The Beatles AnthologyThe Beatles Anthology
Score Modern
What it's about
The Beatles tell their own story, from their childhoods in Liverpool through Hamburg, Beatlemania, the studio years and the breakup. Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr were interviewed at length, and John Lennon's words are gathered from interviews across his life. It's illustrated with hundreds of photos and documents from their own archives.
Why it's worth reading
It spent weeks at #1 on the New York Times list. It's the closest thing to an autobiography of the band, and for fans it's endlessly browsable.
You'll love it if you liked
Good to know
It's a big, heavy coffee-table book. It tells the story the way the Beatles remembered it, without outside voices.
By the numbers
- Readers95 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller39 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #114 of the 290 memoirs and biographies we rank
- #317 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #637 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
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Quick answers
Is The Beatles Anthology worth reading?
Yes. It spent weeks at #1 on the New York Times list. It ranks #637 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 76.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Beatles Anthology about?
The Beatles tell their own story, from their childhoods in Liverpool through Hamburg, Beatlemania, the studio years and the breakup. Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr were interviewed at length, and John Lennon's words are gathered from interviews across his life. It's illustrated with hundreds of photos and documents from their own archives.
How long does it take to read The Beatles Anthology?
About 9 hours (368 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Beatles Anthology?
If you liked it, try Just Kids by Patti Smith, Finding Me by Viola Davis or Open by Andre Agassi.