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Hailing from a small town in Idaho, Ken Mansfield became the U.S. Manager of Capital Records back when The Beatles were born. In The White Book, he shares his experiences from the vortex of this tumultuous period in musical history with a uniquely charismatic voice.
The book cover will remind you of the Beatles’ album cover, and the pages are printed in a (sometimes blinding) rainbow of colors. There are plenty of excellent photographs and other memorabilia laced throughout. And the story is sweetened with several colorful vignettes of Mansfield’s encounters with other artists, including Eric Clapton, Brian Wilson, Mama Cass, and Roy Orbison.
Although there’s a lot of jumping back and forth throughout the years, the story flows nicely. There’s a good deal of “shop” talk here, as well as details about the politics of the music industry, both of which I could have done without. Nonetheless, the narrative is peppered with interesting observations about the individual band members’ unique personalities and quirks. And unlike many other insider accounts of what it was like to chill with the lads, there’s no mudslinging going on here.
Mansfield is a likeable narrator, and it’s interesting to watch him step back from the center of things and humbly observe his experiences with a grateful sense of awe.
His clever lines and healthy outlook toward life make for a satisfying read. And The White Book is written with a tenderness and passion that make it obvious that this man absolutely loved his work.
