University of Virginia Library

Changing Faces

The high point of the book is a section
called "the changing faces of the Beatles,"
32 pages of photographs, featuring some by
Astrid Kircherr and some excellent photos by
Ringo. It is a pleasant deja vu review of our
youth, and a pleasing contrast to the dull deja
vu of the too familiar stories.

Davies has written a good and apparently
honest book. His only failure is his inability to
accomplish all he set out to, and unfortunate
choices of what to include and what to leave
out.

For the Screaming Beatlemaniacs, The
Authorized Biography will be required
reading. But for the Beatleologists, those of us
who never screamed but always listened,
Davies has provided only lumpy oatmeal
where a good steak would be far more
satisfying.