Recommendations based on Revolution in the Head: The Beatles Records and the Sixtiesby Ian MacDonald

* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans

  1. The Beatles Anthology

    by The Beatles
    A comprehensive history of The Beatles, featuring interviews, photos, and behind-the-scenes stories of the band's rise to fame and eventual breakup.

    This extraordinary project has been made possible because Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr have agreed to tell their combined story especially for this book. Together with Yoko Ono ... (Goodreads)

  2. Chronicles: Volume One

    by Bob Dylan
    A memoir tracking Bob Dylan's musical journey from humble beginnings to iconic status.

    WINNER OF THE NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE The celebrated first memoir from arguably the most influential singer-songwriter in the country, Bob Dylan. “I’d come from a long ways off and had started a ... (Barnes & Noble)

  3. Life

    by Keith Richards
    A personal journey of a legendary rockstar, reflecting on the highs and lows of his life.

    With the Rolling Stones, Keith Richards created the riffs, the lyrics and the songs that roused the world, and over four decades he lived the original rock and roll life. Now, at last, the man ... (Goodreads)

  4. The Beatles: The Biography

    by Bob Spitz
    An in-depth look at the rise of the iconic band from their early days to their eventual global domination.

    Even before the Beatles hit the big time, a myth was created. This version of the Beatles legend smoothed the rough edges and filled in the fault lines, and for more than forty years this manicured ... (Goodreads)

  5. How Music Works

    by David Byrne
    A comprehensive look at the history and science of music, exploring its impact on culture.

    Best known as a founding member and principal songwriter of the iconic band Talking Heads, David Byrne has received Grammy, Oscar, and Golden Globe awards and has been inducted into the Rock and Roll ... (Goodreads)

  6. Just Kids

    by Patti Smith
    Chronicles of two young artists in New York City, finding friendship and inspiration in each other.

    In Just Kids , Patti Smith's first book of prose, the legendary American artist offers a never-before-seen glimpse of her remarkable relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe in the epochal ... (Goodreads)

  7. The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century

    by Alex Ross
    A journey through the music of the 20th century, exploring its cultural and historical context, and its impact on society and politics.

    The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century is a voyage into the labyrinth of modern music, which remains an obscure world for most people. While paintings of Picasso and Jackson Pollock ... (Goodreads)

  8. Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Indie Underground, 1981-1991

    by Michael Azerrad
    History of the American indie rock scene, showcasing influential bands and their legacy.

    This is the never-before-told story of the musical revolution that happened right under the nose of the Reagan Eighties–when a small but sprawling network of bands, labels, fanzines, radio stations, ... (Goodreads)

  9. The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way

    by Bill Bryson
    Fascinating exploration of the history and evolution of English language.

    With dazzling wit and astonishing insight, Bill Bryson—the acclaimed author of The Lost Continent —brilliantly explores the remarkable history, eccentricities, resilience and sheer fun of the English ... (Goodreads)

  10. Born to Run

    by Bruce Springsteen
    Autobiographical journey of Bruce Springsteen's life and career as a musician.

    “Writing about yourself is a funny business…But in a project like this, the writer has made one promise, to show the reader his mind. In these pages, I’ve tried to do this.” —Bruce Springsteen, from ... (Goodreads)

  11. I'm with the Band: Confessions of a Groupie

    by Pamela Des Barres
    Memoir of a rock groupie in the 1960s and 70s, detailing her experiences with famous musicians and the wild lifestyle of the era.

    The stylish, exuberant, and remarkably sweet confession of one of the most famous groupies of the 1960s and 70s is back in print in this new edition that includes an afterword on the author's last 15 ... (Goodreads)

  12. The Right Stuff

    by Tom Wolfe
    The heroic story of the first American astronauts, and their incredible feats of courage.

    Tom Wolfe began The Right Stuff at a time when it was unfashionable to contemplate American heroism. Nixon had left the White House in disgrace, the nation was reeling from the catastrophe of ... (Goodreads)

  13. Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination

    by Neal Gabler
    A comprehensive biography of Walt Disney, exploring his life, career, and impact on American culture.

    From Neal Gabler, the definitive portrait of one of the most important figures in twentieth-century American entertainment and cultural history. Seven years in the making and meticulously researched ... (Goodreads)

  14. The Autobiography of Malcolm X

    by Malcolm X
    A gripping account of one man's transformation from criminal to civil rights leader.

    Alternate cover for ISBN 9780345350688 Through a life of passion and struggle, Malcolm X became one of the most influential figures of the 20th Century. In this riveting account, he tells of his ... (Goodreads)

  15. Songbook

    by Nick Hornby
    A collection of essays on the power of music and its impact on our lives, exploring the emotional connections we make with songs.

    “All I have to say about these songs is that I love them, and want to sing along to them, and force other people to listen to them, and get cross when these other people don’t like them as much as I ... (Goodreads)

  16. Love Is a Mix Tape: Life and Loss, One Song at a Time

    by Rob Sheffield
    A memoir of music, love, and loss told through a collection of mix tapes.

    In this stunning memoir, Rob Sheffield, a veteran rock and pop culture critic and staff writer for Rolling Stone magazine, tells the story of his musical coming of age, and how rock music, the first ... (Goodreads)

  17. A Year in Provence

    by Peter Mayle
    A humorous memoir of a British couple's first year in Provence, France, adjusting to the culture shock and idiosyncrasies of their new home.

    In this witty and warm-hearted account, Peter Mayle tells what it is like to realize a long-cherished dream and actually move into a 200-year-old stone farmhouse in the remote country of the Lubéron ... (Goodreads)

  18. Cash

    by Johnny Cash
    Autobiography of Johnny Cash, detailing his life as a musician, struggles with addiction, and personal relationships.

    He was the "Man in Black," a country music legend, and the quintessential American troubadour. He was an icon of rugged individualism who had been to hell and back, telling the tale as never before. ... (Goodreads)

  19. The Lost Continent: Travels in Small Town America

    by Bill Bryson
    A humorous journey through rural America, exploring its secrets and idiosyncrasies.

    'I come from Des Moines. Somebody had to' And, as soon as Bill Bryson was old enough, he left. Des Moines couldn't hold him, but it did lure him back. After ten years in England, he returned to the ... (Goodreads)

  20. Miles: The Autobiography

    by Miles Davis
    An autobiographical account of the life of jazz music legend and innovator Miles Davis.

    For more than forty years Miles Davis has been in the front rank of American music. Universally acclaimed as a musical genius, Miles is one of the most important and influential musicians in the ... (Goodreads)

  21. A Short History of Nearly Everything

    by Bill Bryson
    A captivating overview of the natural sciences, spanning the history of the universe.

    In Bryson's biggest book, he confronts his greatest challenge: to understand—and, if possible, answer—the oldest, biggest questions we have posed about the universe and ourselves. Taking as territory ... (Goodreads)

  22. Them: Adventures with Extremists

    by Jon Ronson
    Exploration of extreme political and fringe groups by an inquisitive journalist.

    Ronson chronicles his travels and interviews with "extremists" and attempts to uncover the mystery behind the "tiny elite that rules the world from inside a secret room". The book is written on the ... (Wikipedia)

  23. Ball Four

    by Jim Bouton
    A candid account of the life of a professional baseball player, exposing the realities of the sport.

    Twentieth-anniversary edition of a baseball classic, with a new epilogue by Jim Bouton. When first published in 1970, Ball Four stunned the sports world. The commissioner, executives, and players ... (Goodreads)

  24. The Fall of Berlin 1945

    by Antony Beevor
    A detailed account of the final days of World War II in Berlin, from the perspectives of both the German and Soviet sides.

    The Red Army had much to avenge when it finally reached the frontiers of the Reich in January 1945. Political instructors rammed home the message of Wehrmacht and SS brutality. The result was the ... (Goodreads)

  25. Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer

    by James L. Swanson
    A detailed account of the 12-day manhunt for John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of President Abraham Lincoln.

    The murder of Abraham Lincoln set off the greatest manhunt in American history – the pursuit and capture of John Wilkes Booth. From April 14 to April 26, 1865, the assassin led Union cavalry troops ... (Barnes & Noble)

  26. On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction

    by William Zinsser
    Comprehensive guide to writing nonfiction, covering craft, style, and technique.

    On Writing Well has been praised for its sound advice, its clarity and the warmth of its style. It is a book for everybody who wants to learn how to write or who needs to do some writing to get ... (Goodreads)

  27. Long Walk to Freedom

    by Nelson Mandela
    A remarkable story of courage, perseverance and hope in the face of oppression.

    Nelson Mandela is one of the great moral and political leaders of our time: an international hero whose lifelong dedication to the fight against racial oppression in South Africa won him the Nobel ... (Goodreads)

  28. Truman

    by David McCullough
    A biographical account of Harry S. Truman's rise to the Presidency and his impact on American history.

    The book provides a biography of Harry Truman in chronological fashion from his birth to his rise to U.S. Senator , Vice President , and President . It follows his activities until death, exploring ... (Wikipedia)

  29. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West

    by Dee Brown
    An in-depth account of the displacement of Native American tribes by the US government.

    Now a special 30th-anniversary edition in both hardcover and paperback, the classic bestselling history The New York Times called "Original, remarkable, and finally heartbreaking...Impossible to put ... (Goodreads)

  30. The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test

    by Tom Wolfe
    A journey through the psychedelic 1960s and the lives of an eclectic group of people.

    Tom Wolfe chronicles the adventures of Ken Kesey and his group of followers. Throughout the work, Kesey is portrayed as desiring the creation of a new religion. Kesey forms a group of followers based ... (Wikipedia)