Philip Norman (author)

Philip Norman (born 13 April 1943) is an English author, novelist, journalist and playwright. He is best known for his critically acclaimed biographies of the Beatles (Shout!), the Rolling Stones, Buddy Holly and Elton John. His other books include similar studies of John Lennon and Mick Jagger. Norman's biography of Paul McCartney was published in 2016.

Norman was born in London but grew up in Ryde, on the Isle of Wight. He attended Ryde School, and his father, Clive Norman, ran the Seagull Ballroom on Ryde Pier. He describes his childhood in the book Babycham Night. Relatives of his produced the eponymous champagne perry in Shepton Mallet.

Norman began working as a staff writer for The Sunday Times in 1965. In addition to writing the newspaper's Atticus column, he gained notice during the late 1960s and over the following decade for his profiles of public figures such as Elizabeth Taylor, P.G. Wodehouse and Muammar Gaddafi, and of musical artists, including James Brown, Little Richard, the Beach Boys, Fleetwood Mac, Rod Stewart and the Everly Brothers.

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