‘Top of the Mountain’ is top of my list for Beatles book

It was written by Santa Rosa resident Laurie Jacobson

In the weeks to come, there may be several mentions on this page of that little band from Liverpool, the Beatles. Indeed, preliminary work on a future story involving you, the reader, mentions the Fab Four often.

A new tome about the Beatles, suitable for nightstands or coffee tables, has been released. Titled, “Top of the Mountain,” it was written by Santa Rosa resident Laurie Jacobson. The book reviews the planning of, and the events leading up to, a groundbreaking concert that took place New York City on Sunday, Aug. 15, 1965.

The sold-out show was held at Shea Stadium, home to the then lowly New York Mets. The team was only in their fourth year of playing, having been created to replace the recently departed Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants. On the day of the show, with a temporary stage erected out near second base, the team was suffering through a dismal season. Their record that day was 35-81-1. They apparently played to a tie early in the season at the then still unlighted Wrigley Field in Chicago. They finished that year with a 59-112-2 record.

The concert by the Beatles was, therefore, by far the best thing that happened at Shea that season.

Jacobson’s book is written in a charming narrative and interview style. It is filled with personal anecdotes, quotes from attendees (which included a surprising number of future celebrity types) and dozens of photographs of the crowd, the opening acts and of course, the Beatles.

The title of the book comes from a quote of John Lennon’s. He said, “That concert at Shea Stadium…I saw the top of the mountain on that unforgettable night.” That concert, as noted in the book, was unforgettable enough to begin to push the band towards stopping the tours. The screaming crowds and the under-powered public address speaker systems made hearing themselves almost impossible. The pressure cooker environment the Beatles experienced added to the notion of pulling the plug.

All this and more is discussed in this well written and easily accessible volume. A detailed index makes it an important reference source for any Beatles fan. Look for it all the usual book outlets.