Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now [Paperback]

An inveterate Paul McCartney fan, I was interested in what this author had to say about the former Beatle and highly gifted performer. Although I found the love between Linda and Paul lovely and highly moving, I was displeased to see how harshly John was described. It was like a yin-yang balance - the tone used in describing Paul was one of fawning deference and on the other hand, John was described in an almost condemnatory fashion. I didn't like that.

On the plus side, the lighter moments such as Paul and Linda's trips to New York were cheery and loving. I also enjoyed reading about the final Beatle movie, "Let It Be" which is more or less a chronicle of the dissolution of the group.

I found this work to be mediocre.

First, he doesn't believe the popularly held idea that the death of Brian Epstein was anything but an accident.

Second, he says that the Beatles were never angry at the Maharishi. They didn't consider him a fraud as popularly reported. They had just learned everything they needed to learn from him and they wanted to get back to real life. Paul says he still meditates using the mantra taught to him by the Mararishi. John's song Sexy Sadie was indeed about some disillusionment with the spiritual leader, but the feelings weren't lasting.

Third, the collaboration between John and Paul lasted into the later years of the Beatles when most people assumed that they were writing their songs solo and tacking on the other's name. Paul talks about John's help with Hey Jude and his own contribution to the Ballad of John and Yoko.

Fourth, Paul is very fair with everyone. He doesn't blame Yoko for breaking up the Beatles. He thinks that Yoko probably saved the H addicted John's life and thus extended the life of the Beatles. He surprisingly doesn't blame Yoko for his conflicted relationship with John after the breakup.

People can argue on whether McCartney's vision is the reality or what he wants to portray. Either way, you won't get a complete picture of the Beatles without reading this book.

We all know that Paul has everything anyone could imagine: tremendous fame, wealth, recognition, plenty of women, a beautiful family, etc. etc. However, this book shows that he is an unhappy man. Why pick on John? It makes Paul appear to be very bitter and jealous. This book would have been so much better if he had stopped slamming John Lennon, his former partner and former friend. It is especially distasteful since John is dead and can't defend himself. Must we learn that Paul (or the author) thought John was lazy? Acted like a boor? That John's wonderful One to ONe concert was allegedly not sold out so Klein gave away 5000 tickets? (I attended that terrific charity event). That Yoko's piano was not plugged in? Must we also learn that Paul got an erection and felt good about it when he saw his own mother in her underwear? If Paul and the author had only left out such details, the book would be clearly 5 stars and Paul would come across as the talented (and presumably) really nice person that he is.