Shout!

The first and best Beatles biography, Norman had close working relationships with each of the Fab Four, having interviewed them many times since 1965 and observed first hand the events that led to the split during 1969-70. The resulting book contained unique insights into the rise of the Beatles, their final years, the chaos of Apple and the collapse of hippy idealism. Now fully updated, and written with all of Norman's trademark verve and skill, this is an essential book for anyone with an interest in pop music, the Sixties and the pleasures and perils of god-like fame. 'Nothing less than thrilling . . . the definitive biography' New York Times 'This stands as the first (and still the best) collision of Beatles history and literary depth . . . just about everything is rendered with beautiful prose and laser-like insight' Q

Philip Norman is the author of classic rock biographies The Stones and Sir Elton and the highly-acclaimed memoir Babycham Night . He is also an award-winning novelist and writes regularly for the Sunday Times and the Daily Mail.

Acknowledgements - i: Acknowledgements Section - ii: Prologue September 2001: Across the Universe Unit - i: Part One: WISHING Chapter - 1: 'He was the one I'd waited for' Chapter - 2: 'Quarry Men, strong before our birth' Chapter - 3: 'If I'd just said a few more words, it might have saved her' Chapter - 4: 'The bass drum used to roll away across the stage' Chapter - 5: The Great Freedom Chapter - 6: 'Hi, all you Cavern-dwellers. Welcome to the best of cellars' Unit - ii: Part Two: GETTING Chapter - 7: 'What brings Mr Epstein here?' Chapter - 8: 'Elvis's manager calling Brian Epstein in Birkenhead' Chapter - 9: 'Somebody had to pay for those 10,000 records Brian bought' Chapter - 10: 'Four frenzied Little Lord Fauntleroys who are earning £5,000 a week' Chapter - 11: 'Even the jelly babies are symbolic' Chapter - 12: 'They've got everything over there. What do they want us for?' Unit - iii: Part Three: HAVING Chapter - 13: 'One more stage, one more limo, one more run for your life' Chapter - 14: 'This is it. This is the last one ever' Chapter - 15: 'I don't think there was any hope for him since the day he met the Beatles' Unit - iv: Part Four: WASTING Chapter - 16: 'We've got to spend two million or the taxman will get it' Chapter - 17: 'Your finances are in a mess. Apple is in a mess' Chapter - 18: 'The Beatles are the biggest bastards in the world' Chapter - 19: 'Everybody saw the sunshine' Unit - v: Part Five: LASTING Chapter - 20: 'I just believe in me. Yoko and me' Chapter - 21: 'The freaks was right when they said you was dead' Chapter - 22: 'It don't come easy' Index - iii: Index