John and Paul – Leslie Ian (2025)

A majestic biography of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, two young geniuses whose talents combined to create one of the greatest bodies of music in history. Their story begins in 1957, when two teenagers in suburban Liverpool meet and decide to play rock ’n’ roll together, and ends twenty-three years later when one of them is murdered. Along the way, they become global stars, create countless unforgettable songs and help shape the modern world. Lennon and McCartney are more than friends, rivals or collaborators: they are intimates whose worlds were ruptured at a young age and who long to make emotional connections with each other and with their audiences. They pour grief, euphoria and everything in between into the pop song, expressing through music what they cannot say aloud. Even after the Beatles break up, they continue their musical dialogue from a distance through songs filled with recrimination, regret and affection. Drawing on recently released footage and recordings, Ian Leslie traces the twists and turns of their relationship through the music it produced, offering insights into creativity, collaboration and human connection. This fresh biography presents two of the greatest icons in music history anew.