Postcards from the Boys [Hardcover]

Ringo Starr (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 9, 2004

Whenever John, Paul, or George went on a trip, they would send Ringo a postcard. Now, for the first time, Ringo Starr is opening his private archive to share this delightful and very intimate correspondence. Whether it's John advising Ringo to record a "great & simple" song like Blondie's Heart of Glass, Paul and Jane Asher dropping a note from Rishikesh to report on their meditation lessons with the Maharishi, or George writing from the Great Barrier Reef to confirm plans for Christmas dinner, each postcard is a warm and personal snapshot of life in (and after) The Beatles. The 51 postcards -- many of which are covered in whimsical drawings -- are colorfully reproduced, both front and back. Ringo's droll commentary fills in the blanks, though he does confess that at times he had to consult the Internet for details! Often funny, occasionally bittersweet, and always revealing, Postcards from the Boys is a must for Beatles lovers.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Ringo loved to receive mail, especially from his band mates. Didn't matter much what the notes said—"everything here is still going well, except we miss you," "doing nothing at all" or "YOU ARE THE GREATEST DRUMMER IN THE WORLD"—he saved them, and now, 38 years after getting a postcard from Paul from Spain ("not understanding a word but having fun"), he shares them in this intimate, funny and moving collection. The fronts of the cards are displayed on left-hand pages—there are Copenhagen rooftops, topless Zulu women, topless Australian scuba divers, Prince Charles, the Statue of Liberty, topless Hawaiian ukulele players—while the backs appear on right-hand pages. The notes allow readers into an insider club of sorts, shedding light on the good, the bad and making music, and Ringo offers commentary below each one. For example, after a note from John and Yoko saying, "Who'd have thought it would come to this...." Ringo recalls, "This was a hell time because it was the family break-up." Another card, from Paul, reads, "YOU GOT THAT SOMETHING." Asks Ringo, "What was happening in my life here? Do you know?" Perhaps what these missives best illuminate is the deep friendship that existed among "the boys," despite all that was going on with the Beatles and in the world, proving, perhaps, that all you need is love. 100+ color photos.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

Ringo loved to receive mail, especially from his band mates. Didn't matter much what the notes said "everything here is still going well, except we miss you," "doing nothing at all" or "YOU ARE THE GREATEST DRUMMER IN THE WORLD" he saved them, and now, 38 years after getting a postcard from Paul from Spain ("not understanding a word but having fun"), he shares them in this intimate, funny and moving collection. The fronts of the cards are displayed on left-hand pages-there are Copenhagen rooftops, topless Zulu women, topless Australian scuba divers, Prince Charles, the Statue of Liberty, topless Hawaiian ukulele players-while the backs appear on right-hand pages. The notes allow readers into an insider club of sorts, shedding light on the good, the bad and making music, and Ringo offers commentary below each one. For example, after a note from John and Yoko saying, "Who'd have thought it would come to this...." Ringo recalls, "This was a hell time because it was the family break-up." Another card, from Paul, reads, "YOU GOT THAT SOMETHING." Asks Ringo, "What was happening in my life here? Do you know?" Perhaps what these missives best illuminate is the deep friendship that existed among "the boys," despite all that was going on with the Beatles and in the world, proving, perhaps, that all you need is love. -Publishers Weekly

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 109 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books; 1st THUS edition (September 9, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 081184613X
• ISBN-13: 978-0811846134
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 10.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #807,926 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

68 of 70 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-have for Beatles fans!, September 26, 2004

By 

K. Kraus "mskraus2u" (Pleasant Prairie, WI USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Postcards from the Boys (Hardcover)

I had a chance to page through the Genesis Publications version of this book that sells for about $600, I think, and I had to be careful not to drool on it so they wouldn't make me buy it! That book comes packaged in a replica of a red metal British post office box. The postcards, though fake, look incredibly realistic, as they are glued in like you would glue real postcards into a photo album. They are limited to 2,500 and Ringo signs each one. But since I can buy 35 of these books for less than one of the Genesis versions, I'll stick with this. I was so happy when I found out there was going to be a cheaper version so everyone could enjoy the postcards. I love reading the personal, sometimes silly messages the Beatles wrote to Ringo. Since they were never really intended for public viewing, you get to see the Beatles as just four close, normal friends. This is evidenced by the way they addressed most of the cards to Richard Starkey, Ringo's real name. I especially like the funny messages and drawings on John Lennon's postcards. This book is a really fun piece of Beatles history, and I am glad Ringo saved all those cards years ago!

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inside their world, September 17, 2004

By 

Halevi (Northern New England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Postcards from the Boys (Hardcover)

In one interview or another over the years, all four Fabs have commented that nobody outside of the four of them can really know what it was like being a Beatle. This book, really quite simple, unpretentious and unassuming, takes us more inside their world than any previous one ever has, ever could. There are some funny little holes too - dates that Ringo gets wrong in his text that the editor let slide, for example - but these add to the genuine quality of this humble collection of priceless scribbles, doodles and scrawls. The more you know about the Beatles, the more you will get out of this book.

32 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Gift Giving Idea!!!, November 15, 2004

By 

K. Mueller (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Postcards from the Boys (Hardcover)

This is one of those books you come back to because it is so neat... you will also want to share it with your friends.

I purchased a copy of this book for myself as well as one for my brother (as a Christmas present). The quality of the print is excellent where you get to view postcards in great detail (front and back). Many of these will make you laugh and some might even make you cry. It is amazing how reviewing many of these postcards will take you back in time.