Published to coincide with the thirtieth anniversary of John Lennon’s death, this previously unpublished collection of poignant photographs is a record of one day with The Beatles—just after Sgt. Pepper was released. In September 1968, critically acclaimed photojournalist Don McCullin was invited to spend a day photographing The Beatles in locations ranging from Paul McCartney’s garden to the banks of the Thames, as well as in their recording studio. The timing of this was, in hindsight, significant. The Beatles had just released Sgt. Pepper, Vietnam was in turmoil, and riots had spread through America’s cities and campuses. It was the moment when the innocence and optimism of the sixties darkened—the instant the youth movement, of which The Beatles were icons, converged with the antiwar protests, the civil rights movement, and the burgeoning counterculture. One of the most poignant photographs taken that day was of John Lennon posing as dead, surrounded by the other three band members. Lennon himself carefully choreographed the image as a pose of protest, but it is now seen as tragic and strangely prophetic. These images of four inspired artists at the pinnacle of success and on the cusp of transformation mark the passing of an era, and in them, we can glimpse our own lost youth.
""These images of four inspired artists, at the pinnacle of their success and on the cusp of transformation, mark a time of radical cultural evolution. In these photos, culled from twenty rolls of black-and-white film taken over the course of an afternoon and ending as the evening shadows gathered, we can glimpse a moment in time that forever changed the way we viewed ourselves and our place in the world around us.""
~Photography Blog
""The Beatles broke up 40 years ago, on Dec 31, but their unsinkable legacy was buoyed last month when their songbook went on iTunes while the 30th anniversary of John Lennon’s death put the band in the headlines. A Day in the Life of the Beatles with text by Paul McCartney, presents the band in the bloom of youth, in photos taken by Don McCullin in 1968, not long before the release of the White Album."" ~New York
Times, City Edition
“Beatles fans who think they have everything will be happy to add this to their collections.” ~Courier News
“The book is beautifully crafted, printed on heavy stock, slender but satisfyingly hefty. For fans of the band who just can’t get enough of all things Beatles, it’s well worth a look.” ~PopMatters