Under Review

• "Shoulda Been There" by Jude Kessler
• "Price Guide For The Beatles American Records" by Perry Cox
• "The Private John Lennon: The Untold Story From His Sister" by Julia Baird
• "Beatles For Sale: How Everything They Touched Turned To Gold" by John Blaney
• "Now These Days Are Gone" by Michael Peto

“Shoulda Been There”: A book of historical fiction about the life of John Lennon, “Shoulda Been There” blends exhaustive research with a master storyteller’s fly-on-the-wall approach to shed light on the turbulent life and times of this complex man.

Walking a tightrope here, author Jude Kessler attempts to stay true to the facts of Lennon’s life while imagining dialogue between the parties who actually lived through the real events. No less an authority than Bill Harry, founder of Mersey Beat, the ’60s magazine that documented the Liverpool scene of the time, says in the book’s foreward that Kessler got it right.

Capturing the essence of long-lost, half-remembered conversations is what Kessler sets out to do, all while separating fact from fiction with regard to myths and legends that have been handed down for years about Lennon’s youth and The Beatles’ unimaginable rise. What happens, through the magic of Kessler’s words, is that readers come to know the younger Lennon and relive his painful childhood. (Paperback, 796 pages, $29.95. On The Rocks Books)
 

“Price Guide For The Beatles American Records (6th Edition)”: It’s been nearly a decade since Perry Cox’s last Beatles price guide — written with Frank Daniels — was published. But collectors and non-collectors alike will find that the wait has been worth it.

Yes, noncollectors, too. Though the bulk of the book is devoted to price listings, there’s plenty here to enjoy even if you aren’t one of those who scrutinizes a record label to see if it says “A subsidiary of Capitol Records.” As the first Beatles price guide that’s on glossy paper and full color throughout, it’s a very attractive book (even the ads on the rear pages are nice to look at), and any longtime fan should feel a nostalgic pull looking at the pictures of album covers, picture sleeves and tape formats long since forgotten (4-track tapes, anyone?).

The introductory information is illuminating, too — such as how some records have appreciated in value at a higher rate than you’d get if you’d invested your money in the stock market. There are also informative articles on the current, and possible future, state of collecting, as well as depictions of the changing label styles of albums and singles (two pages of the labels for United Artists’ soundtrack of “A Hard Day’s Night” alone) and an explanation of what that means to collectors.

As far as the listings themselves, there are sections for singles/EPs, albums, and each Beatle’s solo releases, Apple Records, Dark Horse Records and compilations. You’ll find all formats of a release listed under its title; for example, the listing for Abbey Road has values for releases on vinyl, picture disc, reel-to-reel tape, 4-track tape, 8-track, cassette and CD. It’s an easier way of looking up a release than having separate sections for vinyl, tapes and CDs. Each listing is also given a “Spizer Identification Number,” so you can cross-reference releases in Spizer’s other books.

A terrific guide that’s useful, fun and informative — just like all the other books from 498 Productions. (Hardcover, 330 pages, $50. 498 Productions)

(Info: www.beatle.net; 504-524-5880. As would be expected with a project of this magnitude, there are a few items that were inadvertently left out of the book. The authors have prepared an Omission sheet which can be viewed and copied at: http://members.aol.com/egweimi/errata.pdf)
“The Private John Lennon: The Untold Story From His Sister”: Much has been written about the hidden turmoil in the Lennon family. Julia Baird, John Lennon’s sister, is here to set the record straight in this compelling, emotionally charged exposé.

Not letting sleeping dogs lie, Baird delves into the heartbreaking story of John’s sad, lonely upbringing, from being torn from his mother at the tender age of 5 to go live with his aunt, whose strict parenting created friction between the two of them. There’s the no-holds-barred recounting of how Baird and John reacted to the automobile accident that took their mother’s life, and how his mother nurtured his artistic genius.

Providing an insider’s perspective on John’s death, his relationships and the early rise of The Beatles, Baird’s book, which contains 32 black-and-white family photos, is the last word on John’s troubled childhood. (Paperback, 336 pages, $14.95. Ulysses Press)

“Beatles For Sale: How Everything They Touched Turned To Gold”: For all their incredible musical gifts, The Beatles weren’t the best businessmen. “Beatles For Sale: How Everything They Touched Turned To Gold” is proof of that.

Flying by the seat of their pants, Lennon and McCartney,  with the help of The Beatles’ inner circle, created an empire that continues to make hundreds of millions of dollars. Author John Blaney lays out the blueprint, in explicit, academic detail, for how The Beatles did it — sometimes in spite of their own naïveté.

An exhaustive study of The Beatles’ sometimes confused business model, Blaney’s book is the story of how luck, talent and a little ingenuity resulted in the greatest money-making machine pop music has ever produced. Web site: www.jawbonepress.com (Paperback, 288 pages, $19.95. Jawbone Press)

“Now These Days Are Gone”: From the abundant archives of Michael Peto, a former photographer for the British sunday newspaper, The Observer, comes a wealth of gorgeously shot, black-and-white images of The Beatles. 

Limited to 2,500 copies and completely engrossing, “Now These Days Are Gone” is a virtual museum of nostalgic photography contained within gilded pages. Again, as with past books, Genesis Publications’ elegant presentation provides the ultimate viewing vehicle for the 250 rare and unpublished candid shots of The Beatles from Peto’s incredible stash.

Deluxe editions of the book are sold out, but regular editions are still available at the Genesis Web site, www.Genesis-Publications.com. (Hardcover, 256 pages, £295. Genesis Publications)