Bruce Spizer is one of the foremost Beatles authors when it comes to the subject of Beatles record releases in the US. His seven books, ("The Beatles Records on Vee-Jay", "The Beatle’s Story on Capitol Records" - parts 1 & 2, "The Beatles on Apple Records", "The Beatles Are Coming!", "The Beatles Solo on Apple Records", "The Beatles Swan Song") have set the bar for almost obsessive accuracy in research, leaving no minutia uncovered. Most of Spizer's previous books have concentrated on US releases, be it Vee Jay, Capitol, Swan, etc. With his 8th book, "Beatles for Sale on Parlophone Records", he comes full circle. Now the concentration is on the UK releases: 45 rpm singles, extended play records, and albums. This book is probably Spizer's most important book, Since the UK releases were truly "as nature intended" and the only officially sanctioned Beatles records.

As in his previous books, the same format is followed: release dates, label variations (including photos), recording dates and the stories behind the songs, and chart performances. Also included is a portable 25-page checklist of all UK Beatles records with all label variations listed. In Spizer's attention to detail, the aborted "Yellow Submarine" EP is discussed in the EP section, along with a computer-generated "what if" cover. Finally, there is a section covering the history of EMI, including the manufacture of 33-1/3 long playing albums, 45-rpm singles, and the labels themselves.

As some of the stories are repeats from previous Spizer books, there are inevitable, but necessary repeats. But there is enough Beatles minutia to keep even the most rabid fan satisfied. My enjoyment was finding stories & facts (mostly about the album covers) not previously mentioned, such as:

• The orange blog on the cover of "Beatles For Sale" is actually Tony Bramwell's hand - as he was holding back tree branches for the photo shoot.
• The back photo on "Beatles For Sale" is not a simple picture - The Beatles image was cropped and superimposed over a background of leaves.
• The "Help" cover wasn't shot on location for the movie - but rather it was taken at Twickenham Film Studios on a specially constructed platform.
• Part of the "Rubber Soul" cover was airbrushed to hide a loose thread on John's jacket. However, the untouched photo still made the cover of some releases, such as Argentina!

And then there are the photos! Those familiar with Spizer's Beatle tomes have come to expect the full-color pictures (many of them unseen in color before). While some of the photos are again the inevitable repeats, there are a few new ones, such as the previously mentioned "Rubber Soul" original cover; Paul's original lyric sheet for "Lovely Rita"; The Russian "Sgt. Pepper" complete with a Russian-ized drum and the added Beatles fan in the crowd (actually, the owner of the Russian Anfon label, Andre Tropillo); and the cover of "Disc and Music Echo" showing an alternate "Butcher" shot. New is the superb artwork of Eric Cash (ericcashillustration.com) and his excellent renderings of the Beatles.

Having information from his previous books available in ONE book alone makes Bruce Spizer's, "Beatles for Sale on Parlophone Records" a vital addition to any Beatles library. At 444 pages (plus the insert), this could be the most important book documenting Beatles' records.