Birthday Book of the Day: "I used to think that anyone doing anything weird was weird. I suddenly realized that anyone doing anything weird wasn't weird at all and it was the people saying they were weird that were weird."

A quarter century ago, the joke had a teen bursting in to ask his dad, “Did you know Paul McCartney was in a band before Wings?”

Today the teen asks his grandfather, “Who’s Paul McCartney?”

But to history and persons of a certain age, Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, CH is 75 years old today.

Yesterday, McCartney- one of the two surviving Beatles- was made a Companion of Honor in Queen Elizabeth’s birthday honors list for the 100th anniversary of the creation of the Companions in 1917.

It’s a singular honor for McCartney, who was knighted twenty years ago. The Companions are limited to 65 members, and the members are are mostly extremely elderly former politicians and war heroes (32 of the 65 are between age 80 and 101). Artists are thin on the ground in their ranks.

McCartney unquestionably merits the elevation, which honors extraordinary services to the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. A self-taught musician, he is a walking record book: he holds 21 Grammys, and has been elected to the Rock & Roll Hall of fame twice (once in a group, once as a solo act).

His song, Yesterday, has been covered over 2,200 times; 32 of his songs have been #1 hits. A shrewd investor, his holdings include copyright to over 25,000 songs, as well as Broadway shows like Grease, A Chorus Line, and Guys and Dolls. His personal fortune is estimated at over a billion dollars.

He is the author of 23 books, mostly anthologies of his music, and the only rock star known to have designed a set of postage stamps.

McCartney’s fans can even dream of terraforming and settling Minor Planet 4148, 186 million miles from Earth.

Henry Bemis Books celebrates McCartney’s birthday with a fine collectible anthology:

 

The Beatles Anthology (Chronicle Books, stated 1st ed., 1st printing, 2000). ISBN 0-8118-2684-8. Folio, 10” x 13.25”, Hardcover, unclipped dust jacket. A collection of the Fab Four’s writings and illustrative material reviewing their lives and career as a band. Very good condition. 367 pp. HBB price: $99.95 obo.

Henry Bemis Books is one man’s attempt to bring more diversity and quality to a Charlotte-Mecklenburg market of devoted readers starved for choices. Our website is at www.henrybemisbookseller.blogspot.com. Henry Bemis Books is also happy to entertain reasonable offers on items in inventory; for pricing on this or others items, kindly private message us. Shipping is always free to US locations; local buyers are welcome to drop by and pick up their purchases at our location off Peachtree Road in Northwest Charlotte if they like.

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