The Fifth Beatle

the long version

"In 1961, twenty-seven-year-old Brian Epstein walked into a dank Liverpool basement to see an unknown rock band perform--and our world was forever changed. The fifth Beatle is Epstein's untold true story: the tale of a genuine visionary who discovered, managed, and guided the Beatles to unprecedented international stardom, rewriting the rule of the pop music business in the process. But Brian Epstein was also the ultimate outsider, constantly searching for a place where he might belong. He helped spread the Beatles' message of love to the entire world, yet died painfully lonely at the young age of thirty-two, consumed by staggering ambition and the endless, seemingly insurmountable struggles that came with it."--P. [4] of cover.