Contest: Enter to win 6 author-signed books about the Beatles!

Contest Time!

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In celebration of all these sexy authors and their books, I’ve decided to have a contest.  Leave a comment below to be entered.  One entry per email/person.  Contest ends on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2015 at 11:59 p.m.  I will have Random.org select a winning entry.  It’s really that simple!

Here’s what you’ll win.  All books (except Dee Elias’) are signed by the author!

Solo in the 70s: John, Paul, George and Ringo 1970-1980 by Robert Rodriguez

Revolver: How the Beatles Reimagined Rock ‘n’ Roll by Robert Rodriguez

Confessions of a Beatlemaniac by Dee Elias

“We’re Going to See the Beatles!” by Garry Berman

The Beatle Who Vanished by Jim Berkenstadt

Changin’ Times: 101 Days That Shaped a Generation by Al Sussman

Good luck!

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Book Review: “Son of a Beach Boy” by Scott Wilson

Me and Scott Wilson at MANCIt’s really a shame that Son of a Beach Boy is so poorly written, because the stories within are just amazing.  This is Scott Wilson‘s story of growing up as the son of Beach Boy Dennis Wilson.  It’s his story that was adapted into this book by an acquaintance of his.  Despite it’s less than stellar writing, it’s well worth picking up to read.

I had the pleasure of meeting Scott Wilson this past weekend at the Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention where he was appearing and signing his book.  His friend Mitch was standing in front of my table where I was selling Beatles books.  Mitch and I started talking and next thing I know, he says, I’m here with the son of a Beach Boy.  He called Scott over, told me about his book, so I made a point to get a copy (and a picture with him…he’s really good looking!).

Scott pours his heart out in this book and at one point brought tears to my eyes when he tells of being sent away to a school in Guatemala.  I actually had to put the book down and go distract myself for a while before going to bed.  The stories are so engaging, and the book is not very long, that I was able to finish it the next morning.

Once you get past the fact that this is written on the level of a high school report, you won’t be able to put it down.  And if you ever get the chance to meet Scott, you’ll be as enamored with him as I was and still am.  And though he doesn’t mention them in this book, he does have stories of his dad hanging out with Paul McCartney.

Scott’s led a roller coaster ride of a life as the son of one of the greatest American bands that ever graced this earth and his story deserves to be heard.  I can only hope that this book falls into the right hands and a publisher take him under his wings and turns this book into the book that is deserving of such a great story.

Unfortunately, due to the writing….

I rate this book: 3 out of 4 Beetles!

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MoonGlow PR & Beatles Freak Reviews to bring Fab Books to the Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention | PRLog

MoonGlow PR & Beatles Freak Reviews to bring Fab Books to the Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention. MoonGlow PR in conjunction with Beatles Freak Reviews will be in attendance at the 2015 Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention in Hunt Valley, MD on September 17-19, 2015. – PR12486435

Source: MoonGlow PR & Beatles Freak Reviews to bring Fab Books to the Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention | PRLog

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Book Review: “Ramones: An American Band” by Jim Bessman

I picked this book up several years ago at an online clearance sale.  My intent was for my husband to read it, since I really never dug The Ramones.  Then I found out that they were heavily influenced by the Beatles. And, there is no lack of Beatles references in this book! Even the story of them rewriting the lyrics to a John Lennon song and getting Yoko’s permission to record it.

Ramones: An American Band was published in 1993, long before Johnny, Joey, Dee Dee, Marky, or any other Ramone wrote their autobiography. In fact, it was written prior to the band breaking up in 1996, so it’ll bring you right up to what was the present moment of the band at that time.

The Ramones are credited with creating Punk music. What a lot of people thought was just a joke band that would never last went on to become one of the greatest bands of all time. This is a band who was the influence behind the Sex Pistols, Debbie Harry and so many Punk bands of the 70’s and 80’s. And though they never enjoyed huge commercial success or even a #1 hit, Spin magazine ranked them the second-greatest band of all time trailing only the Beatles.

I’m glad I took the time to read this book and to get to know the Ramones. This book has made me want to pick up each of the band members autobiographies and get their individual views of how the Punk scene looked from the inside.

You can still buy this book online at all the major retailers, with used copies starting at $0.01.

I rate this book: 3 out of 4 Beetles!

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Book Review: “Clapton: The Autobiography” by Eric Clapton

One thing leads to another… and after reading George Harrison’s “I, Me, Mine” and Pattie Boyd’s “Wonderful Tonight,” the next obvious choice seemed to be to read, Clapton: The Autobiography.  (For those not in the know, Eric stole George’s wife Pattie).  The odd thing is…I’m not a Eric Clapton fan.  Oh sure, I like Layla and Tears in Heaven, but those songs were #1 songs, but I always found Wonderful Tonight to be so overplayed and too sappy!  Yet…

I couldn’t put this book down!

Eric Clapton started out his young life a lot like John Lennon did…with an absentee father and being raised by someone other than his mother.  But his story had an odd twist in that he was led to believe his grandparents were his real parents and his uncle was his brother.  This bizarre family situation played out in so many ways throughout his life and career as he spent half a decade looking for the acceptance he never got from his mother.  Sound familiar?

Somewhere along the way, through all the obsessions and addictions with women, alcohol and drugs, Clapton managed to have several short lived, yet very successful bands.  His guitar playing reached a God-like status early and carried him on to become one of the most respected guitar players of today, despite the turmoil going on in the background.

Eventually, Eric cleaned himself up and is now a family man who tires easily on the road when touring.  He even mentions his recommendation for the best parenting book and speaks openly about his need to help others achieve their own sobriety.

You can buy a copy of Eric Clapton’s autobiography for $0.01 at Amazon, or for $0.75 at Half.com.

I rate this book: 4 out of 4 Beetles!

 

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Book Review: “The New Norm: Lessons from a look-alike” by Mike Oltersdorf

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The New Norm by Mike and Dan Oltersdorf came up on Amazon as a suggested read while I was looking at another book.  What attracted me to this book, besides the fact that this guy looks like my favorite Beatle, is that he has Parkinson’s disease.  I spent many years working in nursing homes as a nurses aid and I’ve seen the devastation that Parkinson’s can reek on someone’s body.  Trust me folks, Alzheimer’s has nothing on Parkinson’s.  My heart goes out to Mike.

Mike Oltersdorf didn’t always look like Paul McCartney.  It wasn’t until his late 40’s after gaining 40 pounds that people started to tell him his resembled the cute Beatle.  This lead to many years of him working as a celebrity look-alike and winning the Beatles Look-alike contest 12 times at Beatles Fest.  But nothing could prepare him for the Parkinson’s diagnosis that made him feel as if his exciting career was over.  Or was it?

This book is Mike’s (and his son Dan) story of how he managed to spin a new take on his life and how he found enlightenment from the lyrics of two Beatles songs.  And through these lyrics, he passes his gift on to the world to teach us all how to live the new norm everyday.

This book is just 80 pages, but packs a punch and ends with a worksheet to help you find your gift to share with the world.  Proceeds from each book benefit the National Parkinson Foundation, so even if you just buy the $0.99 Kindle version, you can know you’ve helped others, but I think you’ll enjoy Mike’s message.

You can order Mike’s book in paperback or for Kindle at Amazon.

I rate this book: 3 out of 4 Beetles!

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Book Review: “It’s Sid Bernstein Calling” by Sid Bernstein

Maybe it was just a coincidence, but the fact that I started reading this book this week became really surreal when I realized, it’s been two years this week since Sid departed this earth.  And throughout this week, while reading It’s Sid Bernstein Calling, there have been a lot of other coincidences too.  Just as I put the book down for a moment, something will come on TV or someone will bring up a topic that I just read about in this book.  Makes me think Sid’s still with us.

What a wonderful man Sid was.  I had the pleasure of meeting him twice in my lifetime and he was a joy to be around.  And I attended the memorial tribute they had for him in NYC where I ran into the lovely May Pang while standing in line.

May and I at Sid Bernstein tribute show Feb. 2014

May and I at Sid Bernstein tribute show Feb. 2014

Once again, I digress.

This book was a real surprise to me.  I had no idea what an incredible man Sid Bernstein was beyond his dealings with bring the Beatles to America and a few other various artists.  Sid Bernstein was in WW1…in Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge.  He started managing musicians when he was just 14 years old and never stopped.  And this book is written, just as if Sid were sitting in front of you, modestly telling it to you himself.  Not only did he represent some of the biggest names in show business, he rejected some of the biggest names in show business (Barbra Streisand!).

Sid’s book is out of print, but you can still buy new and used copies at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Half.com.

I rate this book: 4 out of 4 Beetles!

 

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Tea for Tuesday: Review of Mrs. McCartney’s 50 Shades of Earl Grey

Mrs. Angie McCartney’s Organic Teas

50 Shades of Earl Grey

 

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Tea(s) From: Sri Lanka
Region(s): Nuwara Eliya + Dimbula + Uva
Antioxidant Level: High
Caffeine Content: Medium

 

This is my last review in my Tea for Tuesday series.  I hope you’ve enjoyed my reviews and that they are a help to everyone in selecting a tea that is right for you from Mrs. Angie McCartney’s Organic and Fair Trade Teas.  If not, do what I did and order yourself the variety pack and sample them all for yourself!  And while you’re on the site, be sure to order yourself a copy of Angie McCartney’s book, My Long and Winding Road.  A used copy of her book sells for over $75 on Amazon, but you can get a brand new signed copy directly from Angie from her website.  And in case you’re wondering, I get nothing from referrals to Angie’s site.  I just think she’s swell, as well as her book and teas!

50 Shades of Earl Grey was a great way to end this series of reviews.  This tea is grand!  And even though I chose to pair it with a mixed fruit tart, you could enjoy this tea with just about anything.  Morning, noon or night, this tea would be a delightful choice.  Bold and floral, it’s the tea you dream of when you think of English tea.

Great job on this one, Angie…and we can’t help but love the name!

 

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Book Review: “Wonderful Tonight” by Pattie Boyd

Wonderful Tonight: George Harrison, Eric Clapton, and Me by Pattie Boyd was written in 2007.  This book should be used as a learning tool for all models and teenagers that dream of marrying a rockstar!  Her story is also proof positive that growing up in a rich family doesn’t necessarily mean you had a happy childhood.

At the tender age of 20, Pattie Boyd married George Harrison at the height of Beatlemania.  But after several years, as her marriage started to crumble, Eric Clapton took a fancy to her and from what appears to be a case of jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire, Pattie left George and ended up married to Eric.

Throughout this book, Pattie questions just about every romantic decision she’s ever made…even as they were happening to her. She brings us through her two well publicized divorces; her striving to be on her own; George’s death and the tragic death of Eric’s son from an affair he had while married to her, only coming out of the haze in her early 40s realizing she doesn’t know who Pattie Boyd is aside from the ex-Mrs. Harrison and ex-Mrs. Clapton.

Pattie does a great job telling her life story and letting you in on the private lives of both her ex-husbands.  There are a few stories along the way that contradict other people’s versions of the same tales, but she tells you in the beginning of the book that this books tells the stories the way she remembers them.

Oh…and in case you’re wondering (since we are talking about George again!), there is plenty of pot smoking and acid dropping in this book too!

You can buy copies of Wonderful Tonight on Amazon or Half.com for $0.01 or more.

I rate this book: 4 out of 4 Beetles!

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Tea for Tuesday: Review of Mrs. McCartney’s Penny Lane Peppermint

Mrs. Angie McCartney’s Organic Teas

Penny Lane Peppermint

 

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Tea(s) From: Sri Lanka
Region(s): Nuwara Eliya + Dimbula + Uva
Antioxidant Level: High
Caffeine Content: Medium

 

What an incredible treat this tea was after last week’s disappointment.  Penny Lane Peppermint isn’t just a mint tea…it’s a chocolate mint tea!  Yes, chocolate lovers…this tea is for you.  It’s a beautiful medium-dark tea with lots of flavor.  And when I paired it with a creamy chocolate mousse, it was the perfect end to an otherwise stressful day.  I will admit that I sweetened this one up just a bit more when I poured my second cup to get that creamy chocolate flavor to pop.

Love this tea, Angie!  Good job…considering I’m usually not a fan of mint flavored teas, I’d buy this one in a heartbeat!

 

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