It instead has a lot on when Paul was living with the Ashers and his involvement with the Indica Gallery and all its people, etc.

Personally, I thought there was considerably little written of The Beatles's Hamburg and The Cavern era, which are my most favorite eras, but it doesn't diminish from the book. Paul's every phase of life is just so interesting to read about - not because he's famous, or because he's a Beatle, but because it simply is. It was very informative, smart, honest, charming, cute - as if you'd doubt that it's Paul McCartney - and, surprisingly funny and definitely heartbreaking, especially towards the end.

There's a few promising new voices on the horizon but they tend to do podcasts.I absolutely loved this book. I really wish young, new Beatles fans would tackle the subject. My issue with most Beatles biographers is that they have all sorts of personal baggage they bring with them (namely that they've been life-long diehard fans, have a firm favourite Beatle and are entrenched in some outdated ways of thinking) which unduly influences the way they present their subject.

Other biographers either misrepresent the details or get them wrong (ahem.Norman!). He does manage to shed a little light on most subjects but ultimately, Paul has a tendency to gloss over the details. The other chapters that are well worth the read are those detailing his stay with the Ashers - absolutely fascinating with a good dose of humour, and a massive learning curve for Paul. He doesn't shy away from his 'reputation' either and gives you a pretty good idea of the free love vibe that was going on. He paints a compelling portrait of the cultural, social and political atmosphere of the time and the book is worth reading for that alone. One of the best aspects of MYFN is Paul's perspective of London in the early 1960s. However, there isn't much else that can compare I'm afraid. It's part biography part autobiography so you're not going to get the balance you want. The best go-to McCartney biography is Many Years From Now. I happen to think he's misunderstood by many Beatles fans, too. Click to expand.I can't claim to have read them all, but from what I have read, there is no completely satisfactory Paul biography out there and certainly not one that manages a nuanced, sensitive, yet critical analysis of him.īiographers on the whole don't 'get' Paul.

Paul McCartney by Barry Miles