Beatles in Rishikesh (Penguin Studio Books) (Hardcover)

As any fan knows, The Beatles wrote most of the White Album during their brief stay in Rishikesh, where George dragged them to study transcendental meditation. They took off when the Maharishi allegedly fondled Mia Farrow, but not before writing Dear Prudence, Ob-La-Di, Back in the USSR, Sexy Sadie ("Ma-ha-rish-i..what have you done? Made a fool of everyone...")

This book is an incredible look at that creative time, and it's obvious through the pictures and through Salzman's story that -- contrary to popular belief -- they were still happy working together, funny and loose, and very much a family. But you can also see how it would be the last happy time together -- John was considering ending an unhappy marriage, George was being drawn further into Indian music, and Ringo was tiring of the non-stop circus. As such this book captures one of the most pivotal interludes of their history.

The book is a record of the experience every Beatles fan wishes he or she had: Salzman got to hang out with them, talk to them, hear a private concert, watch John and Paul try to work through Ob-La-Di, et cetera. The photos are wonderfully intimate -- you can even see the sunburn on Pauls' nose, and John reveals himself completely to the camera -- and the design of the book is fantastic, vivid and funky. It's an utterly captivating book, a must-have for anyone interested in the band that changed the world. (Whether Salzman is Rocky Raccoon or not.)

Although there is little in the way of fresh factual material, the pictures, text and recreating the 1967-1968 period in the Beatles' career is sure to delight any reader.

I like the way the author describes the sitar, an Indian stringed musical instrument that Ravi Shankar and George Harrison popularized in Western music. This book shows the cultural blending, the introduction to the western world at large a musical instrument that was, for many years, not well known outside of the middle east. George, under Shankar's tutelage masters the sitar and the Eastern influence can be heard in many of his later works as well as post-Beatles works.

John Lennon, of late 1965 "Norwegian Wood" fame is not as entranced with the eastern world and eastern philosophy as his bandmate. John, from all accounts, keeps an open mind, yet maintains his own established values and beliefs. His approach to the Eastern experience appears to be that of an intellectual curiosity; he does not appear to embrace it on a personal or philosophical level. He seems to remain outside, yet looking in with the idea of learning more about what he is witnessing.

I think most Beatles fans will appreciate the book. It does a rather thorough job of covering the Beatles' 1967 trip to India and the influences their trip east had on them for the remainder of their careers together as a band. It is, in some ways a refreshing peek behind the Eastern curtain into a part of their lives that many other works do not cover as fully.

What makes it great is to hear from someone that was there, and to see the Beatles in unrehearsed moments. I loved it!Beautiful!