You Never Give Me Your Money

This chronicle of the aftermath of The Beatles' breakup and enduring legacy is "a dark but compelling endnote to rock's greatest story" ( Rolling Stone ).

A Los Angeles Times Best Book of the Year

When Paul McCartney told the world in 1970 that he had no plans to work with the Beatles again, it was widely viewed as a cultural tragedy by the media and public alike. His statement not only marked the end of the band's remarkable career, but also seemed to signal the demise of an era of unprecedented optimism in cultural history. But posterity would not let go of the group so easily and one of the most fascinating phases of the Beatles' story was just about to begin.

You Never Give Me Your Money tells the dramatic story of the personal and business competition that has dominated the Beatles' lives since 1969. It charts the almost Shakespearean rivalry between McCartney's and John Lennon's families, the conflict in George Harrison's life between spirituality and fame, and Richard Starkey's—a.k.a. Ringo Starr's—efforts to escape the alcoholism that threatened to kill him. It documents the shifting relationships between the four as they strive to establish their identities beyond the Beatles and it chronicles the transformation of their multimedia company, Apple Corps, from a bastion of 1960s counterculture into a corporate behemoth.

Peter Doggett gives us a compelling human drama and the equally rich and absorbing story of the Beatles' creative and financial empire, set up to safeguard their interests but destined to control their lives. From tragedy to triumphant reunion, court battles to chart success, You Never Give Me Your Money traces the untold story of a group and a legacy that will never be forgotten.