Hunter Davies

A sequence of letters from Hunter Davies to his late wife Margaret Forster chronicling the ups and downs of his life since her death by turns confessional gossipy touching funny and bittersweet

In this behind-the-scenes look at the most famous musical group in history, Hunter Davies gives the complete story of the Beatles. As the only authorized biographer, Davies had full access to the Fab Four as well as their help and encouragement. He spent eighteen months with them when they were at the peak of their musical genius and at the pinnacle of their popularity, and he remained friends with each of the members as they went their separate ways. This updated edition addresses recent changes in the lives of the Beatles: Paul''s marriage, George''s death, and their new books and records.

At the end of almost every day of their fifty five years of married life the publicity shy author Margaret Forster would ask the naturally gregarious and outgoing Hunter Davies to describe to her the highlights of his day in the worlds of journalism and publishing In the six years that have elapsed since Margaret s death Hunter has continued these conversations with his wife regaling her with accounts of the events and developments in his life domestic social romantic book related health related and others through a sequence of Letters to Margaret The letters are pure Hunter Davies a feast of gossipy stream of consciousness that weaves together strands of confession self mockery anecdote and touching remembrance of married happiness with Margaret Entertaining informative irreverent and indiscreet and sometimes very touching Letters to Margaret reveals an eighty seven year old Hunter still raging against the dying of the light and seeking consolation for life s frustrations and disappointments and the loneliness of widowerhood through a sustained conversation with the woman he shared his life with for more than half a century

George Stephenson is the ultimate selfmade man: born in the pit village of Wylam, near Newcastle, and skipping any education to start work, his inventions would change the very nature of the world.From the moment he began work in the pit at the tender age of ten, he showed a natural talent for mending and inventing machines, slowly rising to become the collierys resident engineer. However, he struggled to break through the class prejudices of the time; indeed, Sir Humphrey Davy, later President of the Royal Society, considered Stephenson (then an unknown pitman) a thief and not a clever thief. This early battle was only one of many that Stephenson waged against the establishment.Even so, Stephenson went on to build the worlds first public railways, the Stockton and Darlington in 1825 and the LiverpoolManchester in 1830. Much is known of these achievements and of his famous creation, Rocket, yet little is known of the man himself. In George Stephenson a colourful portrait is painted of the self-taught and often testy Geordie, whose Victorian invention is now the backbone of every nation on the planet.

A pesar de lo mucho que se ha escrito sobre The Beatles, el detallado libro de Hunter davies sigue siendo la única biografía autorizada del grupo pop más legendario e influyente de todo el mundo. Hunter Davies ha sido el primer y ultimo escritor que ha tenido acceso a los cuatro componentes de The Beatles, cuando estaban en el momento de mayor creatividad musical, durante los años 1967 y 1968, y ha podido recopilar un material unico. Esta nueva edicion actualizada incluye por primera vez, ilustraciones y fotografias que no se pudieron publicar en la edicion de 1968. Una lectura obligada para todos los fans de The Beatles, de siempre y de ahora.

Se sabe mucho acerca de la faceta musical de John Lennon. Sin embargo, pocos son los que saben que su primera reacción ante la mayoría de las emociones era escribir. Por primera vez, Hunter Davies, autor de la unica biografia autorizada de los Beatles, ha recopilado y editado su correspondencia privada; casi trescientas cartas y postales que John escribia a sus familiares, amigos, novias, amantes, fans e incluso a algun desconocido. Muchas de ellas estan ilustradas con los dibujos del propio John, y acompañadas de juegos de palabras, trabalenguas y bromas diversas. Estas letras son un valioso testimonio de la intensa vida de John Lennon y revelan sus preocupaciones, sus pasiones y sus miedos, desvelando como nunca antes se habia hecho el lado mas intimo de un genio introvertido.Para este proyecto el autor ha contado con la ayuda de muchos familiares y amigos cercanos de Lennon y de algunos coleccionistas privados de distintas partes del mundo, asi como con la aprobacion de Yoko Ono.