Book Review: 1964: Eyes of the Storm by Paul McCartney

1964: Eyes of the Storm
by Paul McCartney (Music 781.66 McCartney)

For anyone with an interest in the Beatles or the photography of Paul McCartney, this very large book of photos taken in 1964 shows the response to the Beatles in their first tour to Paris and America as seen through the lens of Paul McCartney’s camera. The social commentary along with the excellent photos make this a fascinating book to read. I was especially struck by the comments made by Paul as he describes seeing a gun and bullets on a police officer for the first time in his life on his visit to America. Violence was always an unspoken fear during their tour, especially in this period of civil unrest following John F. Kennedy’s assassination. I found many similarities between the social upheaval in the early 1960s with current events in the world now. I highly recommend this book.

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present (volumes I and II) also by Paul McCartney.)

 

( official 1964: Eyes of the Storm page on the official Paul McCartney web site )

 

Recommended by Kim J.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

Check out this, and all the other great music resources, at the Polley Music Library, located on the 2nd floor of the Bennett Martin Public Library at 14th & "N" St. in downtown Lincoln. You'll find biographies of musicians, books about music history, instructional books, sheet music, CDs, music-related magazines, and much more. Also check out Polley Music Library Picks, the Polley Music Library's e-mail newsletter, and follow them on Facebook!

Music Book Review: The Lyrics - 1956 to Present by Paul McCartney

The Lyrics: 1956 to Present
by Paul McCartney (Music 781.66 McC)

This two-volume set is a must-read for any fan of the Beatles or of Paul McCartney’s music. Filled to the brim with stunning photographs, music history and nostalgia, Paul goes through a selection of his songs in alphabetical order and describes what was going on in his life and the world at the time when he wrote the lyrics to these songs. What I enjoyed the most about this work is the personal look into the private life of a family man who was happiest when working on his farm in Scotland, raising his family. Paul describes in detail his emotions at the time when the Beatles first became a group as well as when they broke up as a band. While reading this set, I felt like I was sitting there with the author as he talked about very personal things going on in his life, such as how the death of his mother affected him at the tender age of fourteen and how that event spilled over into his songwriting career. Having grown up in the 60s and 70s, it was interesting to see events from Paul’s point of view compared with what was being published by the media. I was especially touched by descriptions of Paul’s relationship with John Lennon, which had always been described as non-existent following the breakup of the Beatles, but which was actually very caring, especially in the period of time just before John’s untimely death. I think the one thing I came away with from this book was Paul’s incredible love for his wife, Linda, and how much she impacted his life. As a fan of Wings, I was pleased to see photos of the group and the inclusion of his lyrics for songs recorded by that group as well. All in all, this is an excellent publication and worthy of reading.

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the DVD Hard Day’s Night by The Beatles, Blackbird Singing: Poems and Lyrics from 1965-1999 by Paul McCartney or Conversations With McCartney by Paul Du Noyer.)

 

( U.S. Publisher’s official The Lyrics web page ) | ( official Book Trailer for “The Lyrics” ) | ( official Paul McCartney web site )

 

Recommended by Kim J.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

Have you read or listened to this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

Check out this, and all the other great music resources, at the Polley Music Library, located on the 2nd floor of the Bennett Martin Public Library at 14th & "N" St. in downtown Lincoln. You'll find biographies of musicians, books about music history, instructional books, sheet music, CDs, music-related magazines, and much more. Also check out Polley Music Library Picks, the Polley Music Library's e-mail newsletter, and follow them on Facebook!