The Beatles: The Music Was Never the Same (Impact Biographies) [Library Binding]

Marvin Martin (Author)

Book Description

Series: Impact Biographies | Publication Date: October 1996

A biography of the the four boys from Liverpool who, after achieving phenomenal success as the Beatles, were pressured by international fame, and broke up in 1970.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6 Up. Beginning and ending with paragraphs that expand on the book's subtitle, Martin provides the focus and a thesis upon which to hang this oft-retold tale. The author is most successful at telling the early part of the Beatles' story. He fills in the details with interesting tidbits and historical context, such as Paul McCartney's struggle with left-handedness and the "Teddy" youth movement that created the social scene that made the Beatles possible. The later years?from Sgt. Pepper's on?are given short shrift. This lack of balance is disappointing. On the other hand, the book brings the Beatles phenomenon up to the present, mentioning the successful Anthology project. Two inserts of glossy black-and-white photos feature well-known shots of the Beatles, as well as a number of performers who were important influences. Detailed source notes, an extensive list for further reading, and a discography, are appended.?Tim Wadham, Dallas Public Library, TX
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 7^-9. If a YA book about the Beatles wants to grab its target audience, it probably shouldn't start off discussing how the Beatles' songs wiped out the music of Tin Pan Alley. The inability to generate much excitement (in a book about the Beatles!) is the book's biggest problem overall. Martin dutifully follows the boys in the band, notes the highlights of their career, and gets into some detail about the music they made. Still, this is pretty bloodless, and the format contributes to the effect by being page after page of the printed word, with the generally well-chosen black-and-white photographs appearing in two insets. Older readers will want to read the many adult books written about the Fab Four. This could serve as an introduction to the group for younger kids. They'll come away with an educated, if not visceral, idea of what all the shouting was about. Source notes; bibliography; discography. Ilene Cooper

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Library Binding: 240 pages
• Publisher: Franklin Watts (October 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0531113078
• ISBN-13: 978-0531113073
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,949,218 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Beatles for Beginners, December 4, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Beatles: The Music Was Never the Same (Impact Biographies) (Library Binding)

Aimed at young readers, this is a decent overview of the lives and careers of the Beatles from their childhoods in Liverpool through the release of the first Beatles Anthology album. Thirty-eight black-and-white photographs of the Fab Four and other pop music stars are included, along with brief lists of recommended readings, films and videos, and other sources of information. The author generally does a good job of tracing the rise of Beatlemania within the context of the popular culture of the 1960s. Unfortunately, the book devotes many more pages to the Beatles as a cultural phenomenon than to their superb musicianship and their profound role in shaping rock music.

3.0 out of 5 stars The Beatles, December 23, 2009

By 

Reading3502 - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Beatles: Music Was Never the Same ((Impact Biographies Ser.)) (Paperback)

The Beatles started a total revolution, I've never met anyone who dislikes them, and if someone were to say so, I'm not sure I'd be able to believe them. Almost anywhere you go today, you hear songs originally by a band that was performing there hit songs such as "Love Me Do", "All You Need is Love", "Here Comes The Sun", and more over 40 years ago. Weather or not the songs have been remade by a different band that covered the songs, or just sang by the band themselves; The Beatles have become part of our American culture. The book, The Music Was Never The Same: The Beatles, is quite possibly the best biography I have ever read. Although that may sound like a pretty BOLD statement, but you just wait till you read this book, you'll be saying the same thing.

The book, The Music Was Never The Same: The Beatles, talks about the lives of Ringo, Paul, John and George. It not only talks about the time when they were in The Beatles, but is it also tells about how there lives were growing up, there lives as young adults, and as-well when they were older men. One of the main early focuses of this book is growing up in Liverpool (a very boring city in England). It also tells us about how they all started learning to play their instruments, as well as how they all met each other and started playing as a band with each other. Another subject that the book brings up is when they were becoming more of a hit band (and/or when they were older men), such as the times when they were going on tours around the world, yet as well as when they were younger when they were still playing at bars and clubs. Something else that we learn is when they were releasing albums and how they were reaching the top of the charts along with their idols such as Little Richard, and others.

I think anyone who loves The Beatles, or anyone who loves music will enjoy this book greatly, because without the "revolution" that they started we would not have the types of music that we have today. If anyone even recognizes the bands name, or a name of any of their songs, I'm sure they will love this book, not just because they have great music, but it will help people to understand why they had such an effect on our WORLD. The genre of this book is a biography telling about their lives and their rise to the top of the charts.

For me, I couldn't find anything to relate to this book, because this book is a biography and not a book of fantasy or sci-fi and/or anything of that sort. I also cannot relate it to anything that has happened in my life, though I am not saying that this book is book that I can relate to other then the fact that I love the music, and I play many instruments. But, just because I can't relate anything does not mean that you won't, I'd say that there is a strong chance that you will find something to relate to.

I liked the way the author describes their rise to the top of the charts because I felt that that was very important to know, especially when reading a book about them. But, I feel like he could have discussed their childhood memories and their general lifestyles, because I feel like he was very brief when talking about their childhood.

Although I feel that this book could have touched more on the band's childhood, I think everyone can agree that all books could use a small bit of work in some areas. But, all and all, I think that this book is wonderful, I couldn't have expected anything better, then the book, The Music Was Never The Same: The Beatles.

4.0 out of 5 stars The Beatles, October 3, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Beatles: Music Was Never the Same ((Impact Biographies Ser.)) (Paperback)

I thought this book was pretty good. I learned a lot of stuff I didn't know about the Fab Four, and it was very informative. The book mentions Lennon's art, but didn't show any of it. The book is great for doing a report, but if you want to know what the Beatles were at heart, it's best to simply listen to their songs.