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1964: Eyes of the Storm Hardcover – June 13, 2023
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“Millions of eyes were suddenly upon us, creating a picture I will never forget.” ―Paul McCartney
Taken with a 35mm camera by Paul McCartney, these largely unseen photographs capture the explosive period, from the end of 1963 through early 1964, in which The Beatles became an international sensation and changed the course of music history. Featuring 275 images from the six cities―Liverpool, London, Paris, New York, Washington, D.C., and Miami―of these legendary months, 1964: Eyes of the Storm also includes:
• A personal foreword in which McCartney recalls the pandemonium of British concert halls, followed by the hysteria that greeted the band on its first American visit
• Candid recollections preceding each city portfolio that form an autobiographical account of the period McCartney remembers as the “Eyes of the Storm,” plus a coda with subsequent events in 1964
• “Beatleland,” an essay by Harvard historian and New Yorker essayist Jill Lepore, describing how The Beatles became the first truly global mass culture phenomenon
Handsomely designed, 1964: Eyes of the Storm creates an intensely dramatic record of The Beatles’ first transatlantic trip, documenting the radical shift in youth culture that crystallized in 1964.
“You could hold your camera up to the world, in 1964. But what madness would you capture, what beauty, what joy, what fury?” ―Jill Lepore
275 images- Print length336 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherLiveright
- Publication dateJune 13, 2023
- Dimensions10 x 1.3 x 11.6 inches
- ISBN-101324093064
- ISBN-13978-1324093060
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STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX requires every component of a textiles product—including all thread, buttons, and trims—to be tested against a list of more than 1,000 harmful regulated and unregulated chemicals which may be harmful to human health. The assessment process is globally standardized, independently conducted, and updated at least once a year based on new scientific information or regulatory requirements. Certification focus: #ProductSafety and #ChemicalsUsed.Certification Number23.HUS.33631 - Sustainability features for this product
Sustainability features
This product has sustainability features recognized by trusted certifications.Safer chemicalsMade with chemicals safer for human health and the environment.As certified byOEKO-TEX STANDARD 100
STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX requires every component of a textiles product—including all thread, buttons, and trims—to be tested against a list of more than 1,000 harmful regulated and unregulated chemicals which may be harmful to human health. The assessment process is globally standardized, independently conducted, and updated at least once a year based on new scientific information or regulatory requirements. Certification focus: #ProductSafety and #ChemicalsUsed.Certification Number23.HUS.33631 - Sustainability features for this product
Sustainability features
This product has sustainability features recognized by trusted certifications.Safer chemicalsMade with chemicals safer for human health and the environment.As certified byOEKO-TEX STANDARD 100
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From the Publisher
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Editorial Reviews
Review
― Charles Taylor, Esquire
"Beguiling…Thoughtful recollections…. There is something for every Beatles aficionado in the 275 glorious images in these pages... Open this book, and for a few magic moments, you’ll be right there, too."
― Charles Kaiser, Washington Post
"A truly elegant collection of photographs... McCartney's photographs brilliantly capture the onset of Beatlemania both within and beyond the shores of the Beatles' homeland.... 1964: Eyes of the Storm affords music lovers with vivid images of John, Paul, George and Ringo as they embark upon an unknown world where everything is still possible."
― Kenneth Womack, Salon
"Who wouldn’t want a peek at Paul McCartney’s personal pics of The Beatles?.... There are pictures of aching intimacy... and, inevitably, photos that will make you feel a pang for the band’s fishbowl existence."
― Kim Willis, USA Today
"A small treasure... I find myself describing photographs, which is easy to do, in a way, but not really satisfying, for me or for the reader, when the photographs are there, and the years, and the gone time, the glorious time, the time to come, the memories, are right there in Paul’s book."
― Michael Lindsay-Hogg, AirMail
"This book is probably the closest we will ever come to an autobiography of Sir Paul McCartney . . . One of the greatest things about any recollections of this period in Beatle history is that Sir Paul manages to look backward, but does it without looking through the prism of time passed or rose-colored glasses. He has an uncanny ability to relate to his past without any false modesty or pretense, so you get the full picture along with the real picture."
― Ivor Levene, Goldmine
"In 1964: Eyes of the Storm, Paul McCartney―long the subject of photographers―gets on the other side of the camera, capturing the Beatles as only an insider could―and with a warmth, gentle humor, and guilelessness that perhaps only Beatle Paul could."
― Shelf Awareness
"For readers who love the magical sixties and the legendary Beatles, 1964: Eyes of the Storm is for you . . . Well worth the read for both young and old."
― New York Journal of Books
"A luminous photographic record of the dawn of Beatlemania.... representing the discovery of 1,000 photos [McCartney] had taken in 1964. 'I’m not trying to claim to be a master,' he writes, 'only an enthusiastic photographer who happened to be in the right place at the right time.' Humility aside, Sir Paul proves a fine documentarian of the chaotic scene around him. Some of the countless highlights include a color image of George Harrison, finally at rest in Miami after the hectic tour that introduced them to America via the Ed Sullivan Show, against the backdrop of an anonymous (and headless) swimsuit-clad woman and looking far too young to be holding the cigarette and drink in hand; 'a rare picture of John in his glasses,' as McCartney writes, with Lennon looking more like a college quiz kid than a rock star, a weary-looking Ringo next to him; photos of fans of many ethnicities (as is now well known, the Beatles would not play a segregated room) and ages awaiting the arrival of the band, whose spirit-lifting tour occurred soon after John F. Kennedy’s assassination, leading McCartney to comment in a charged aside, 'To this day, I am very happy that Britain doesn’t have the gun culture that exists in the U.S....' The book includes a timeline and notes about each photo. Sir Paul knows his way around just about every artistic medium, and these photographs are a must for Beatles fans."
― Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"The book showcases photos from McCartney’s insider perspective, but it also looks out at what was happening around him at the time and offers personal reflections. Bookending explanatory notes by historian Jill Lepore and Rosie Broadley of London’s National Portrait Gallery provide a deeper understanding of the culture and era. The content and the context render the results extraordinary . . . This beautiful art book serves as a most welcome companion to Beatles scholarship and 1960s culture in general."
― Gregory Stall, Library Journal, starred review
About the Author
Jill Lepore is the David Woods Kemper ’41 Professor of American History at Harvard University and professor of law at Harvard Law School. She is also a staff writer at The New Yorker. Her many books include the international bestseller These Truths: A History of the United States. She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Product details
- Publisher : Liveright (June 13, 2023)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 336 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1324093064
- ISBN-13 : 978-1324093060
- Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
- Dimensions : 10 x 1.3 x 11.6 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #23,404 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #5 in The Beatles
- #43 in Rock Music (Books)
- #45 in Rock Band Biographies
- Customer Reviews:
About the authors
Since writing his first song at the age of 14, Paul McCartney’s career has been impossibly prolific and singularly influential. In the 1960s, Paul changed the world forever with The Beatles. He didn’t stop there, and has continued to push boundaries, as a solo artist, with Wings, and collaborating with numerous world-renowned artists. He has received 18 Grammys, and in 1996 was knighted by H.M. The Queen for his services to music.
Paul is a dedicated philanthropist, passionately advocating for many causes including animal rights and environmental issues. He's also a very proud grandfather.
Jill Lepore is the David Woods Kemper '41 Professor of American History at Harvard University and a staff writer at The New Yorker. She received her Ph.D. in American Studies from Yale in 1995. Her first book, "The Name of War," won the Bancroft Prize; her 2005 book, "New York Burning," was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. In 2008 she published "Blindspot," a mock eighteenth-century novel, jointly written with Jane Kamensky. Lepore's most recent book, "The Whites of Their Eyes," is a New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the photos great and intimate. They describe the book as a must-have for Beatles fans and an interesting look at the era. Readers appreciate the commentary and insights from Paul. They consider it good value for money and a great gift. The book leaves customers nostalgic and joyful, with a fun inside view of the Fabulous Four.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers appreciate the photos in the book. They find the pictures great and intimate, with close-ups and rehearsal shots. The book contains many never-before-seen photos by Paul. Readers also mention that the editing and printing are skillful.
"...Paul McCartney was an accomplished photographer and the book is his inside view of The Beatles from November 1963 through February 1964 including..." Read more
"...The photographs are candid and captured the uncanny mugs that each of the members of the band displayed in the early days and at the height of..." Read more
"This is a magnificent treasure trove of pictures that document Paul McCartney's firsthand experience witnessing Beatlemania as the Beatles toured..." Read more
"...The book benefits greatly from his stories and from skillful photo editing, and printing by others...." Read more
Customers enjoy the book. They find it interesting and a must-read for Beatles fans. The book documents the 1960s and Beatlemania vividly. It offers a unique perspective on the early days of the band.
"...It is a happy snapshot of the Beatles beginnings. But, yes, this book is worth it to me mostly because of those pictures of the the four happy..." Read more
"...is equally fresh from this renewed perspective and documents the 1960s and Beatlemania vividly...." Read more
"...A time capsule when the Beatles were just making it big and very interesting. He shares memories of each place and then shares photos...." Read more
"...The photos taken by Paul McCartney are a great documentation of the early months of Beatlemania. Highly recommend!" Read more
Customers find the book an interesting look at a pivotal time. They find it nostalgic and enjoyable, bringing back great memories of the young Beatles.
"...or is now discovering the period that was 1964 -- it will be a fun romp back in time. One may say, it was a time that may never be repeated." Read more
"...And I take the book for what it is a lovely, sentimental, love filled journey that Paul is showing us through his eyes...." Read more
"...The narrative is equally fresh from this renewed perspective and documents the 1960s and Beatlemania vividly...." Read more
"...The book benefits greatly from his stories and from skillful photo editing, and printing by others...." Read more
Customers appreciate the value for money of the book. They find the photos informative and say it's worth the cost if you're a Beatles fan.
"...Eyes of the Storm is worth every penny." Read more
"...snapshot of the Beatles beginnings. But, yes, this book is worth it to me mostly because of those pictures of the the four happy young men..." Read more
"...I f you remember and loved them, get this book, well worth it!!!!" Read more
"...This book is really overpriced for what it delivers." Read more
Customers find the commentary interesting and engaging. They appreciate the candid insights from Sir Paul, as well as the well-written essays by him and others. The book provides enough information and context in a good chronological order. Readers also mention that the footnotes provided by Paul are great.
"...The insight from his viewpoint is exciting and engaging, delivering exactly what the book promised in stunning detail and exhilarating quality...." Read more
"...Insight from the man himself that you’ll not get anywhere else not to mention that Sir Paul had to take time to remember,..." Read more
"...recommend it, however, as it's a great coffee table book and conversation piece." Read more
"...Just enough information and context, not crowded, good chronological order...." Read more
Customers appreciate the gift value of the book. They say it's a great gift or addition to their Beatles collection, and the packaging is nice.
"...Great gift for anyone who is interested in the Beatles!" Read more
"...If you know someone who loves the Beatles and Paul, this makes a great gift." Read more
"It’s a great gift or ADD to your Beatles Collection!..." Read more
"Came at expected time and in absolutely great packaging. Has a lot of unseen pics from the era that makes you feel as if you're there...." Read more
Customers enjoy the book's joyful and nostalgic content. They find it exciting and fun to flip through, with an emotional impact.
"...It is an engaging and fun inside view of the Fabulous Four...." Read more
"...There are several photos in there never seen and fun!!!. I first saw the photos in England on holiday to London...." Read more
"...But it's the photos of John that give this collection the emotional impact that it has...." Read more
"...me, and reading the history behind it all leaves me nostalgic, and joyful." Read more
Customers find the book well-organized with its photos and stories in a readable way. They appreciate the chapters, photos, texts, and analyses. The writing is also appreciated.
"...McCartney has a good eye for an interesting moment and a simple storytelling composition...." Read more
"Wonderful pictures. Not a lot to read. Photos are explanatory. Worth the cost if you’re a true Beatles fan." Read more
"...Pages are well organized with, the photos and stories organized in a good readable way...." Read more
"...He read all of it in 3 days! He loved the writing as well as all of the pictures...." Read more
Reviews with images
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I love it it’s a really cool book
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2025Being an amateur photographer since childhood and an early Beatles fan, I ordered this book of photographs by Paul McCartney as soon as it was available. Paul McCartney was an accomplished photographer and the book is his inside view of The Beatles from November 1963 through February 1964 including their breakthrough performance at the Ed Sullivan Show in New York City. It is an engaging and fun inside view of the Fabulous Four. The same McCartneys photographs were also shown at a special exhibition in London at The National Portrait Gallery in 2023. Eyes of the Storm is worth every penny.
- Reviewed in the United States on July 13, 2023Every now and then a book comes along that shares another perspective of what was Beatlemania. But for the book "1964: Eyes of the Storm" who better to retell the experience than the man who experienced it all, Paul McCartney. Sir Paul reminisces and offers up close and personal accounts and the photographs that he took while writer Jill Lepore writes a concise introduction for readers and fans alike that lived and watched as history was being made. The photographs are candid and captured the uncanny mugs that each of the members of the band displayed in the early days and at the height of Beatlemania from 1963-1964 and throughout the cities they toured during the period Liverpool, London, Paris, New York, Washington D.C., and Miami. The front cover of the book speaks for itself and what was to come when the band arrived in the United States and on that fateful month of February 1964 and in New York City.
For fans of the Beatles, this book may appear to be yet another collection of photographs that have been seen before. And one question may arise as with readers that have thought all happened been written of one of the most historic musicians in history -- why another book? That is not the case at all, many of the photographs have been kept away for 60 years by McCartney never too see the light of day until now. Indeed, a few of the sessions look familiar due to the numerous official band photographers and friends that were present during the time and that McCartney candidly included in a few of the photos such as Dezo Hoffman and Robert Freeman. McCartney had been an art student and had an avid interest in the area well before the Beatles became such a phenomenon, and his photos show their unique quality deserving distinction. Most of the photographs are in black and white but at the latter pages, McCartney explains that he began to use Kodachrome film and the results show in the color photos taken before the band's appearance on the Ed Sullivan show in Miami.
To conclude the display of the collection of photographs, Curator of the exhibit of the photographs of Paul McCartney at London's National Portrait Art Gallery Rosie Broadley writes a fitting piece at the end of the book that summarizes the greater meaning of the collection. There is no doubt whether one remembers that time or is now discovering the period that was 1964 -- it will be a fun romp back in time. One may say, it was a time that may never be repeated.
- Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2023There was a lot here we haven't seen before. And I take the book for what it is a lovely, sentimental, love filled journey that Paul is showing us through his eyes. And as for anyone who feels disappointed it was probably because it was Paul's eye view of what was happening around him, not our view of what we want to see.
Yes , I too would have loved to have seen more of John, George and Ringo ( not to mention Paul himself). And less of the touristy pictures. But he was a tourist, especially in the States. Excited to see and keep the memories he was living in that moment. And trying to convey to us now, almost 60 years later, how happy he was being in that moment with the people he loved. Seeing the pictures of Cynthia Lennon, a young George Martin, Brian Epstein and Paul's first love Jane Asher, as well as other important people in the Beatles lives (people most Beatles fans have heard of) was touching especially in their private moments.
This book may not be worth the expense to some people. But like most books it will come down in price in a few years to a cost that will make it worthwile. But to me the the feeling I get of Paul's joy of life in that moment is what this book conveys. The pictures of the smiling teenagers screaming for their idols, the ones of dazed police officers and laughing airport ground crews and the pictures of the photographers happy to be the ones being photographed are the memories Paul is sharing with us. It is a happy snapshot of the Beatles beginnings.
But, yes, this book is worth it to me mostly because of those pictures of the the four happy young men starting to see their dreams come true. The picture of John taking a picture of Cynthia was very sweet. And I love the picture of a young George "enjoying life" or Ringo in his quiet contemplative moments. But the the pages that say it all are near the end of the book. John on one page and George on the opposite with the words "I love and miss them dearly." and this makes the book for me. A remembrance when they were young and excited, before they got tired and things became monotenous. Before the break up.
So Sir Paul THANK YOU for all the memories you have made in our lives thru your music. And thanks for the look into what made YOUR memories through this book and your last book.
Top reviews from other countries
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VanessaReviewed in Mexico on January 14, 2025
5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente
Llega en un tiempo considerable, en buen estado. Todo Beatle fan debe tener esta joya de libro por las fotos e historia que contiene.
- LyneReviewed in Canada on December 2, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars It’s Paul
Omg the best by Paul ever !! If you are a fan get that book
- valeriaReviewed in Brazil on September 20, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars excelente
excelente
- MikeSReviewed in the United Kingdom on December 12, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Collection of Images
Excellent collection of images as seen at the National Portrait Gallery exhibition, took me right back to 1963/4 & the excitement in the music scene. Well packaged & delivered the day after ordering.
- JakobReviewed in Sweden on September 23, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars Lots of interesting photos...
and a great story !