cover image Yesterday

Yesterday

Chet Flippo. Doubleday Books, $18.95 (400pp) ISBN 978-0-385-23482-5

Described by his biographer (rock journalist and author of Hank Williams and On the Road with the Rolling Stones ) as the most successful songwriter in history and one of the richest men in the world, Paul McCartney lives out of the public eye with his wife and four children on farms in England and Scotland. Flippo capably retells the familiar story of the Beatles and includes hitherto unpublished recollections by John Lennon, but only a sparse last sixth of the text is about McCartney's separate career. He continues to write songs, we're told, but many are unfinished because of his ``increasing lack of discipline'' and because he spends much time raising sheep and chickens, buying publishing rights to songs and musicals and, in turn, selling some of them to Michael Jackson. (August)