The Beatles - All These Years - Extended Special Edition: Volume One: Tune In

By and large, the people reading a review of an 800 page book that covers the Beatles before "Please Please Me" was released in January 1963 are going to be serious Beatles fans. I am no exception. I was born in 1951 and bought the single "I Want to Hold Your Hand" in mid-January 1964. I was a fervent Beatles fan throughout the sixties and fifty years later, Beatles books, records, cds and memorabilia take up a sizable amount of space in our home. And any serious Beatles fan knew that any lengthy history of the Beatles by Mark Lewisohn would be an important book. So when the release of this book was announced, i was prepared to order it - and then i heard that there was to be an extended two-volume edition. For some reason, it was not going to be available in the United States in general or on the american Amazon.com site. So i went to Amazon's United Kingdom site and advanced ordered the extended edition.

Of course the idea of 800 pages covering the period ending more than a year before the Ed Sullivan appearance was daunting. And the report on the extended edition indicated that it not going to simply be embellished with significantly more photographs or a fancy cover -- it was going to be twice as long -- 1600 pages ending on December 31, 1962. I don't read many books more than 400 pages. 1600 pages was quite daunting.

But guess what: any serious Beatles fan will savor this edition. We have all read Beatles books that seemed to emphasize the amount of research the writer has done over using that research to synthesize a cohesive narrative (Ray Coleman's biography of John Lennon comes to mind.) It is evident simply by reading any ten pages in this book that no one has come close to doing the amount of research regarding the Beatles that Lewisohn has done. He has seemingly reviewed every single document that has anything to do with the Beatles, and communicated with every living person who has ever been within 100 yards of any of the main actors. And the three-paragraph discussion in the "Credits" section regarding Neil Aspinall reminds the reader that well before Lewisohn began this book, he already had significantly more access to certain insiders and files than any other major Beatles biographer. (It was Lewisohn, after all, who was hired to write the annotations for the Beatles Anthology audio releases.)

But Lewisohn's book is not simply a well-researched history of the Beatles. This book is a meticulously assembled structure where family histories, the history and sociology of Liverpool, the history of rock and roll and its presentation through popular media,and the technological development of the recording industry, are all carefully developed as a framework so one can fully understand the context in which the Beatles evolved from three good friends in 1960 who were marginal guitar players and who could sing individually and in harmony to a phenomenon on the verge of changing English popular culture forever by the end of 1962. (As this volume ends, there is not yet any basis for anticipating the impact they would have on the world at large in the following fourteen months.)

But, of course, given the justifiable praise for the one-volume, 800-page edition, is there any reason to believe that an additional 800 pages does anything more than gild the lily? Well, as the title of this review suggests, the answer is a resounding yes. As one gets to the last 500 pages, covering the year 1962, not only will Beatles fans savor each development from the disappointment of their New Years Day audition at Decca records to the anticipation of the release of what would become their first number-one single at the end of that year, but one will realize how so much of what was set out in the previous 1,000 pages resonates: Everything that made Brian Epstein the one-in-a-million person who was essential in making the Beatles not only commercially successful but in a position to fully exploit their potential. Everything that made George Martin the one-in-a-million record producer who allowed the Beatles to become something beyond a bubblegum act. And amid all that set the stage for what was to come, one is immersed in: (1) the conspiracy of circumstances that compelled George Martin to record the Beatles despite the fact that he had already rejected them out of hand (Martin was being punished for having an extra-marital affair); and (2)the conspiracy of circumstances that compelled George Martin to release "Love Me Do" as the Beatles first single when it was his every intention to put out "How Do You Do It." And Lewisohn spells out the unknown story of how Kim Bennett of EMI's in-house song publishing entity laid the groundwork that allowed Love Me Do to become not only a Liverpool phenomenon but a song that stayed in the charts in England for three months with less than a dozen radio plays. Kim Bennett is finally given his due as the person responsible for not only virtually compelling EMI to sign the Beatles, but for seeing that "Love Me Do" got the exposure to perform so much beyond George Martin's expectations, that it turned around his thinking regarding the Beatles, allowing them to record Please Please Me as their second single. It becomes clear that among those "second-tier" contributors to the Beatles success, including the likes of Bob Wooler, Alan Williams, and Dick James, Kim Bennett deserves a prominent place.

These stories are all set out in the 800 page edition. But in 1600 pages, Lewisohn is able to immerse the reader in 1962 and see it as the real Annus mirabilis for the Beatles, the year that made everything they were to become possible and the year that included numerous mind-bending coincidences without which it is quite possible that no one outside of Liverpool and Hamburg would have heard of them.

One of the great fears in reviewing a work such as the extended edition of "Tune In" is that one will lack the talent to fully convey the level of engagement this version provides so as to justify the significantly greater investment of time and money over an already demanding 800 page version.

So, perhaps, as a child of the 60s, the most apt analogy i can provide is the difference between listening to Abbey Road under the influence of very good marijuana and listening to it with a close friend under the influence of high quality LSD.

In short, i can comfortably offer any real Beatles fan the assurance that if you take my suggestion, you will be very grateful you did.

.(By the way, the only place in this book where i can find the words of the title [i.e., "tune in"] is on page 1310, describing what would be required of Ringo to be fully integrated into the Beatles, Lewisohn writes: "Ringo knew he had to tune in [to the shared outlook the other three had developed], as would they to him." Lewisohn's book gives us Beatles fans a meaningful opportunity to tune in.)

I read the 800-page version of this book and was FLOORED. Then I became aware of the 1,600 page version, blinked at the price ($100 when I bought it, and more now)... Thought about it for a while... And then went ahead and bought it. And was FLOORED. It's just an *amazingly* good book of its kind.

The most amazing thing to me is that the shorter version flows well, and doesn't seem to have anything missing... And the longer version ALSO flows well, and doesn't seem padded! In addition to Lewisohn's superlative writing, this book must have had one very gifted editor.

For those of us who enjoy books like this, I can't say enough about this one. It will surely become THE definitive book about the Beatles.

At first I was going to read just the single-volume version of this very detailed biography of the Beatles (covering up to December 1962). Then I decided to splurge and get the two-volume edition. I am SO glad I did.

Unlike many knowledgeable readers of the Extended Edition, I was not a die-hard Beatles fan during Beatlemania in the early '60s. Too musically immature. Born in 1952 in the USA, my young self was definitely aware of them as a cultural phenomenon, heard some of their early songs on the radio, and I think saw them on Ed Sullivan's show. But I did not start really listening and accumulating their albums--i.e., become a true fan--until "Rubber Soul" and the other masterpieces later that decade.

Nonetheless, I LOVED this (long) book. Not only does it a start a full, necessary biography of arguably the most important influences on popular Western culture in the Twentieth Century, it is also a terrific look at post World War II lower- and lower-middle class England. Coming from generally well-off America, safe from Hitler's bombs and rockets, it was easy to be unaware of just how intimately and severely Great Britain was affected by and long-after the Second World War. But out of the damaged Liverpudlian economy sprang all that glorious music and progressive attitudes.

If, like me, you can appreciate a detailed, amazingly-researched, and well-written Beatles biography that surprisingly leads up to a thrilling will-they-ever-make-it climax (even though we all know the answer), this book is for you. A great addition to any personal library.

Minor nit-picking: I would have liked even more photographs. But there is already a thoughtful collection in "Tune In." And I imagine early Beatles-related photos, especially candid and unscripted shots, are undoubtedly rare and expensive (when available). I found many books available (new and used) on Amazon and elsewhere, some by Mr. Lewisohn, that are both economical and provide additional, supplemental larger-format illustrations.

Note: I am not associated in any way with any person or company that stands to profit from this book. I receive absolutely no reward, payment, or compensation for writing this review. I am just an individual, aging Baby Boomer who really likes Mr. Lewisohn's effort. I am looking forward to the next volume and wondering (with some trepidation) who will ultimately finish their tomes first, if at all: George R.R. Martin or Mark Lewisohn. I hope the latter.

Yeah, I know it's a bit expensive but overpriced? I guess it depends on the buyer but for me, no. It is a slow read at the beginning going through all the history of the respective families and mates through the years leading up to 1960 but it provides an appreciation of how they persisted, overcame the obstacles and never lost sight of their dream to play rock and roll. They paid their dues and earned what they achieved. I highly suggest that you read the notes at the back of the book. There is some interesting text that gives you just a bit more information. I know I could say much more about this book, but there's really no need. If you're a Beatles fan and want to know more about them as people and the important part they played in shaping music for years to come, then you are going to immerse yourself in this book and take an adventure of a lifetime. My advice, stick with it even though it may take a month or more to finish and you'll be rewarded. I understand that the 2nd volume is due in 2020, I'll be 73, and 81 when the final volume is due to be released in 2028. I'll be waiting......Thanks Mark L.

Yet another book about The Beatles? There are literally hundreds of books, maybe thousands, about the Fab Four. What’s so special about this one?

I think that’s a perfectly legitimate question, and one that should be asked before anyone ventures into a writing project treading already-well-trodden ground. Does the world need another book about Star Wars, or another biblical commentary, or another book on learning Spanish, or another cook book, or another fantasy novel? There are so many books in the world, each new one ought to make a case for its existence, a reason why we should consume our precious time reading it. Especially when it’s 1,700 pages long.

Mark Lewisohn’s case is simple: Yes, there are many Beatles biographies in the world. But none of them do the job correctly. They are written by enthusiasts, journalists, people with an agenda or an ax to grind. So far, few, if any, historians have taken on the subject, treating it as worthy of serious, scholarly study. At least not to the depth the subject deserves.

Make no mistake, Lewisohn is a fan, and has been all his life. But at heart, he’s a researcher with a passion for documents. He has the journalist’s nose for a story, and the historian’s discipline to step back, weigh evidence, and discard the unverifiable no matter how juicy it might be. He also has the scholar’s (and, one might say, the geek’s) bent to dig into a topic and get to the hows, whys, and wherefores. For example, John, Paul, George, and Ringo were into rock and roll. But what exactly did they listen to? What was on the radio when they were teens? What kind of music made up their youth and influenced what they played? Where did that music come from? And why were these particular songs by these particular artists strikingly important to their sound and their lives? Lewisohn surveys the history of rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and how American music came to be in Liverpool. Along the way, he debunks popular myths, such as the Beatles getting their American records from U.S. seamen who were docked in Liverpool. They actually bought them in their local record store.

However, Lewisohn has made it clear more than once that his purpose in writing is not to debunk myths. That just happens as a course of doing thorough research, and not allowing himself to be led astray by uncorroborated (or uncorroboratable) stories. In most cases, the true story is much more fascinating than the myth (for example, the story of how The Beatles were signed to Parlophone records–let’s just say, it wasn’t on the strength of any demo recording).

One of the things that sets this work apart from other Beatles biographies is the range of material Lewisohn draws from. Everything from account books to fan letters to local newspaper archives and a host of other memorabilia. As well as the usual interview subjects, he also draws on interviews with people who were around at the time, such as Cavern Club regulars, fans as well as acquaintances. He deliberately did not interview any of the surviving Beatles, or those closest to the story for this project. They have already given many interviews over the years and would likely add nothing more than what they’ve already said. Lewisohn does have his own personal interviews to draw from, having been involved in the Beatles’ Anthology project in the 90s, and having worked for Paul McCartney for a number of years. But aside from a quick email to Macca to verify or clarify something, he let their existing words stand.

To sum up, this book is an absolute must for the Beatles enthusiast. If you think you know everything there is to know about The Beatles, I guarantee you will still learn something from Lewisohn’s work. Many other books may claim to be the “definitive” word on the Fab Four, but truly, this is it. What’s more, it’s immensely readable. This is not a stodgy, dull textbook. Lewisohn writes with the integrity of a real scholar, and the joy and enthusiasm of a fan. He has put a lot of effort into making this huge work accessible, and as page-turning as a thriller.

You may notice that this is “Part 1.” That massive tome is only the first part in a multi-part series. Part 2 is in production with at least one more part to follow. Part 1 follows The Beatles’ story up to the end of 1962, right before Beatlemania hits the UK. There are two editions of Part 1: an edited-down 800-page version, edited by Lewisohn himself, and this “Special Expanded” or uncut edition, which is 1,700 pages long (hence it is split into two books–see the picture above). It took him 10 years to research and write part 1, and part 2 might come out next year, but there are no promises on that. While Lewisohn is anxious to get the complete story into readers’ hands, he doesn’t want to rush it. He refuses to cut corners on the research, and he wants to write it all up in a way that does justice to the material.

So we wait. Patiently.

will start by saying that I read the "Special Extended Edition", which is a total of 1700 pages in two hardcover volumes in a box set. If you are not a serious Beatles fan you probably wouldn't invest that much effort. There is a somewhat more "condensed" version that comes in around 900 pages. Either way, Lewissohn has set the standard for Beatles history and biography. The story startes with a look at Liverpool and at the ancestors of the lads. So there is a lot of sociological material included before you even get to the arrival the actual 4 Beatles. And it follows them through their childhoods, school years, and early career. This book covers up through 1962, which means The Beatles were just becoming a big act in England, but were unknown in America and most of the rest of the world. The Hamburg years were carefully investigated as were the shows at The Cavern Club in Liverpool. A number of myths were busted, particularly involving how they were signed to Parlaphone, an EMI subsidiary. There is a lot of material in here about the music scene in England before those acts suddenly became the British Invasion of the U.S. market. So anyone with an interst in the history of pop music will be amply rewarded by reading this work. Fans everywhere are eagerly awaiting the next volume in the series.

After reading the 800 page book I saw this deluxe version was out. I thought how in the world was the book I read edited down almost another 800 pages. Well worth the money. Waiting for volume 2 of 3. I’ll buy the deluxe version this next time.

The ultimate, most accurate story of the Beatles. I hope I live long enough to see volumes 2 and 3!

The ultimate, most accurate story of the Beatles. I hope I live long enough to see volumes 2 and 3!

As good as it gets. Read the first edition, but this extended edition has double the information. Great writing, cool pictures. The encapsulation of the subject has just got a finger on the pulse of the whole premise of the book.