Before They Were Beatles: The Early Years: 1956-1960 [Paperback]

Alan J. Porter (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 2, 2003

Liverpool, England, October 1956. Schoolboy John Lennon and his best friend, Peter Shotton, decide to start a skiffle group as "a bit of a lark." Four years later John, now accompanied by Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Stuart Sutcliffe and Pete Best, le

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Alan J. Porter was born and raised on the banks of the River Mersey, just a short 30 miles upstream from Liverpool. Thanks to a local TV show, The Beatles entered his life on October 18th 1963 and have been a constant source of enjoyment and inspiration e

Product Details

• Paperback: 154 pages
• Publisher: Xlibris (December 2, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1413430562
• ISBN-13: 978-1413430561
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #704,994 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Alan J. Porter has been a regular writer on various aspects of popular culture and publishing technology for over fifteen years.

He is the author of "BATMAN: The Unofficial Collectors Guide," (Schiffer Books), "BEFORE THEY WERE BEATLES: The Early Years 1956-1960," (Xlibris), JAMES BOND: the history of the illustrated 007," and "STAR TREK: A comics history." (both for Hermes Press.), "WIKI: Grow Your Own for Fun & Profit" and the upcoming "The Content Pool" for XML Press. He has also contributed to over 10 other book titles for publishers such as HarperCollins, Titan Books, BenBella and Greenwood Press.

His comic book credits include work for Tokyopop, BOOM Studios, APE Entertainment, and Disney/Marvel

He is also an Editor-at-Large at RevolutionSF.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Before They Were Beatles: The Early Years: 1956-1960, May 13, 2004

By 

Raymond F. Feighery "Ray F" (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Before They Were Beatles: The Early Years: 1956-1960 (Paperback)

Before they were Beatles is a wonderful exploration of the early (Primarily Teen) years of the Fab Four and those that encountered them. Mr. Porter's dedication to gathering accurate facts is obvious throughout the book.
Rather being a boring "History" book however, the reader is drawn into the lives of the young men as they strive to hone their craft. Interspersed Quotes allow the reader to "Be There" as it's happening essentially participating in the events.

The "Where are they now" section is particularly enjoyable.

This is ultimately a must have for any Beatles fan or student of music and popular culture.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beatle-Mania Explored!, March 31, 2004

By 

Cassidy Patton (Baltimore, MD) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Before They Were Beatles: The Early Years: 1956-1960 (Paperback)

Before They Were Beatles: The Early Years: 1956-1960 by Alan Porter is an amazing chronological exploration of the way the "Fab Four" formed. Porter's extensive love and dedication to conveying the lives of the Beatles before they were, in fact, Beatles is enthralling and fascinating. England native, Porter, instantly draws his readers into the history, geography, and background of Paul, John, Ringo, and George in a way that is unobtrusive yet engaging. Each year has been extensively researched and documents they unique way the boys came together to form the world-wide phenomenon they became. Porter is thoughtful, thorough, and thrilling in his expose of the lives of the rising stars. It is a book that appeals to many and would be a much welcomed additioned to any library.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating look at the Beatles early formative years., August 15, 2011

By 

Joel M. Ungar (West Bloomfield, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Before They Were Beatles: The Early Years: 1956-1960 (Paperback)

Very well researched and at times fascinating insight into the Beatles formative years. Sheds light on the personalities of the other Quarry Men and their influences.

Big criticism is that it reads like a first draft - lots of horrible grammar, incomplete sentences, missing words, etc.