What's funny is that, before I came here, I was reading about Spitz's book on DVDTalk.com, and they said Spitz's book was the new 'definitive' book on the Beatles, as opposed to the one that was approved by the Beatles themselves (I forget who at the moment...Hunter Davis, I think was the author).
Guess those folks, all of them, are misinformed. I'm not being sarcastic, either, Mr. Bobber.
What's funny is that most critics think it's a great book. Most Beatlesfans I've asked about it, think it is terrible. It depends on who you want to believe. A lot of critics tend to not read 900 pages of a Beatlesbook. Most Beatlesfans do.
Spitz's book started out promising-- didn't he give a lot of info on Liverpool history? (I mix up my Beatles books because I only borrow them out of the library). So reading the beginning, it looks good. If you go in farther, it gets less and less good until it's all the same old recycled rumor-filled uninsightful stuff that I find in most Beatles books.
I need to write my own!
All you've got to do is choose love. That's how I live it now. I learned a long time ago, I can feed the birds in my garden. I can't feed them all. -- Ringo Starr, Rolling Stone magazine, May 2007
For all I know, Ringo might be a yogi disguised as a drummer! - George Harrison
Spitz's book started out promising-- didn't he give a lot of info on Liverpool history? (I mix up my Beatles books because I only borrow them out of the library). So reading the beginning, it looks good. If you go in farther, it gets less and less good until it's all the same old recycled rumor-filled uninsightful stuff that I find in most Beatles books.
y'know what, i think the same, i'm just finishing it off! quite a long read. It's a well-written book but strange facts that i've never heard in the Beatle history before. sometimes i wonder at these writers. don't get me wrong, i do liked Spitz's work but it's quite an odd book i find.
It's been a Hard Days Night & i've been working like a dog!
^ I think he was under deadline, and just ran out of time!
All you've got to do is choose love. That's how I live it now. I learned a long time ago, I can feed the birds in my garden. I can't feed them all. -- Ringo Starr, Rolling Stone magazine, May 2007
For all I know, Ringo might be a yogi disguised as a drummer! - George Harrison
If you go in farther, it gets less and less good until it's all the same old recycled rumor-filled uninsightful stuff that I find in most Beatles books.
That was my reaction, too. I took two cracks at reading it and gave up both times. The critics, I suspect, were reading each other's reviews instead of the book.
Come on! There's nothing wrong with having a good, thick book! This reminds me of the time where I would submit essays that went over the word limit and all my friends would frown at me I can empathise with Bob Spitz! But really, the book is well-written and certainly worth a read. Who cares if there's a couple of errors? It's not a big deal, his book is based on different people's accounts of the beatles, which are all going to differ anyway.
The beginning was great and really gave a perfect insight into the why the beatles were the way they were and their lives before they were beatles. Some good stories are certainly told I thought that by the time he got passed beatlemania and through to the breakup years things started to go downhill and yes, I think he may have been on a deadline because everything goes by too quickly (which is probably hard for those to believe who think that a 900 pg book is too bloated). Personally I could've done with more info on the latter years and the beatles' relationships. But nonetheless, it's very enjoyable and I really loved Spitz writing style. It's one of those good books you can sit down with every night before you go to sleep and read and not have it be a chore. Plus, a beatles book really needs to be long- after you finish it you should feel like you've completed an epic journey or experienced the time of the beatles.
One Thing I Can Tell You Is You Got To Be Free Words Of Love
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The problem with having a lot of errors in your book is that it implies that you either don't care about getting facts right or are incapable of logically sorting them out from rubbish. Spitz also raises the hackles on my neck when he says that he used Albert Goldman's "archive;" while I've no idea what's in this, Goldman's books are sub-literary dumpsters overflowing with rubbish, and his "archive" (what?), if it is to be used at all, would have to be sorted very carefully. Spitz's error and rumor filled book suggests that he was hardly the man for that.
As a matter of fact I really do care. Especially if it is presented as the new truth.
Because if you don't care about a couple of errors, why should you believe this?
No need to get angry...
I just don't think a couple of factual errors should completely taint one's opinion of a book. I suppose I'm judging it on different aspects, but I really think it was well-written. In fact, I think Spitz should re-release a revised edition to rid it of these errors so then everybody can be happy. And a few factual errors does not mean that everything Spitz says is worthless. It does make him incompetent. It just means he was off on a few dates...
I was and am not angry. It's just that it does matter to me that the book contains so many errors when a lot of people and certainly younger Beatlesfans take it for facts. Maybe I'm being stubborn, but I would never buy another Bob Spitz book, revised or not. Call it 'losing credibility'.
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I can empathise with Bob Spitz! But really, the book is well-written and certainly worth a read. Who cares if there's a couple of errors? It's not a big deal, his book is based on different people's accounts of the beatles, which are all going to differ anyway. 
I thought that by the time he got passed beatlemania and through to the breakup years things started to go downhill and yes, I think he may have been on a deadline because everything goes by too quickly (which is probably hard for those to believe who think that a 900 pg book is too bloated). Personally I could've done with more info on the latter years and the beatles' relationships. But nonetheless, it's very enjoyable and I really loved Spitz writing style. It's one of those good books you can sit down with every night before you go to sleep and read and not have it be a chore. Plus, a beatles book really needs to be long- after you finish it you should feel like you've completed an epic journey or experienced the time of the beatles.