We have reviewed both his books -- "In the Town Where They Were Born", and "The Beatles: Living in the Eye of the Hurricane" for the BBFC magazine, and we think they're both great (see below)!!
For more information on Kevin's books, or to buy them if you can wait until Beatle Week, click here!
Published by Liverpool Authors (ISBN 9790956452788)
This book tells the story of perhaps the most turbulent six months in the lives of the Beatles. It covers the period from February to July 1964 - six months in which the Beatles conquered America, toured Australia and New Zealand, made a film, and returned in triumph to Liverpool for a civic reception and the northern premier of "A Hard Day's Night". Although this isn't the first book to cover this period, and probably won't be the last, this offering from Kevin Roach and John Gannon is a treasure trove of information that will delight every Beatles fan.
Written primarly from sources found in the Liverpool Records Office, it offers a new perspective on the tumultuous events and is packed with details, photographs and scans. You can see scans of letters, programmes and tour schedules but my personal favourite is the inclusion of the Beatles' own guest lists for the premier. The content of each list is interesting enough (family members feature prominently, and Ringo's list includes Freda Kelly), but I love seeing the actual lists! While those for Paul, George and Ringo are neatly typed and clearly organised, John's was provided on a scrap of paper and appears to have been hastily scribbled by Clive Epstein. You can just imagine Clive's frustration and efforts to get the required information from John! It is gems such as these that make this book a must-have for every Beatles fan.
Published by Trinity Mirror (ISBN: 9781906802370)
The book traces the history of the McCartney family dating back to Paul’s grandparents, Joe and Florrie.
Whilst many of us know the places in Liverpool relevant to Paul’s life, this book has some excellent archive photographs of the areas his family lived in, some dating back as far as the 1920s.
For those who love the ancestry of the Beatles, this book is one for you.
The great thing for me about this book is that Mike McCartney is also featured here, probably not as much as Paul, but enough to give us a great insight into their family life, whilst they were growing up.
Some of Mike’s own photographs are used here too.
as far as book writers go,Kevin roach is one to look out for, I've purchased and read both of his books and like his style. it's clear from the outset that he's very knowledgable on his subject, (the beatles), and creates interest on every turn of the page,
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