The Beatles: 365 Days [Hardcover]

Simon Wells (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2005 | Series: 365 Days

Photographs from the archives of Getty Images, London, by a wide variety of photographers, including Robert Whitaker

The Beatles: 365 Days is a dazzling photographic survey-in 425 black-and-white and color images, most of which are rarely or never before seen-that follows the Beatles through the arc of their spectacular career from 1963 to 1970. Arranged chronologically, the photos trace the story of the band, from their emergence on the scene in England, through their rise to international superstardom, to their very public breakup in 1970. Every aspect of their evolution from mop-tops to legends is depicted, including their personal lives, performances, press conferences, recording sessions, public appearances, photo sessions, filmmaking, and more. The captions by Simon Wells are rich in detail and provide both band history and cultural context for the photographs, as well as quotes from members of the band and those associated with them that have never been published.

The insatiable hunger for new books about the Beatles has never waned, and this arresting volume-with its wealth of never- and seldom-seen pictures that have long been embargoed at the Getty Images archive-will have a special appeal for all Beatles fans.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Culling from a previously embargoed archive of Getty images held in London, pop culture writer Wells has gathered and presented a hefty 430 shots of the Beatles, taken on 365 different days from 1963 to 1987—including shots never seen before. Well produced and accompanied by insightful interview clips or other short descriptive texts, also gathered by Wells, the book spans the life and times of the Beatles, personally and professionally, both individually and as a group, offering fans an entertaining, graphic history. (Nov.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Simon Wells, a longtime devoted Beatles fan, has contributed numerous articles on film and music to a variety of newspapers and magazines, including The Guardian, The Times, and The Beatles' Book, the group's official journal. His first book, Your Face Here: British Cult Movies Since the 1960s, was a critical success and made the BBC's Top Ten Books of the Year for 2001. He lives in Sussex, England.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 744 pages
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (November 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810959119
• ISBN-13: 978-0810959118
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 9.5 x 2.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #280,550 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous presentation, October 30, 2005

By 

C. S. Overfield (Santa Monica) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Beatles: 365 Days (Hardcover)

This book is, like the boxed Lennon book with pull-outs and transparancies, one more of a strange pattern of Beatles books that is focused less on content than on presentation and quality. There is very little in this book that die-hard Beatles fans don't already know, and there is no necessary reason for this book's existence, but the presentation of the material is so exquisite, who cares. This is a first rate coffee table book whose pages and cover I like to tenderly stroke, as strange as that sounds. The strange rectangular format is extremely striking and many of the photographs, and the way in which they have been reproduced, make the boys look magnificent, and you know that can't be bad.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars More Savory Beatle Images to Feast On, November 22, 2005

By 

R. DelParto "Rose2" (Virginia Beach, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Beatles: 365 Days (Hardcover)

When it comes to The Beatles, they are one of the most photographed figures in history. Once again, a book of Beatle photographs has been released. Simon Wells shares with the public an enormous collection of photographs of the group that captures Beatlemania and post-Beatlemania images. The somewhat panoramic format of the book contains hundreds of photographs both in color and black and white that have many have seen and many that have not been seen . The book almost resembles a photo album or something that would have been suitable for autographs from all four Beatles.

What's different about this book from other Beatle photo-related books? A few of the photographs are outtakes or alternate takes of photographs that have been released from the Hulton-Getty archives, and a few of the photographs that have been previously published in an array of mass produced publications - low-end biographies and tribute magazines. The short captions that accompany each photograph are quite helpful and accurate of the time and place they were taken. It almost looks like a mini-anthology version of the Beatle story, but one that starts with 1963 and unusually ends with 1970 and beyond. However, it would have been much more helpful to see a detailed thumbnail index of the photo credits at the back of the book -- who took the photos and when and where they were taken; It was a disappointment to see that Robert Whitaker was the only photographer specifically credited with the corresponding page numbers.

Overall, THE BEATLES: 365 DAYS is a must for Beatle fans. The images show a good chronology of the band, and how baby-faced they looked when they began and how tired they looked when the band dissolved. Indeed, it is a good book to have on the bookshelf as well as on the coffee table.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive and attractive, November 29, 2005

By 

Sal Lewis - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Beatles: 365 Days (Hardcover)

When I saw this book my first thought was, "Not another Beatles title!". But I am pleasantly surprised with the content. Simon Wells' "Beatles 365 Days" is a glorious illustrated chronology that charts the magical history of the Beatles' decade. Filled with a tremendous array of photographs and coupled with insightful and intelligent captions, this book takes you back to the glory days of the fab four. What I like about it more than anything, is the fact you can pick it up at any time and delve through the group's remarkable history. Wells' writing is intelligent and witty, while carefully placed sound-bites offer cogent validations to the images.

In all in all, an excellent book.