Appian Way Press

Alan Levy is a college student who, in the fall of 1960, spends a semester abroad in Hamburg, Germany. There, he has the misfortune to rent a room next door to an up-and-coming rock and roll band from the North of England. They call themselves the Beatles and are loud, rambunctious, and high-spirited. The boys are wildly unconventional (at least compared to Alan’s Ivy League polish) and play horrible, jarring music at all hours of the night. They are friends, however, with a young woman with whom Alan has fallen hopelessly in love—a beautiful German photographer named Astrid. The Boys Next Door is a bittersweet love story and a tall tale. It is a fast-paced, comic what-if, and a true fantasy fulfillment for Beatle fans everywhere. It’s a loving evocation of a time when rock and roll was new and dangerous. The lads from Liverpool were taking their first baby steps toward conquering the world.

“Blends reality, imagination, romance, wit and whimsy to conjure up the Fab Four on the cusp of stardom.  Greenberger’s writing is vivid, his ear is keen, and his sense of wonder is contagious.” –RON SCHAUMBURG, AUTHOR, GROWING UP WITH THE BEATLES

“Dan Greenberger’s inspiration for this book came from a vision of a man on a flaming pie who said, ‘You will write a brilliant novel about the Beatles’ early days in Hamburg that Beatle maniacs will love. And be sure to spell Beatles with an A.”     –GARY KROEGER, SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE

“A fantastic book.  The more you know about the Beatles, the funnier it is.” –GARY SHAPIRO, FROM THE BOOKSHELF