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“Paul once tried to explain how the two of them had become what they were. ‘John, because of his upbringing and his unstable family life, had to be hard, witty, always ready for the cover-up, ready for the riposte, ready with the sharp little witticism. Whereas with my rather comfortable upbringing, a lot of family, a lot of people, very northern, “Cup of tea, love?”, my surface grew to be easy-going. Put people at their ease. Chat to people, be nice, it’s nice to be nice … Mentally, no one could say much to hurt me, whereas with John: his dad wasn’t home, so it was “Where’s yer dad, you bastard?” And his mother lived with somebody and that was called “living in sin” in those days, so there was another cheap shot against him. John had a lot to guard against, and it formed his personality; he was a very guarded person … He had massive hang-ups from his upbringing.”
― One Two Three Four: The Beatles in Time
― One Two Three Four: The Beatles in Time
“For what's the point of breeding children, if each generation does not improve on what went before?”
― Wolf Hall
― Wolf Hall
“Years later, he told a close friend he’d had sex of some sort with Brian, “once to see what it was like, the second time to make sure I didn’t like it”.”
― One Two Three Four: The Beatles in Time
― One Two Three Four: The Beatles in Time
“There are moments when a memory moves right through you. You shy, you duck, you run; or else the past takes your fist and actuates it, without the intervention of will. Suppose you have a knife in your fist? That's how murder happens.”
― Wolf Hall
― Wolf Hall
“John was in no mood for compromise; his intransigence towards Paul may also have been a way of subcontracting his own Oedipal struggles: ‘I was always saying, “Face up to your dad, tell him to fuck off. He can’t hit you. He’s an old man” … But Paul would always give in. His dad told him to get a job, he dropped the group and started working on the lorries, saying, “I need a steady career.” We couldn’t believe it. I told him on the phone, “Either come or you’re out.” So he had to make a decision between me and his dad …”
― One Two Three Four: The Beatles in Time
― One Two Three Four: The Beatles in Time
Biography, Autobiography, Memoir
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Everyone has a story to tell. This is a group to discuss the many types of biographies, autobiographies and memoirs. If it's a true life story, it bel ...more
Literary Award Winners Fiction Book Club
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— last activity Aug 01, 2026 01:05PM
Literary Award Winners Fiction Book Club is dedicated to reading award winning adult fiction books published in English from the four major awards org ...more
Laura Bourne’s 2025 Year in Books
Take a look at Laura Bourne’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
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