Hunter Davies: Writing The Beatles

Behind the scenes of with the band’s only authorised biographer.

This event will take place at the British Library. It will be simultaneously live streamed on the British Library platform.

In person-tickets are now sold out but tickets are available to watch on our platform (online) either live or within 48 hours on catch up.  Viewing links will be sent out shortly before the event.

The online version of this event will be live captioned.

In September 1968 author and journalist Hunter Davies published The Beatles: The Authorised Biography. Written with the full cooperation of the band, it was the only biography they ever approved, and it remains an acclaimed account of their story.

Join Hunter Davies at the British Library, as he explores the writing of the biography and shares exclusive glimpses from his archive, the notebooks he used during conversations, photos and sketches.

The writing and research for the biography saw Hunter witness songwriting at the Beatles' homes, recording sessions for their 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and as the shoot for the celebrated LP cover. He was among those who joined the band for their performance of ‘All You Need Is Love’ on the Our World satellite broadcast in June 1967 and was present for some of the filming of Magical Mystery Tour.

There will also be a chance to see Super 8 movie footage filmed by Hunter while on holiday with Paul and Linda McCartney.

Hunter Davies is a prolific author, journalist and broadcaster who has written for Punch, New Statesman, Guardian and Sunday Times. He is the author of more than 100 books, including the only authorised biography of The Beatles and biographies of Wordsworth, Beatrix Potter and Alfred Wainwright and celebrations of The Lake District and Hampstead Heath. He now divides his time between north London and the Isle of Wight.

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