Baby's in Black
Astrid Kirchherr, Stuart Sutcliffe, and The Beatles in Hamburg
By Arne Bellstorf
(First Second, Hardcover, 9781596437715, 208pp.)
Publication Date: May 8, 2012
Categories: Literary
 |     |
Selected by Indie Booksellers for the Summer 2012 Kids' Next List“Though this is a graphic novel featuring The Beatles, it is primarily a love story -- that of Astrid Kirchherr, a young photographer who discovered The Beatles in a basement club and fell in love with their bass player, Stuart Sutcliffe. Bellstorf captures Astrid's story and The Beatles' early difficulties while hinting at the post-Beatles life Stuart might have had. A glimpse at the beginnings of cultural icons and an important period of history, Baby's in Black is ultimately the bittersweet tale of a real-life romance.”
-- Marika McCoola, Odyssey Bookshop, South Hadley, MA
Description
A fascinating, exhilarating portrait of the Beatles in their early years.
Meet the Beatles . . . right at the beginning of their careers. This gorgeous, high-energy graphic novel is an intimate peek into the early years of the world’s greatest rock band. The heart of Baby’s In Black is a love story. The “fifth Beatle,” Stuart Sutcliffe, falls in love with the beautiful Astrid Kirchherr when she recruits the Beatles for a sensational (and famous) photography session during their time in Hamburg. When the band returns to the UK, Sutcliffe quits, becomes engaged to Kirchherr, and stays in Hamburg. A year later, his meteoric career as a modern artist is cut short when he dies unexpectedly. The book ends as it begins, with Astrid, alone and adrift; but with a note of hope: her life is incomparably richer and more directed thanks to her friendship with the Beatles and her love affair with Sutcliffe. This tender story is rendered in lush, romantic black-and-white artwork.Baby’s In Black is based on a true story.
About the Author
Arne Bellstorf was born in Dannenberg, Germany in 1979. Since 2006 he has been writing and illustrating a monthly comic page for a German newspaper, Der Tagesspiegel. Baby’s In Black garnered unprecedented success in the German market, finding fans from all walks of life. Arne Bellstorf lives in Hamburg, Germany.
This book is on these lists:
Great New Teen Books for Summer by bboParty_like_lmfao's Wish List by party_like_lmfao
All lists >>
 |
Flight Behavior Barbara Kingsolver Harper |
 |
The Art Forger Barbara Shapiro Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill |
 |
Sweeth Tooth Ian McEwan Nan A. Talese |
 |
The Light Between Oceans ML Steadman Scribner |
