How to listen to the Beatles re-releases?


There have been some stupid questions asked on these forums over the years, and several of those stupid questions have come from me. Perhaps here's another one for the ages...

I'm 38 and have never really listened to the Beatles catalog. I own "Peppers", "Rubber Soul" and "Abby Road" on vinyl, plus "Love", but wouldn't say I'm as familiar with their body of work as I am with, say, R.E.M (they were "my" band during my high-school and college years).

However, I've pre-ordered both the stereo and mono Beatles re-releases. What's the best way to re-introduce myself to the genius of the "fab four"?

Should I sit down and work my way through their collection chronologically? Is there a good companion book to read through while I listen? Should I listen to an album over-and-over until I really "get it" before moving on to the next? Both mono and stereo?

There are albums that I pick up and think "Wow...It would have been awesome to listen to this the first day it was released." Fleetwood Mac's "Rumors". CCR's "Willy...". Rush's "Moving Pictures". Etc. The excitement of the release. The cultural and musical context. The significance. I'll never be able to experience that with the Beatles, and I'd like to put myself in a place (mentally) to really listen to the Beatles for the first time (again).

Does this make sense? Blast away. I figure I couple of people will understand what I'm asking and have some thoughtful suggestions.
128x128nrenter
It's perfectly alright to have the opinion to not like the Beatles or say their overated, however, history/the world has spoken so that opinion is irrelavant.
Jim, Originally, the stereo version, but my mono box set arrived later today and I listened to Rubber Soul, Sgt Peppers, and A Hard Days Night in MONO. The mono versions are excellent and the difference between the mono and stereo mixes are very pronounced in Sgt Peppers. The new mono remaster of A Hard Days Night overshadows the 1987 mono version by far. The remasters have more body, clarity, pacing and resolution. When I listen to the 1987 versions, it's as if I was listening through a door and the new remasters has put the music right in front of you. I am both happy and impressed with the remasters!!
Thanks. The NY Times reviewer said there was little difference between the stereo versions of Rubber Soul, so I was wondering whether your experience was different.

I've ordered the original and new re-masters of the stereo versions of Abbey Road and the White Album to make the comparison. Some reviewers have said the difference the stereo remasters make is most pronounced on these recordings.

I'd like to believe the new versions are better, and if so I will buy them. But I confess I'm a bit skeptical: I've done comparisons between the Rolling Stones original and re-mastered versions, and the original ones are far superior.