The Lost Beatles Interviews

Rock journalist Giuliano's (Blackbird: The Life and Times of Paul McCartney) fifth book about the Beatles compiles a series of interviews, spanning 30 years and conducted by Giuliano and others, in which the band members, as well as various colleagues, family members and friends, discuss the group's origins, the reasons for its tremendous success, its breakup, its cultural legacy and the controversies surrounding it. The result is an interesting and complex if somewhat inconclusive portrait. But the book lacks narrative coherence; although roughly chronological, the author's organization of his material often creates abrupt juxtapositions of theme and perspective, and readers not aleady familiar with the band's history aren't provided the necessary background. Although Giuliano intended these interviews to speak for themselves, some editorial commentary would have been helpful. (Dec.)