The Beatles: Six Days That Changed the World, February 1964

This largely unseen collection of photos by award-winning photojournalist Eppridge (on assignment for Life magazine) celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Beatles’ now famous first American tour. Upon capturing the Fab Four landing in New York, Eppridge realized he was witnessing something extraordinary and asked his editor if he could remain with the band during their U.S. sojourn. The exuberance and magic of the event shines through in Eppridge’s spontaneous and moving shots of casual moments including: Paul and Ringo watching themselves on TV in their fancy New York City hotel; Paul and John being interviewed on the phone; the band rehearsing for that historic performance on the Ed Sullivan Show; along with shots of their fans shouting, laughing, and crying. The book offers 160 stunning black-and-white images culled from the 90 rolls Eppridge shot during the six days he spent with the band; the film went missing for “seven or eight” years at Life before being discovered and returned to him. Organized by day and featuring detailed captions for each image, the book allows readers to relive the excitement of a nation witnessing these four Liverpool lads’ rise to stardom. 160 b&w photos. (Feb.)