Month: September 2026

LOVE THIS TYPE OF BOOK!

Here we have the autobiography of a Liverpool taxi driver who came to be known as the Beatles cabbie. Brian Epstein used to call Eddie for his advice about the matters of the pressures of managing a very successful band. Sometimes it is not the earth-shattering news stories that are important in capturing the spirit of the times. Many of these books do not circulate on a mass scale and that is another element of attraction for me.

They have important stories to reveal, yet are not always widely available. Many are independently published and reach a small audience, and those good stories are lost to the public at large. That is what holds the fascination of these titles for me. As stated on numerous times on this blog, the Beatles story is analogous to a giant puzzle. No one has the complete full story or all of the pieces; it is comprised of little pieces that help to paint a small part of the whole magical marshmallow pie. Here is another little piece of the pie for you to consume…

A brief book description:

There You Are, Eddie – Autobiography of a Liverpool Cabbie Is the true and remarkable life story of Eddie Willis. A cabbie’s cabbie, Eddie has met many folks over the course of his 50-year career. Many of them told him he should write a book. This is it. With the ease of a natural storyteller, Eddie’s voice rings loud and clear from every page. It’s a rare, poignant and moving account of how one working-class man didn’t let working with the world’s most famous people go to his head. And what he built instead “You’re not just a taxi driver. You’re a therapist, psychiatrist and a philosopher.” John Lennon

Ordering Information:

There You Are, Eddie – Autobiography of a Liverpool Cabbie

The McCartney song that inspired the book title:

The piece from the Get back sessions where Paul is playing with the melody with his song about dogs:

The Beatles – There You Are Eddie

Also saw a version on YouTube what the song might sound like with more instrumentation:

There You Go, Eddie – The Beatles – Reimagining Beatles Demos

A Special Thanks to Dale Roberts:

Love discovering books that have some Beatles-related stories between the covers. I was surfing sites on YouTube, and I came across the following link dealing with the activities of Beatle Week in Liverpool. In one of the interviews conducted by Dale Roberts he interviewed the man who helped the author put the book shown above together. It immediately stopped me in my tracks as I knew I would have to purchase a copy for the collection!

I was pleased to learn about the above book by watching this video made by Dale Roberts in the UK. He interviews the guy who helped Eddie and encouraged him to write a book of his many memories and to release his autobiography!

The interview with the bloke who helped the author put the book together is located around 15:30 into the video!

Day Five of Beatleweek – Convention Day in the Adelphi Hotel in Liverpool! Behind the scenes

The administrator of this blog, David Bedford, also appears in this video around 6:02 into the video. Check it out!

Hope you enjoyed this post!

Be healthy and be happy!

Buzz

GET MORE GREAT BOOKS ABOUT THE BEATLES AT THE BEATLES BOOKSTORE

OUR FEATURED BOOK OF THE WEEK – THE STORY OF THE BEATLES NORTH AMERICAN FAN CLUB

A MUST-HAVE BOOK!!!

THE PHOTOGRAPHS & THE STORY OF THE BUTTERFLY EMERGING FROM THE 5-YEAR COCOON: (CHRYSALIS)

Here is the cover of the new title:

Hear the authors discuss the new book on this fine Tell Me Why podcast

Tell Me Why #32 with Roger Farrington and Ken Womack

Publishing Detail:

Publisher: Rutgers University Press
Imprint: Rutgers University Press
Pages: 164
Illustrations: 11 color and 46 B-W images

Ordering Information:

https://www.rutgersuniversitypress.org/bucknell/starting-over-with-john-and-yoko/9781978844797

RUTGERS UNIVERSITY PRESS/BUCKNELL UNIVERSITY PRESS

Publisher’s description of the book:

“This is one to linger over.” —Publishers Weekly

On August 7, 1980, John Lennon and Yoko Ono made their triumphant return to the recording studio after a self-imposed five-year absence. Roger Farrington, an up-and-coming photographer from Boston, was hired to get “the shot” that would announce their comeback. It would be Lennon’s most intense press scrutiny since the heady days of the Beatles’ maiden voyage to America in 1964, and for Farrington, it would be the assignment of a lifetime. Just four months later, Lennon’s assassination would plunge the world into mourning.

Reproducing, for the first time, the entire run of Farrington’s iconic photographs from that day, Starting Over transports readers back to 1980 and into Manhattan’s Hit Factory, where Lennon and Ono recorded their acclaimed LP Double Fantasy. With supporting photos and other ephemera, Farrington and renowned Beatles historian Kenneth Womack capture a poignant moment in music history and provide an insider’s look at celebrity photography in the pre-digital age.

Some personal commentary:

Not only is this book going to be a welcome addition to any Lennon or Beatles fan’s library, but I have also purchased a Harrington print, and I will treasure that print always. It is a beautiful photograph of John standing in the studio rehearsing with his unique Sardonyx guitar. Roger is a serious and meticulous photographer who takes his work very seriously, including these photographs that preserve an important event in musical history, the butterfly emerging from the cocoon!!!

The icing on the cake is we have the most prolific Beatles book author, Kenneth Womack creating the text of Roger’s stories. A great combination and one you should NOT miss out on.

Once again here is the link to order this must-have book!!!

https://www.rutgersuniversitypress.org/bucknell/starting-over-with-john-and-yoko/9781978844797

Be healthy and be happy!

Buzz

Members of the blog, I am sure you will join me in wishing a long healthy and very happy life to the little guy and his parents!

God Bless!

ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL BOY…

The name Aurelius is of Latin origin and is derived from the words aureus (golden) and aurum (gold) and means “golden” or “gilded”. It is a relatively rare name and sits at #991 most popular in the US, according to The Bump.

John Lennon’s son, 50, announces birth of first child and reveals son’s unique name – The Mirror

THE CIRCLE IS COMPLETE!

Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy) (Stripped Down Mix, 2010)

The Beatles – Good Night (Take 10) | All Four Beatles Sing – 2026 Remix

5 children and it Ending

Sleep Now (feat. Kristina Train & Julian Lennon)

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Independently published

Publication date ‏ : ‎ 24 Jan. 2026

I love the type of book that deals with the cultural and musical impact that the Beatles had across international boundaries and the influence that the band from Liverpool had on troubled areas of the world in particular. These types of memoirs lend more credibility to the Beatles story than official biographies do as they more accurately explore and portray what was going on in the minds of the people that were being affected by the music, charm, and sense of humor (humour) of the four men from Liverpool. I recently learned of this title in a review from Beatlefan magazine and decided to add it to my Beatles library. What I find particularly fascinating are the tales of people that live in countries facing so much economic and political turmoil and seemingly endless strife. These stories help warm the heart as they demonstrate that music can have a healing function when times seem very rough and perceived to be hopeless!

This is one man’s story from El Salvador…

Please note that while the Amazon links are provided here for the book as a convenience to you, the listing of Amazon does not reflect a recommendation that you should buy the book at this source. It is up to you to select the site you find most comfortable in making your book choices & purchases. You can also find most books at Barnes and Noble, for example or at Abe Books and many other book search sources. The motivation for providing the Amazon listing is simply to provide a commonly known convenient place to order book titles. Buy or acquire the books wherever you feel most comfortable in doing so!

AMAZON US:

Amazon.com: Finding Shelter in Sound: A Beatles Memoir: 9798244794632: Chavez, Horacio: Books

AMAZON UK:

Finding Shelter in Sound: A Beatles Memoir: Amazon.co.uk: Chavez, Horacio: 9798244794632: Books

The Amazon description of the book:

• Finding Shelter in Sound A Beatles Memoir is a deeply personal memoir about growing up in El Salvador during the civil war and finding refuge, hope, and meaning through the music of The Beatles.
  As a child, Horacio Chavez lived surrounded by fear, instability, and loss. Amid the chaos of war, four voices from Liverpool became an unexpected shelter — offering comfort when the world felt unsafe, and guidance when words failed. From hiding under a mattress during gunfire, to immigrating to the United States without knowing the language, to building a family of his own, music remained the constant thread through every chapter of his life.
  This memoir is not just about fandom — it is about survival, identity, fatherhood, and the quiet power of art to shape who we become. Honest, nostalgic, and heartfelt, Finding Shelter in Sound will resonate with anyone who has ever leaned on music to endure difficult times.

Looking forward to hearing comments from many of our international subscribers in the comments section indicating what the impact of the Beatles was on their lives!

Be healthy and be happy!

Buzz

P.S.

Another recommended book written in the same vein dealing with populations dealing with oppressive regimes by using and depending upon the power of music to help make sense of it all!