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Fab: The Intimate Life of Paul McCartney

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Fab: The Intimate Life of Paul McCartney

By: Howard Sounes
Narrated by: David Thorpe
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About this listen

He is the proud torchbearer of the Beatles, the greatest band in the history of popular music, and one of the most closely-studied artists in show business, yet secrets and surprises remain in the life of Sir Paul McCartney. The full story is told in Fab.

Howard Sounes, author of the acclaimed Down the Highway: The Life of Bob Dylan, spent more than two years investigating every aspect of Sir Paul’s life and work, including interviewing over 200 people. The result is the richest, most detailed, and most comprehensive biography of McCartney yet written.

Unlike previous biographers, the author pays equal attention to the story of McCartney in the Beatles and the ongoing story of his post-Beatles career, creating an engrossing history that spans the long arc of this great artist’s life and work. Fab also includes the full, fascinating story of Sir Paul’s calamitous second marriage to Heather Mills. Sounes proves a judicious critic of the music, while also delivering a superb psychological portrait of the man behind some of the world’s most beloved songs.

Howard Sounes is known for writing detailed and revelatory biographies of a wide range of extraordinary personalities, including the murderers Fred and Rosemary West (Fred & Rose), the writer Charles Bukowski (Locked in the Arms of a Crazy Life), and the musicians Bob Dylan (Down the Highway) and Lou Reed (Notes from the Velvet Underground). Each book is based on extensive original research. For more information, visit www.howardsounes.com

©2010 Howard Sounes (P)2014 Audible Studios Entertainment & Celebrities Music Murder

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Critic reviews

"For fans willing to ponder their hero’s flaws, Fab delivers all you need to know." ( Rolling Stone)
"A McCartney biography that intrigues all the way through." ( The (London) Times)
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This is a huge piece of work. I stuck with this audiobook to the bitter end, but in retrospect, I can't say it's left me feeling I enjoyed it all that much. It very much underlines how much McCartney has done since The Beatles, but sadly, and perhaps predictably, much of it is far less interesting. Long stories of legal battles, personal relationships gone bad etc don't really do it for me in a book like this - or certainly, not at the length to which this book plays them out. Disappointing, although nevertheless good value in this format.

All you ever wanted to know and a great deal more.

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It's great how the author rolls through the timeline of Paul's life with such ease. And how it's not all "oh look at how great paul is".... In parts, he doesn't hold back. If paul was a bit of a dick at a certain time, he tells you.

The reader is top notch, the man with a 1000 voices. Brilliant

Even though I knew most of the stories, it's great to listen to them from start to finish in the proper order along with the views from close friends and family..................................................

So good and so interesting.

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If you've always suspected that McCartney was both a great talent and a bit of a ****, this book will probably confirm that view. It's exhaustively researched - although it's pretty obvious that the author had no access to its subject and most of the people who were willing to talk had scores to settle - but could have done with being cut to about half the length as it often becomes bogged down in irrelevant details. In particular, there is far too much about McCartney's divorce from Heather Mills, in which the author seems to take a prurient interest. You'll also learn a great deal about the younger McCartney's active sex life while supposedly being devoted to Jane Asher and almost as much about Linda McCartney's lengthy track record before finally bedding a Beatle. Probably more than you would want to know about either.

The author also makes some strange assertions about McCartney's music - describing Abbey Road as The Beatles' finest album, for example, or dismissing Pipes of Peace without acknowledging that it produced McCartney's only solo UK No 1. On the other hand, the accounts of McCartney's studio antics during the 70s and 80s go a long way to explaining why his output during those years was so erratic. And the story of "Give My Regards to Broad Street" encapsulates everything about why even a supremely talented artist needs someone (Lennon and Martin in the 60s) to help him with quality control.

It's also worth noting that the 'story' ends just after the Mills divorce.

Narration is good, apart from a few dodgy accents. The most irritating thing, however, is that every time an amount of money is referred to, it is translated from sterling to dollars, or vice-versa. I'm not sure what that adds and it very quickly becomes annoying.

Overall, a decent companion piece to the pedestrian Philip Norman biography and the self-serving "Many Years from Now", but it could have done with a decent edit.

A mixed bag

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I love the beatles but Macca tends to grate a bit. This was a warts and all telling of the story which simultaneously allowed me to increase my respect for the man and enjoy the not so flattering side of his personality.

The book was read well and the narrator coped with all the characters and accents, other reviews say that he didn't, trust me they are wrong.

The only character accent that was somewhat annoying was that of Paul himself. Not because it was done badly but just because he has quite an irritating voice and it crops up the most. It in no way takes anything from the experience of the book though.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes Beatles lore. You can really get your teeth into it.

long but mostly worth it

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This book was full to the brim with interesting information. Could not put it down - well narrated it really took you into the lives of Paul, Linda their colleagues, family and friends... loved it and would read it again!

Amazing Book!

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A revealing story, only marred by the constant conversion of pounds to dollars, why ?
Sales to an American audience one assumes

Excellent

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Enjoyed this book well written well narrated meet Paul a couple of times a nice man

Paul a good friend

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A great listen.

I'm a hard-core Beatle fan and thought I'd heard and read everything but still found out plenty of new things in this book.

Brilliant. A must for Beatles or McCartney fans

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I thought I knew everything there was to know about Macca until I listened to this book.
There are many stories and insights into his life which are fascinating.
I can thoroughly recommend it.

FAB: The intimate Life of Paul Mc Cartney

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I enjoyed every minute, having met The Beatles whilst they were shopping in a Woolworth store in 1963 and spoke to Paul I have always thought he was a genuine guy. The biography certainly hasn't changed my opinion.
Thank you Howard Sounes for writing this and David Thorpe for bringing it alive.

Thanks for the memories

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