Overview

From the premiere Beatles biographer--author of the New York Times bestseller John Lennon: The Life and Shout!: The Beatles in Their Generation--a rare and ""absorbing biography"" (Wall Street Journal) of George Harrison, the most misunderstood and mysterious Beatle, based on decades-long research and unparalleled access to inside sources.Despite being hailed as one of the best guitarists of his era, George Harrison, particularly in his early decades, battled feelings of inferiority. He was often the butt of jokes from his bandmates owing to his lower-class background and, typically, was allowed to contribute only one or two songs per Beatles album out of the dozens he wrote. Now, Philip Norman examines Harrison through the lens of his numerous self-contradictions in this ""keen and lovely tribute"" (Booklist, starred review). Compared to songwriting luminaries John Lennon and Paul McCartney he was considered a minor talent, yet he composed such masterpieces as ""While My Guitar Gently Weeps"" and ""Here Comes the Sun,"" and his solo debut album All Things Must Pass appears on many lists of the 100 best rock albums ever. Modern music critics place him in the pantheon of sixties guitar gods alongside Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Keith Richards, and Jimmy Page. Harrison railed against the material world yet wrote the first pop song complaining about income tax. He spent years lovingly restoring his Friar Park estate as a spiritual journey, but quickly mortgaged the property to help rescue a film project that would be widely banned as sacrilegious, Monty Python's Life of Brian. Harrison could be fiercely jealous, but not only did he stay friends with Eric Clapton when Clapton fell in love with Harrison's wife, Pattie Boyd, the two men grew even closer after Clapton walked away with her. Unprecedented in scope and filled with numerous color photos, this rich biography captures George Harrison at his most multi-faceted: devoted friend, loyal son, master guitar player, brilliant songwriter, cocaine addict, serial philanderer, global philanthropist, student of Indian mysticism, self-deprecating comedian, and, ultimately, iconic artist and man beloved by millions.

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9781797169484

Table of Contents

Reviews

""An authoritative portrait of Harrison that leaves you liking and feeling sympathy for his subject while being fully aware of the tetchiness...that was never far away."" -- ""The Times (London)"" ""Norman captures the creativity, the humanity, and the great humor of the man in this keen and lovely tribute."" -- ""Booklist (starred review)"" ""Norman knows his subject and the soulful torments Harrison endured. A well-informed biography of an enigmatic musician."" -- ""Kirkus Reviews"" ""Offers a full serving of Beatlemania through the specific lens of the group's youngest member...Thanks to illuminating anecdotes that reveal the band's complex relationships, Beatles fans will be enthralled page after page."" -- ""BookPage""

"'You have taken your readers right down the steps and into the Cavern as it really was'-- ""Bill Harry, editor of Mersey Beat"" 'You've got him'-- ""Pattie Boyd"""

Author Information

Philip Norman has an international reputation as a chronicler of pop music and culture. Shout!, his groundbreaking biography of The Beatles, first published in 1981, has been continuously in print ever since. He went on to write definitive biographies of the Rolling Stones, Elton John, Buddy Holly, John Lennon, Mick Jagger, Sir Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, and, most recently, George Harrison. Also an award-winning writer of fiction, he was one of Granta's first Top 20 Young British Novelists. David Holt is a storyteller, musician, and host of the Public Radio International show, Riverwalk: Live from the Landing.

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