Paul McCartney

Published to mark his 50th birthday, this is a biography of one of popular culture's most prominent figures, Paul McCartney. Drawing on the memories of his friends - and his enemies - it celebrates his extravagant achievements without ignoring either his creative inconsistency or the less engaging aspects of his personality. It investigates the paradox of a billionaire who claims he is still a working class lad; an advocate of sexual equality who demands that his wife does the cleaning and ironing. Tracing the development of his career, the author records how McCartney's determination to have his own way led to the break-up of the Beatles and his next group, Wings, and led him into artistic and commercial disasters such as "The Magical Mystery Tour" and "Give My Regards to Broad Street". The book also discusses how the pain of his break with John Lennon drove him to heroin and how he turned that pain to his financial advantage; and explores his relationships with his father, with his wife, Linda, and with Lennon.