Paul McCartney: The Biography - Softcover

Norman is an enviably skilled pen-portraitist, with a consummate ability to conjure the presence of [McCartney] ... A powerful sense of McCartney the man comes across in this book's evocative high points ... A capably executed biography, brimming with detail (John Harris THE GUARDIAN)

A thorough, objective telling of McCartney's story - in and out of the most famous band ever. But it's also a breezy read, considering the tremendous ground it covers (Jeff Slate ESQUIRE.COM)

Meticulous character study that adeptly shuns hero worship (Bill Prince GQ magazine)

Where [the] book succeeds the most is bringing the reader into McCartney's private life... The most up-to-date account of Paul's life to yet appear (THE ECONOMIST)

A compelling narrative about a working-class Liverpudlian whose extraordinary musical gifts made him the most successful songwriter in history... McCartney emerges from [the book] as a textured but decent man (Graham Boynton NEWSWEEK)

Norman makes meaningful use of his access to members of Macca's Liverpool clan, a colourful crew to whom he's always remained close, as well as many business and musical associates, friends, lovers, collaborators and flunkies ... The Beatles story is so amazing in every respect that when it's told as well as this, it's worth reading again (Allan Jones UNCUT)

An enormous and sympathetic book ... The story of its subject's life from his childhood in Liverpool through the breakup of the Beatles in 1970 has lost none of its ability to charm ... One of the best stories the past century has to tell (Dwight Garner NEW YORK TIMES)

Philip Norman's considered biography portrays the 'cute' Beatle in all his creative complexity and breadth (Neil Spencer THE GUARDIAN)

This biography is a compelling chronicle of the life of an immortal icon (Ed Murphy HOT PRESS)

This 800-page opus is crammed with detail ... Read it for the detail and humour of the early years, and marvel at the revelations (i PAPER)

Philip Norman was born in London and brought up on the Isle of Wight. He joined the Sunday Times at the age of twenty-two, soon gaining a reputation as Atticus columnist and for his profiles of figures as diverse as Elizabeth Taylor, P. G. Wodehouse, Little Richard and Colonel Gaddafi. In 1981 he published SHOUT!, a ground-breaking biography of the Beatles that was a bestseller in both Britain and the US. He has also written the definitive lives of Sir Elton John and Buddy Holly. His journalism has been published in three collections, THE ROAD GOES ON FOREVER, TILT THE HOURGLASS AND BEGIN AGAIN, and THE AGE OF PARODY. He is married with a daughter and lives in London.