Excerpt from Mark Lewisohn's long-awaited Beatles bio, plus interview: Plus how to order

The Daily Telegraph has published a John Lennon-focused excerpt from, "Tune In," the first volume of Beatles historian Mark Lewisohn's massive three-part biography of the group.

Read it here. You also can see an interview with the author here.

It should be noted, Lewisohn's book comes in a few different editions. The U.S. version is out Oct. 29 in hardcover and on Kindle. In Britain, the book also is being released in hardcover and on Kindle, and in an much-expanded, 1,700-plus-page version that includes more text and notes. The regular hardcover edition runs close to 950 pages. So, if you're ordering from the States, the expanded version will cost you about $120.

Here's more info on the expanded version:

This extended special edition of Mark Lewisohn's magisterial book Tune In is a true collector's item, featuring hundreds of thousands of words of extra material, as well as many extra photographs. It is the complete, uncut and definitive biography of the Beatles' early years, from their family backgrounds through to the moment they're on the cusp of their immense breakthrough at the end of 1962.

Designed, printed and bound in Great Britain, this high-quality edition consists of two beautifully produced individual hardbacks printed on New Langely Antique Wove woodfree paper, with red-and-white head and tail bands and red ribbon marker. The two books will sit within a specially designed box and lid featuring soft touch and varnish finishes. The whole product comes shrinkwrapped for extra protection.

Mark Lewisohn's biography is the first true and accurate account of the Beatles, a contextual history built upon impeccable research and written with energy, style, objectivity and insight. This extended special edition is for anyone who wishes to own the complete story in all its stunning and extraordinary detail. This is genuinely, and without question, the lasting word from the world-acknowledged authority.

That's a lot of dough and a lot of Beatles. But if you read the whole works, you will win every Beatles trivia contest, ever. Something to think about.

I'm a Beatles nut, obviously, and an admirer of Lewisohn's previous chronologies of the Beatles' career. But even I'm wondering if I can make such a long slog through the Beatles' pre-fame years.