A Tale of Two Beatles Books
Comparing "The Yellow Submarine Gift Book" and "In His Own Write"
The Beatles weren't just revolutionaries of music; they were multimedia pioneers who expanded their creative reach into literature, film, and beyond. Two fascinating examples of their literary output come in the form of "The Yellow Submarine Gift Book" and John Lennon's solo literary debut, "In His Own Write." While both emerged from the same magical mystery world of Beatles lore, they represent distinctly different facets of the band's creative expression during the 1960s.
The Yellow Submarine Gift Book (1968)
"The Yellow Submarine Gift Book," published in 1968 by World Distributors in Manchester, was the authorized companion to the Beatles' psychedelic animated film. This vibrant hardcover, standing at an impressive 12" x 8½", featured colorful illustrations throughout, showcasing Heinz Edelmann's distinctive design work that captured the film's surreal visual style.
As a piece of Beatles merchandise, this book has become quite scarce, especially in good condition. Original copies featured a 12/6 (twelve shillings and sixpence) price sticker in pre-decimal British currency. The book featured characters from the film including the Blue Meanies, Old Fred, the Lord Mayor, and the Boob.
Some copies also came with press-out figures and coloring activities, making it interactive for young fans. It represented the more accessible, whimsical side of the Beatles' creative output – designed as a commercial tie-in that brought the film's fantastical world into homes across Britain.
In His Own Write (1964)
John Lennon's "In His Own Write," published in 1964 by Jonathan Cape, represents something altogether different – the unfiltered creative consciousness of Lennon himself. This collection of surreal short stories, poems, and drawings established Lennon as a genuine literary talent beyond his songwriting.
The book emerged at the height of Beatlemania but offered something far more complex than the band's early love songs. Lennon's prose was experimental, playful, and often dark, displaying influences from Lewis Carroll, Edward Lear, and The Goon Show. His wordplay involved puns, malapropisms, and deliberate misspellings that created a distinctive literary voice.
Critics compared his writing to James Joyce, though Lennon claimed he hadn't read Joyce before writing the book. "In His Own Write" became a literary sensation, selling around 300,000 copies in Britain alone and cementing perceptions of Lennon as "the smart one" among the Beatles.
Historical Context and Reception
The timing of these publications reveals much about the Beatles' evolution. "In His Own Write" emerged in 1964 when the band was still largely perceived as a pop phenomenon. Its critical success helped legitimize Lennon and the Beatles in literary and intellectual circles, challenging the notion that pop musicians lacked artistic depth.
By contrast, "The Yellow Submarine Gift Book" appeared in 1968, when the Beatles had already established themselves as artistic innovators. The film and book represented a commercialization of their psychedelic phase, making their more experimental ideas accessible to children and casual fans.
Critics hailed "In His Own Write" as a work of genuine literary merit. The Times Literary Supplement wrote that it "is worth the attention of anyone who fears for the impoverishment of the English language and British imagination." It sold out its first day of publication and went through multiple reprints.
The "Yellow Submarine Gift Book," while primarily marketed as a movie tie-in, has gained value among collectors over time. Its colorful illustrations captured the visual aesthetic of a pivotal moment in pop culture history, though it didn't receive the same literary acclaim as Lennon's work.
Personal Assessment
Being a lifelong Beatles fan, I've pored over both these works, and they represent two fascinating sides of the Beatles' creative coin. "In His Own Write" reveals the darker, more complex corners of Lennon's imagination – the brilliant wordplay, the sardonic humor, and the underlying melancholy that would later surface in songs like "Strawberry Fields Forever" and "I Am the Walrus."
The "Yellow Submarine Gift Book," meanwhile, embodies the Beatles' ability to create joyful, inclusive art that appeals across generations. Its bright colors and fantastical characters transport you to a place "where nothing is real" but everything is wonderful.
If I had to choose between them, I'd say "In His Own Write" is the more significant work. Its literary merit stands independent of Beatlemania, and it gives deeper insight into Lennon's unique genius. It anticipated his later, more sophisticated songwriting and revealed a talent that might have flourished further had his life not been cut short.
That said, the "Yellow Submarine Gift Book" isn't without its charms. It captures a moment when the Beatles had transcended merely being a band to become a cultural phenomenon – when their ideas could spawn animated worlds filled with Blue Meanies and Pepperland.
Conclusion
When comparing these two works, the contrast is striking – one represents John Lennon the individual artist stretching beyond music into literature, while the other captures the Beatles as a commercial enterprise and cultural force. Together, they demonstrate the remarkable breadth of the Beatles' influence on 1960s culture.
"In His Own Write" showed that a Beatle could be taken seriously in literary circles, while the "Yellow Submarine Gift Book" proved that Beatles creativity could be packaged and enjoyed by fans of all ages. Both have become collector's items – prized artifacts from a band that changed not just music, but visual art, film, fashion, and literature as well.
To quote a bit of Lennon-esque wordplay – with these books, the fab four proved they could be more than just a band, they could be a "bund of wild straporites trampling the verbiage of conventional society." And that's why, nearly sixty years on, we're still talking about these charming artifacts from the most influential band in pop history.