Customer Reviews

The Beatles Forever

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I have loved this book for years. Nick Schaffner has done a superb job of sharing his personal love for the Beatles from both an objective and subjective standpoint. Not only does he make personal references in re the Beatles, he also details the history of the band and the recordings they had released up until this book was published. Certain references, such as the Beatles' hair length being comparable to then-president Jimmy Carter (1976-80) are what "dates" this work; other than that, this excellent book is a timeless classic.

When I was in the 9th grade, I wrote a paper on the breakup of the Beatles entitled "The Gestalt Beatles: The Whole is Greater than the Sum of its Parts" and smile today as I think of how much I wanted to be a paperback writer. There is no doubt that Mr. Schaffner has inspired countless hordes of fans in this manner. I think of my old term paper because the writing in this book is greater than the sum of its parts - the combination of objectivity and subjectivty make for a very well rounded presentation indeed!

I had the pleasure of meeting Nick Schaffner at a Beatles' convention and he graciously autographed my copy of this book. He also shared stories about the Beatles and offered words of solace to fans still mourning John's death. This book deserves a place of honor and is a must-have for the avid Beatles' fan. Please read this book and share it with somebody. You will be glad that you did.

I own over 150 books about this lot....and this is one of the 4 or 5 best. Track this down

I got this book as a birthday present one year, and it totally changed my musical life. Before I was a fan of the beatles, but this book opened me up to the effect they had on music and on society, and gave me that much more of a love for their songs. Now I'm a sold out beatlemanic! Definitly for anyone who is interested in learning about the B's!

In a Beatleworld where millions of words are written about the gods, some of the best find their place in this absolutely indispensable book. Well researched, thought out and tastefully crafted, this book is a must in any serious fan's collection. I'd like to thank Amazon for making this book available to me after years of wait. And after reading it I can vouch it was well worth the wait.

I got to know Nick Schaffner in 1978 as he was preparing his "Boys From Liverpool" and "British Invasion" texts. "The Beatles Forever" was already regarded as the Bible of Beatle books then. Nothing that has come since has matched this slim volume for accurate and interesting content, valuable insight, and lasting impressions. You may buy and own many books on the subject, but this is the one you'll use for reference and re-read for enjoyment. Chuck Yoakum The Raves

This comprehensive bio is a great place to start exploring the legend of the greatest pop group of all time. While giving only a brief glance to their pre-Beatle years, it provides excellent info on their years as a group and even covers their solo careers up to 1975. An invaluable book for beginners and Beatlemaniacs alike. Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!

I read THE BEATLES FOREVER when it first came out. Nick Schaffner managed to tell the history of The Beatles and combine that with the memoirs of a fan growing up in the United States. And the combination of those two elements were an unqualified success, as evident by the thousands who have read and admired the book over the last 25 years.It influenced me to write AS I WRITE THIS LETTER: AN AMERICAN GENERATION REMEMBERS THE BEATLES. In fact, I wrote to Nick in 1980 to tell him about my idea. He wrote back and was very encouraging, giving me reason and validation to continue in my endeavor. I had the opportunity to meet Nick Schaffner at a Beatles Convention, the first one held after the assassination of John Lennon. He was a true gentleman, who took the time to talk to me despite the collective grief of the convention attendees.To put it simply, THE BEATLES FOREVER as stood the test of time. It's still wonderful and can never be duplicated. We all wish that Nick was still here to bask in the adulation this book deserves. Somehow...I think he knows. Haven't read it yet? What are you waiting for?Marc A. Catone

Besides being a hard cover book, it was as cheap as I have ever found it. The price was right. It is chock full of interesting Beatle information and stories. It's hard to put down for the avid Beatle fan. Only problem was that the print font is a little small. C'mon we Beatle fans are not getting any younger. But it is OK because if I have to I'll break out the magnifying glass.

This is one of my favorite books about the Beatles, and I've read a lot of them! Nicholas Schaffner recreates the feeling of the Sixties and Beatlemania. His analysis of their music is insightful, and his treatment of John, Paul, George, and Ringo is fair and balanced. Plus, it's just a very entertaining read.

It stood the test of time for me anyway, since I used to read this book in bed every night when I was about 14 or 15 and marvelled not only at the world of the Beatles but at the way that Schaffner's words opened up a realm of ideas whose breadth I could only intuit at the time. I just finished rereading the book again, 25 years later, and it still strikes me as elegantly written, passionate, honest, insightful and at times very humorous. (The way he speaks about McCartney's solo career is particularly funny). In 1977, he wrote, "As usual the wild card of the lot is John Lennon."

I think this is the book about the Beatles we all wish we had written. My copy is in tatters, and has a torn-up dust-jacket with the Rubber Soul fish-eyed lens photograph. I will never part from it!