John and Paul

'The first new Beatles story in decades - and the one that will make your heart burst.' CAITLIN MORAN 'One of the most insightful books I've ever read on creativity, genius, and collaboration.' JAMES SHAPIRO 'I don't think anyone is writing about The Beatles as well as Ian Leslie is right now.' PETE PAPHIDES A majestic biography of two young geniuses who merged their talents to create one of the greatest bodies of music in history. John & Paul begins in 1957, when two teenagers in suburban Liverpool meet and decide to play rock n'roll together. It ends twenty-three years later, when one of them is murdered. In between, we see them become global stars, create countless indelible songs, and play a central role in creating the modern world. Lennon and McCartney were more than friends, rivals or collaborators. They were intimates who both had the fabric of their world ruptured at a young age, and who longed to make emotional connections; with each other, and with audiences. The pop song was a vessel into which they poured feelings of grief and euphoria and everything in between. When they couldn't speak what they felt, they sang it. After the break-up of their group, they maintained a musical dialogue at a distance, in songs full of recrimination, regret, and affection. Ian Leslie traces the twists and turns of their relationship through the music it produced and offers rich insights into the nature of creativity, collaboration and human connection. Drawing on recently released footage and recordings, this is a startlingly fresh take on two of the greatest icons in music history. Leslie's majestic and wildly enjoyable biography will make us see and hear Lennon and McCartney anew.

Auteur

Ian Leslie is the author of acclaimed books on human psychology: Born Liars, Curious, and How To Disagree. He was written for, among others, the New Statesman, the Economist, the New York Times and the Financial Times. Leslie is the author of a popular newsletter on culture, creativity and ideas: The Ruffian. He has been a Beatles fan since he was seven. @mrianleslie