Dreaming the Beatles

Sheffield is always an entertaining writer, but I feel like I was sold a bit of goods in that the book promises to examine the Beatles' relationship to the world, and it's really more about the Beatles' relationship to Rob Sheffield. Which is okay, but not quite what I was expecting. Sheffield takes some well known Beatles history, adds his own conjecture and a lot of Beatles puns, and winds up with a quick read that sheds very little new light on the Fab Four. And although he spends a whole chapter denying it, boy does he not like Paul. According to Sheffield, John is the genius, George is underrated, Ringo is funny and affable, but Paul is a girl-crazy hack of a songwriter who needed John to give his songs any weight.

I will read almost anything about the Beatles, and I can't say I wasn't entertained, especially in the book's discussion of the strange journey of their music post-breakup (I remember the Blue collection and the Red collection, but had never heard of the Rock & Roll Music/Love Songs collections that were released in the 70s). But I was expecting a little more depth and breadth than Sheffield's recollection of the first time he heard Ticket to Ride.