Well, now that I've talked about Eleanor Rigby, there's another E song to talk about, and that's Every Little Thing, which I quite like even if some people don't." That's not a real quote, but that's what half the book sounds like. Frankly, I found it a little insulting. New Beatles fans might find some items of interest here, but there are so many other, better books to go to (The Love You Make by Peter Brown, Tell Me Why by Tim Riley, Revolution in the Head by Ian McDonald, Beatles '66 by Steve Turner, and lots of reference books and big bios), I wouldn't bother with this one.
January 13, 2020
There has been so much written about The Beatles. So what makes this title different and worth the read? Peter Asher had a rare front-row seat to the evolution of The Beatles, particularly in the mid-sixties when Paul McCartney was living in the Asher household. With this connection to the band, Asher has more insight and anecdotes than many of the other Beatle-related writers out there. What also stands out from this text compared to others is that you may have already heard some of this if you listen to Asher's shows on Sirius XM's Beatles Channel. If you have, this almost reads like a transcript from one of those shows.
This book takes a different approach by skipping chronological order and making it a little more fun by playing an alphabet game with songs and stories. While some of it may seem a stretch (Z is for zoological, an imaginary zoo with imaginary animals from Beatles songs), it is a clever way to talk about these things that have been talked about so many times before. Some stories have been told many times, some are told from a different perspective, and some are custom-made for a music theory class, but all are fascinating to read.
The only issue I seem to have with the book is that sometimes one story seemed to run into another so fast that I didn't realize I was reading about something else. More line breaks or ways to realize that the story was shifting to the next subject would have been helpful. It's a great title to add to any Beatles fan's bookshelf.
*Book provided by NetGalley
This book takes a different approach by skipping chronological order and making it a little more fun by playing an alphabet game with songs and stories. While some of it may seem a stretch (Z is for zoological, an imaginary zoo with imaginary animals from Beatles songs), it is a clever way to talk about these things that have been talked about so many times before. Some stories have been told many times, some are told from a different perspective, and some are custom-made for a music theory class, but all are fascinating to read.
The only issue I seem to have with the book is that sometimes one story seemed to run into another so fast that I didn't realize I was reading about something else. More line breaks or ways to realize that the story was shifting to the next subject would have been helpful. It's a great title to add to any Beatles fan's bookshelf.
*Book provided by NetGalley
June 30, 2021
After listening to Peter Asher, the author and half of the English singing duo "Peter and Gordon", on SiriusXM's Beatles Top 100 I decided to try the book. It's like a collection of his comments over the years on SiriusXM where he's the in-house Beatles expoert. His sister dated Paul McCartney for years, the Beatles influenced his musical career, then Asher moved into record-company management with Capitol and Apple Records. So, it's full of trivia and comments on the creation and production of the Beatles music but pretty obsequious.
On a positive note, he often suggests obscure recordings of other musicians that are available on YouTube. I'd recommend reading it with a notepad in hand.
On a positive note, he often suggests obscure recordings of other musicians that are available on YouTube. I'd recommend reading it with a notepad in hand.
Read
October 29, 2019What a trip down memory lane! I think any Beatle fan will enjoy reading this book. A-Zed is very loose, as any given letter begins a song title, but covers so mush more. Really A-z didn't seem necessary at all. But the book is filled with lots of trivia, some I recalled, more that was new to me. It's a great book to browse, better than read from cover to cover (my opinion.). AND it's written by Peter Asher! Who could ask for more than that! An insider dishes! Bout time! Kudos to the author!
I received a Kindle arc from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
I received a Kindle arc from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
May 4, 2020
Super enjoyable, and the rare Beatle book that had a lot of stuff I didn't already know. Kind of like having your kindly old uncle sit down and ramble through a bunch of stories about his friends back in the day...except his friends happened to be the greatest rock group of all time. Sticking to the alphabet gave it an interesting twist, and a fun way to segue between tunes, musicians, styles, instruments, albums, and so forth. Non-Beatle fans (is there such a thing?) probably wouldn't get a whole lot out of it, but a really fun read for anyone into the Fab Four.
October 14, 2019
Peter Asher might be the sixth or seventh or eighth Beatle.
He could qualify with his longtime connections to Paul McCartney and Apple Records, and this book is new evidence that he could be an honorary member of the band.
The book is an entertaining trip through the alphabet and a fab way to associate letters with what you know or don't know about the Beatles.
He could qualify with his longtime connections to Paul McCartney and Apple Records, and this book is new evidence that he could be an honorary member of the band.
The book is an entertaining trip through the alphabet and a fab way to associate letters with what you know or don't know about the Beatles.
October 24, 2019
OMG ....... what a great book written by Peter Asher that’s known the Beatles since 1963 and has the insight into their lives and music.....if you love the Beatles you’ll want to read this book ...... and for those that don’t know much about the band you’ll learn to appreciate them and their music .....a must read
October 26, 2019
If you're a Beatles fan this is a Magical Mystery Tour that is coming to take you away.
There's plenty of information, facts, curiosities and everything you always wanted to know about the Fab Four.
It's highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine
There's plenty of information, facts, curiosities and everything you always wanted to know about the Fab Four.
It's highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine
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