The Politics Show17 Mar 2025

How The Beatles' love story shaped the 20th Century

A fateful meeting at a village fête "tilted" the 20th Century "on its axis"

So argues Ian Leslie in his new book, John and Paul: A Love Story in Songs.

In the book, Leslie argues that The Beatles didn't just dominate pop culture - they redefined how we see ourselves.

He reframes the relationship between John Lennon and Paul McCartney as a kind of love story, which shaped the second half of the 20th Century and continues to influence us today.

Leslie joins Kate Mossman on Culture from the New Statesman to discuss the book, The Beatles and their legacy.

John & Paul: A Love Story in Songs is available from March 27 in book shops and online. Pre-order it here*

The author Deborah Levy has reviewed the book for New Statesman. Her review is available to read online now, and will appear in the March 20 issue of the New Statesman magazine.

Get full access to all the New Statesman's cultural reviews - as well as our leading politics and global affairs reporting - by becoming a subscriber from just £8.99 per month. Visit www.newstatesman.com/offer.

Get the best of the New Statesman direct to your inbox every weekend for FREE by signing up to our newsletter, The Saturday Read. Visit saturdayread.substack.com.

*Purchasing a book may earn the New Statesman a commission from Bookshop.org, who support independent bookshops.

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