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George Harrison

The Reluctant Beatle

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About this listen

 From the author of the million-copy selling Shout!: The Beatles in Their Generation and the bestselling John Lennon: The Life comes a revealing portrait of George Harrison, the most undervalued and mysterious Beatle.

Despite being hailed as one of the best guitarists of his era, George Harrison, particularly in his early decades, battled feelings of inferiority. He was often the butt of jokes from his bandmates owing to his lower-class background and, typically, was allowed to contribute only one or two songs per Beatles album out of the dozens he wrote.

Now, acclaimed Beatles biographer Philip Norman examines Harrison through the lens of his numerous self-contradictions. Compared to songwriting luminaries John Lennon and Paul McCartney he was considered a minor talent, yet he composed such masterpieces as ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ and ‘Here Comes the Sun’, and his solo debut album All Things Must Pass achieved enormous success, appearing on many lists of the 100 best rock albums ever. Modern music critics place him in the pantheon of Sixties guitar gods alongside Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Keith Richards and Jimmy Page.

Harrison railed against the material world yet wrote the first pop song complaining about income tax. He spent years lovingly restoring his Friar Park estate as a spiritual journey, but quickly mortgaged the property to help rescue a film project that would be widely banned as sacrilegious, Monty Python’s Life of Brian. Harrison could be fiercely jealous, but not only did he stay friends with Eric Clapton when Clapton fell in love with Harrison's wife, Pattie Boyd, the two men grew even closer after Clapton walked away with her.

Unprecedented in scope and filled with numerous colour photos, this rich biography captures George Harrison at his most multi-faceted: devoted friend, loyal son, master guitar-player, brilliant songwriter, cocaine addict, serial philanderer, global philanthropist, student of Indian mysticism, self-deprecating comedian and, ultimately, iconic artist and man beloved by millions.
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Critic reviews

'You've got him' (Pattie Boyd)
‘You have taken your readers right down the steps and into the Cavern as it really was’ (Bill Harry, editor of Mersey Beat)
'Norman captures the creativity, the humanity, and the great humor of the man in this keen and lovely tribute'
‘Norman has fashioned an authoritative portrait of Harrison that leaves you liking and feeling sympathy for his subject while being fully aware of the tetchiness…that was never far away' (Will Hodgkinson)
‘(a) fleet and confident new biography…Norman is hardly the first writer to unspool Harrison’s life…but his status as a respected chronicler of The Beatles, and 1960s culture more broadly, makes this biography a significant addition to an otherwise over-saturated field’
‘A deep dive by the acclaimed Beatles biographer paints a revealing portrait of perhaps the most undervalued band member…A fascinating story about a man of contrasts, and a must-read for fans of the Fab Four'
‘Beatles chronicler Philip Norman turns his attention to the shadowy George Harrison…Norman sheds light on his poor but happy childhood in Wavertree, Liverpool, and traces the path to The Beatles with assurance'
'a fully realised portrait of a complex man: spiritual but peevish, brilliantly talented, but for ever shadowed by the Lennon/McCartney axis'
‘[A] partial re-evaluation of the most underated Beatle [which] contains valuable input from Harrison's second wife Olivia and their son Dhani'
‘Norman has fashioned an authoritative portrait of Harrison that leaves you liking and feeling sympathy for his subject while being fully aware of the tetchiness…that was never far away' (Will Hodgkinson)
‘In this fascinating biography, Norman charts the intriguing contradictions of Harrison’s life’
All stars
Most relevant
Easy to listen and well told biography. Additional biography of the beatles. It is a must for every Beatles fan. It could be better with some song inserted.

lots of information not included in beatles bio

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Author is very good and thorough on all the Beatles bio’s
Just need a Phillip Norman Ringo book now!

Great Narration

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The most detailed review of a remarkable life. Engaging and surprising at the same time.

Forensic insight into the life and talents of George Harrison

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Workmanlike telling of George Harrison's story. Most well-read Beatle fans will not find anything new in this book, in my view. I was hoping to find out more about George, the person, but pretty much knew everything which was said about him in this book.

It was okay

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There’s not as much available data on Harrison so this relies quite heavily on The Beatles Anthology. whereas Lennon’s and McCartney’s biography from Norman were detailed and enlightening. Alas this is a bit of a potboiler, hackneyed and cliche ridden.

Disappointing after the biographies of Lennon and McCartney

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