I, Me, Mine [Paperback]

George Harrison (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 8, 2004

'Ever since the war I have thought about gathering the bits of paper with my song lyrics scattered around and about. Two drunkards cornered me in a hotel room near Heathrow Airport in July 1977 and showed me that if I did find the lyrics, they could be bound into a nice book...It was to have been called THE BIG LEATHER JOB but became known as I, ME MINE' George Harrison, Somewhere in England In conversation with lifelong friend and confidant Derek Taylor, (George's first-person text is interspersed with Derek's fascinating observations and explanations) George describes his upbringing, his first forays with the band, the hard life on the road before they began to make money, the extraordinary phenomenon of Beatlemania and what it was like to be trapped in the middle of it, his spiritual reawakening in India, his love of fast cars and his passion for gardening. There are 50 archival photographs from his own albums and the lyrics to over 80 of his songs, many in his own hand, accompanied by his uniquely intimate and humorous commentary.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A 400-page memoir from the Quiet Beatle? Can it be? Well, yes and no: only about 60 pages of this earnest tome, originally published in 1980, are devoted to Harrison's recollections of life before, during and (notably) after the Beatles. His memories, which manage to feel fresh and distant at the same time, come to readers via transcripts of his conversations with Derek Taylor (1932-1997), the Beatles press officer and ghostwriter of Brian Epstein's memoir. Harrison (1943-2001) was only in his late 30s when I Me Mine came out-the Beatles had formed, changed music forever and disbanded before his 28th birthday. The rest of this volume consists of photos with whimsical captions ("the author enjoying a cheese sandwich with some friends" is assigned to a picture of Harrison with a sitar) and facsimiles of his handwritten lyrics (including a fairly different version of "Taxman"), each accompanied by a brief explanation (ideas expressed in "It's All Too Much," for example, were inspired by LSD and "confirmed in meditation"). Most of the songs were composed after Harrison's immersion in Hinduism; divorced from their melodies, lyrics espousing love, peace and harmony tend to take on a certain sameness. This volume offers much to Beatles zealots, but for the casual fan, Harrison will likely remain as admirable and as inscrutable as ever. B&w photos and illustrations throughout.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Guitars gently wept the world over November 29, 2001, when George Harrison succumbed to cancer. Originally released in 1980, this volume includes some very casual recollections by "the quiet one" about his life, including his Liverpool childhood and interest in music, meeting the other kids who would become the 20th century's most influential band, his fascination with Eastern religions, and more. The book features roughly 50 photos taken throughout his life, but the meat of the book is the more than 80 song lyricsDmany of which are reproductions of his hand-written sheets with corrections intactDalong with background on each. There is also a new introduction by Harrison's widow. For millions of diehard fans, there is no such thing as too much information on the Beatles, so this should circulate well.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Phoenix Paperbacks (January 8, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0753817349
• ISBN-13: 978-0753817346
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (61 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,704,155 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

75 of 75 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Real Gem, August 3, 2004

By 

J. Moon (South Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: I, Me, Mine (Hardcover)

Be warned that this is not an autobiography in its entirety. However, it contains the most true biographical content you will find in print about George Harrison. This book is made up of three parts. The first is a short biographical section written by George himself, and by a man by the name of Derek Taylor, a very close friend of George's. While that section is far shorter than any curious fan of George's would like, it is none the less very entertaining, and funny. A true "Must Read", if you will. The second section is the words to nearly all of his songs that were written prior to 1980, when the book first came out. Along with the words are a comment from George about each song. Many of the comments are quite amusing and insightful. The third section is made up of photographs. This edition also comes with an introduction to the writing of this book by George's wife, Olivia, that is truely endearing. If you want to begin to get an idea of George Harrison's sense of humor and personal views on a wide variety of subjects, and if you just plain love George Harrison, GET THIS BOOK! Amen.

33 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I WANT TO TELL YOU, October 16, 2002

By 

BeatleBangs1964 (United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: I, Me, Mine (Hardcover)

As an inveterate Beatles' fan, it comes as no surprise that I would heartily endorse this book. Long dubbed the Quiet Beatle and other similar cliches, George Harrison does indeed offer his voice and reflections in this work. Always a private man, George's wordings here can be described as almost cryptic.

This work provides readers with a "glimpse" of George growing up; the former Beatle describes his working class roots in Liverpool, his musical muse and later, his work as a gifted composer, guitarist and lyricist. Indeed, George Harrison has expanded musical horizons; in 1965 he became enamored of the sitar and included it on several songs on "Rubber Soul" and later collections.

His lifelong quest for spiritual knowledge and core belief system are explored; indeed, it is in his own words he explains that he does not follow an "organized" or "traditional" religion, but rather bases his spiritual feelings around his internal beliefs.

I like the input the artist's wife Olivia offered; her words are a welcome and added treat to this work. Indeed, it is Olivia's contribution that make the reissue of this work even better and more effective in touching readers.

38 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful But Ultimately Frustrating., February 4, 2004

By 

Joseph Kimsey "Fareastnibelung" (Pac NW) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: I, Me, Mine (Hardcover)

I was lucky to find an old copy of this in the library about five years ago. With respect to a few changes, this new edition is the same book, though. The different cover is a great improvement, and Olivia Harrison's introduction is fabulous. I Me Mine is long on class & presentation. Unfortunately, it's also a little short on autobiography.

George's wit and surreal humor shines through (such as the sitar being called a cheese sandwich in the picture captions), but I felt frustrated that I didn't know much more about the man and his motivations than I did before.

It's no secret that George was obsessed with Krishna. Being an agnostic, I would like to know as to how & why his belief became so strong. In interviews, George had intimated that with chanting the Krishna mantra a person could "see God, play with Him...." I think George was a great songwriter and an interesting guy and I mean no disrespect, but couldn't it have just been the drugs? It would have definitely been interesting to read George's descriptions of events like this.

Another regret is that George doesn't describe his relationships with the other Beatles more. I've read that he was frequently irritated by Paul and apparently had a complex friendship with John. Maybe there was a concern that such an approach would be gossipy, but I would like to know why Lennon/McCartney balked at such great songs as All Things Must Pass, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Not Guilty, etc., etc. George's perspective on this would have been most welcome.

Along with these quibbles, there is much more to admire. George's dry wit is manifest on every page, and the handwritten lyrics are a great bonus. Derek Taylor's comments are also very witty and insightful. This is a definite must-have for admirers of the Dark Horse. I hope Olivia Harrison eventually writes an autobiography; it would be the perfect companion to I Me Mine.