Customer Reviews

Not Just the Beatles : The Autobiography of Sid Bernstein

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

If you are a beatles fan you must read this book. Sid takes us behind the scenes with many stories about the beatles and the concerts (shea,carnegie hall),and his encounters with them over the years. He also shares his life with us from the his years in the war to his roots in the promotion-manager area. Sid was responsible for such artists as the Rascals,Tony bennett,abba,& many others. If you love music this book is a nice look at these artists and how they were represented and in many cases what has happened to them. All well written thanks to Arthur Arron's great translation of sids stories. Sid is a warm sincere guy and this book is like sitting down over a cup of coffe and danish and having him tell it all to you..Thats how comfortable and easy going it is.. A MUST READ FOR ANY BEATLES OR MUSIC LOVER.

Arthur Aaron has captured all the elements of Sid Bernstein's life. In fact, his story reads like a Hollywood motion picture: Sid's humble beginnings on the streets of New York, his early love for quality entertainment, Sid's devotion to his loving parents and family, WWII, his uncanny abilities to discover and promote talent and offer it to an eagerly awaiting world, Sid's promotion of The Beatles at Carnegie Hall and Shea Stadium, and his years as a manager for the Young Rascals. Throughout Sid's career, the biggest names in show business crossed his path. Sid also talks about some of the pitfalls of the promotion business - deals that soured, and entertainer foibles.

Sid Bernstein is a man who made it big as a promoter without cheating, lying, or backstabbing. Sid Bernstein is a gentleman.

"Not Just The Beatles" tells it as it was. I couldn't put it down. If you are a Beatles fan, a music lover, a musical researcher or historian, or are in the entertainment business, or if you just want to read a good story, then buy this book!

Thank you Sid for your wonderful life. Thank you Arthur for letting me relive it!

Read this if you're a fan of The Beatles, read it if you like music, JUST READ IT! Learn about one of the greatest entertainment promoters that ever lived, with stories and facts never published or revealed before this long-overdue book, that's simply a pleasure to sit back and relish. Sid Bernstein wasn't just the man who brought The Beatles to America, he was the "Mensch" who brought The Beatles to America.

What a fun read this book is. As a huge Beatles fan, I was fascinated to learn about how Sid Bernstein "discovered" the group before the rest of America by reading the British newspaper stories about them. And then he put them into Carnegie Hall to rock the house, and Shea Stadium, where I am proud to say I saw them in concert myself. But like the title says, the book is not just about the Beatles - this man has worked with every big name superstar you can think of from Elvis and the Rolling Stones and the Rascals and Abba. Wow, this book is great. I can't wait to read it all over again.

Sid Bernstein is the legendary impresario that brought the Beatles to America. He presented the original Beatles American debut at Carnegie Hall, as well as the Shea Stadium concerts. As the title, suggests, The Beatles are not all there is to this promoter's career. Bernstein also promoted Tony Bennett's first Carnegie Hall appearance, a series of Judy Garland concerts, Richard Pryor's first times in front of a large audience and more. Bernstein briefly headed The Newport Jazz Festival, brought the Bay City Rollers to American and took The Rascals to England. As a result of these associations, this autobiography becomes a history of the formation of American pop music into a stadium-filling sensation. These stories populated by figures like Woody Allen, Tito Puente and Miles Davis are told in a engaging, personal manner. That is Arthur Aaron extracted these stories from Bernstein and presents them to us in language warm and natural, as if Sid were telling us himself over dinner.

"Not Just The Beatles" is the best book about the Beatles I have ever read! It's easy reading which will make you laugh, cry, reflect and re-experience the days of the greatest music entertainers ever. Sid Bernstein, the man behind the Beatles, is, by far, one of the most successful-- and possibly underrated -- entertainment leaders of our time. A man of humility and capability, modesty and muscle. I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone searching for a Great American Story, and certainly to the avid Beatles fan. This is no Beatles Anthology....It's the Legacy.

What an incredible book. Sid was the first "Rock Impressario". The book details not only his responsiblity for the British invasion but also his life...from a child to his current status. Sid did it all...from the Newport Jazz Festival to Carnegie Hall. And somewhere in the middle is the amazing story of how he found and brought the Beatles to America..long before Ed Sullivan even knew they existed. A warm and touching story about the man who truly is responsible for Rock and Roll in the 60's and 70's...and even influenced music today. The book is easy to read and the stories are told as if Sid and the reader were having a conversation over dinner. What a great book!

If you're looking for a great read for the beach or a long flight, buy this book. It's tremendous fun. I was genuinely sorry when I reached the end. The authors convey the excitement that seems to have characterized the earlier years of rock. I can't wait to read it again

In my opinion, I believe the author has taken another weak stab at weaseling some more dollars out of a periphial relationship with Sid.
(maybe once he stood in line behind Sid when getting his morning Bialy?)

Since I am reviewing this, I also belive it should clearly be labeled as a work of fiction, as it is obvious to me the author continues to be a schnorrer of others fame for his own meager financial gain in my humble opinion.

Unless you know the author, (like the past reviewers, posting "canned" reviews) I believe you should consider your purchase of this so called "book" just a contribution to his retirement plan.

As I said before in my title, I believe this poor excuse for a self published "book" is an opportunistic con, similar to a dimestore comic book.