McCartney Times

I am one of the millions for whom The Beatles form an inextricable part of our lives and histories… rather like the Queen.So I’ve read acres about them, never really tiring of it, no matter how familiar. But here is the thing about hefty biographies (and Lord, is this hefty – nearly 900 pages): they are never going to be bought and read by those with no more than a mild curiosity.These doorstoppers are for the hard-core recidivists, the inveterate junkies who just can’t help it.But of course one is craving eye-openers – new stuff to keep the pages turning – and you need have no fear of boredom or crushing deja-vu when Philip Norman is around: this Hampstead author is a real pro, who comes with considerable form… the nature of which actually makes it very surprising that Paul was even cooperative.This biography is not ‘authorised’ – i.e the subject has input and editorial veto – but it is ‘approved’: Paul has not interfered with Norman talking to whomever he chose.

Source: Paul McCartney biography, review: ‘For hard core fans of The Beatles’ – Books – Hampstead Highgate Express