WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM THEIR FRIENDS cover art

WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM THEIR FRIENDS

The Beatles changed the world. But who changed theirs?

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About this listen

The most engaging, surprising and revealing look at the Beatles story you’ll read.

Everyone knows a Beatles tune. But their story goes beyond the omnipresent songs and iconic albums. Theirs is a tale that has become one of the core stories we tell about ourselves as a nation. The Beatles narrative has both shaped and reflected the country we live in today. Four lads from Liverpool have taken a seat alongside Shakespeare as one of our key cultural exports to the world, a world they changed and re-made in their own image in a blaze of creativity. But these four distinct personalities changed the world not in isolation but with more than a little help from their friends.

Like all the best stories there’s an incredible supporting cast, and all the most compelling elements of the great dramas: ambition, power, triumph, disaster, heartbreak, tragedy, drama, intrigue, lust…and of course, love.

Split into 3 sections, Before The Beatles, With the Beatles and Beyond the Beatles, bestselling writer and broadcaster Stuart Maconie tells the epic tale of the people who made the band who made Britain, and along the way adds his own experiences, encounters and conversations that show the Beatles like you’ve never seen them before.

©2025 Stuart Maconie (P)2025 HarperCollins Publishers 20th Century Entertainment & Celebrities Modern Thought-Provoking Heartfelt Inspiring

Critic reviews

'Exceptionally good' Mark Ellen

‘It’s a fast-paced, funny read and rather than feeling like another book on the quartet, it feels like it offers some genuinely fresh insight’ Clash magazine

***

PRAISE FOR STUART’S WRITING

'Maconie is a funny, astute writer, alert to the absurd’ Sunday Times Book of the Week

‘Observant and witty’ The Times

‘As funny as Bryson and as wise as Orwell’ Observer

‘The best thing to come out of Wigan since the A58 to Bolton’ Peter Kay

‘A fine writer: sharp, funny, tender and thoughtful’ Spectator

‘Maconie’s engaging, conversational prose is full of telling detail, jokes and deft quotation’ Telegraph

All stars
Most relevant
A work of love. A great way to approach the story of the greatest band.

The Topermost

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Stuart Maconie is one of the UK’s top writers and presenters, producing numerous insightful, thought-provoking and just overall interesting accounts of key moments in our modern history, always underpinned by methodical research and attention to detail. He’s also a massive Beatles fan. I probably like many thought I ‘got’ the Beatles until I became hypnotised by the Peter Jackson epic. And then I read, and read and read, and listened. At the end of this I thought I knew a fair bit and didn’t think there was space for another account. But because it was Stuart Maconie, I felt I must give it a try. And some how, his ‘list’ book did not become one of those easily digestible and easily forgotten accounts. Instead it’s a must have for even general music fans. Well-researched, lovingly produced, with Stuart’s customary forthright and analytical approach to the fore. So glad I listened to this. I now own a hard back copy as well as I think this will remain a ‘go to’ reference book. Excellent stuff. Stuart, Glos

Another top book by Stuart Maconie

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Full of detail and fascinating insight into how The Beatles rose to glorious worldwide success - with a little help from their friends. I loved it. Great work, Stuart! Great 👍

Brilliant in every way...

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Hearing how some of these peripheral characters were responsible for moving the Beatles story along seems to add even more magic to the history that we all know.

Wonderful and oddly moving

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Interesting facts galore. My Beatles knowledge isn’t bad. This book has lots of unusual stuff I’ve never heard before. Great

Excellent

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