Before I read this book I knew just a few things about George Martin: he'd worked making comedy records, classical records, and the Beatles; plus he played piano some and did arranging. That's it. Then I read his book. Before I get into what is good about it, let me start by saying that it was not written for engineers or recordists. There are no track-by-track breakdowns of how "Rain" was recorded. There is very little discussion about gear, much less settings or formulas. There are some explanations of working with 4-track and 8-track machines, some mic placement comments, and the invention of flanging (both the technique and the term). I know there are books that cover this sort of thing in great detail, but this ain't one of 'em. The greatness in this book lies in finding out how George Martin fell into the whole process. Doing comedy records with Flanders & Swann led to recording Beyond the Fringe and Peter Sellars. Often, producers (especially this one) get placed on pedestals for their work-and no question that he did great, wonderful stuff-but he reveals the very human things that happened: dealing with Beatles fans, infighting, getting great performances, trying new ideas. Plus, he talks about all the crap, frustration, and low-pay he had to deal with as an employee of EMI (before anything like producer's points had been established) despite making them millions. The creation of AIR Studios, pre and post-Beatles projects, and the beginnings of digital recording are covered too, though only through the original publication date of 1979. Best, throughout he seems to be genuinely curious and enthusiastic about music and recording. I found it fascinating, and I recommend it unreservedly. It's got pictures, too. I got mine used through amazon.com; it shouldn't be too tough to find.