How the Beatles Changed the World - Hardcover

Sandler, Martin W.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0802735657 ISBN 13: 9780802735652

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens, 2014

Synopsis

The Beatles' first appearance on the Ed Sullivan show, has been called "a night that changed the course of American culture." More than seventy million television viewers - the largest-ever audience for an entertainment show - watched the Beatles' performance that February 9, 1964. It was only the beginning.

Had the Beatles been simply the most successful musical group of all time, their place in history would be secure. But they were much, much more. The Beatles changed popular culture forever. They changed the way people listened to music and experienced its role in their lives. And they were even more. For as their work matured, they became nothing less than the embodiment of the social and cultural revolutions of the 1960s. Readers will also discover how the Beatles became prisoners of their own success and how, by retreating into the recording studio, they attained even greater heights by creating songs and albums of such meaning and of such influence that the entire nature and importance of popular music was profoundly altered.

About this title

About the Author

Martin W. Sandler is the author of Imprisoned, Lincoln Through the Lens, The Dust Bowl Through the Lens, and Kennedy Through the Lens. He has won five Emmy Awards for his writing for television and is the author of more than sixty books, two of which have been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. Among Sandler's other books are the six volumes in his award-winning Library of Congress American History Series for Young People, a series which has sold more than 500,000 copies. Other books by Mr. Sandler include: Island of Hope: The Story of Ellis Island, Trapped in Ice, The Story of American Photography, The Vaqueros, America: A Celebration, and This Was America. Mr. Sandler has taught American history and American studies at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and at Smith College, and lives in Massachusetts.

From School Library Journal

Gr 5–8—It's been 50 years since the Beatles' groundbreaking performance on the Ed Sullivan Show, and that is where Sandler begins this book about the band's influence on everything from music to movies, and even religion. It is an event that illustrates the scope and intensity of Beatlemania, which would transform popular music, and according to Sandler, other forms of entertainment. How they changed various aspects of culture provides the framework for each chapter, but Sandler still takes a linear approach to the Beatles' history, covering their early days in Liverpool as teenagers to their post-breakup activities. Readers will find that the band introduced or revolutionized several music industry norms such as music videos, merchandising, stadium concert tours, and album cover design. Over the years, the Beatles' sound evolved, but they were the first band to think about their album as a whole piece of art rather than a compilation of individual songs. Sandler offers insights into their musical legacy as well as their work as political activists. The penultimate chapter of the book describes the social turmoil of the 1960s and how the Beatles' music inspired Russian teens behind the Iron Curtain. The book's design mostly allows for continuous reading, with special spreads occurring at natural breaks in the text. Various anecdotes and quotes from the band and others who were close to them enrich the text. Overall, this book is a welcome reminder that popular entertainment can be a powerful force for positive change in the world.—Joy Piedmont, LREI, New York City

About this edition

• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 0802735657
• ISBN 13: 9780802735652
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 176