When I started this blog in 2009, the name "Lizzie Bravo" to me was nothing more than an answer to a trivia question (Really the question of "who was one of the fans that sang on 'Across the Universe' truly is a question on Beatles Trivial Pursuit). Over the years, we all have been blessed to have Lizzie Bravo herself share photos and stories of her life as a Beatles fan in London in the 1960's with us on this blog and my "sister blog" The Beatles photo blog.
I have come to find that Lizzie is a true sweetheart of a women and a real Beatle fan. I felt connected with her right away because we both love John Lennon and appreciate certain pictures of him. I am honored to be able to consider Lizzie to be a friend of mine, although I have never had the pleasure to meet her in person.
For many years Lizzie has said that she was going to publish a book based on the diaries that she kept during her time in London. I know that I have waited patiently for a long time and the wait is over! Lizzie book, Do Rio a Abbey Road is published in glorious colors and let me tell you: it was worth the wait!
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The book is Lizzie's diaries from when she was a teenage Beatle fan living in London beginning in February 1967 when she first waited outside of EMI studios and met the members of the Beatles after they were recording tracks for the Sgt. Pepper album. Of course Lizzie was hooked and went back to EMI and Paul's house on Cavendish Avenue over and over again---making wonderful friends along the way.
Lizzie will tell details about what Paul was wearing on a particular day and will lament about how she will just die if she doesn't see John soon---and then when she DOES get to see John, she says that she just about died! I am certain that Lizzie was not the only teenage girl in 1967 that felt that way.
Of course she tells her story including the amazing day in February 1968 when she sang backup on "Across the Universe" and until she left London and got married in 1969.
Lizzie's story isn't the only one in the book. I particularly enjoyed a section of the book written by Paul Minett, who was someone that met Lizzie at EMI around the time the Beatles were recording "All you need is love." Paul and his friend, Gordon, traveled out to Kinfauns and met up with not just George but also John. They also met Ringo at Sunny Heights and saw the Beatles many times at EMI. The photographs from Paul and Gordon are breathtaking, particularly one of George Harrison at the window of the painted Kinfuans.
The photos in the book are just amazing. Lizzie published every photo regardless of the quality or if it was the back of a Beatles' head. But there aren't very many "bad" photo---they are all so amazing and they reminded me why I started this blog in the first place. Because I truly believe that the snapshots taken by the fans show a side of the Beatles that we never see in posed photographs. And the photos Lizzie has taken of the Beatles, particularly the ones of John Lennon, show how much she loved and adored them.
The best part of the book for me was at the end, there is a thumbnail of each photo in the book with the date the photo was taken (if known) and where the photo was taken. What an amazing resource!
Right now Do Rio a Abbey Road is only available in the Portuguese language. Hopefully it will eventually be available in English. However, the photographs are amazing regardless of what language you speak.
If you live in Brazil and would like to order the book online, you can go to
http://www.estantevirtual.com.br/buritisebo/Lizzie-Bravo-Do-Rio-a-Abbey-Road-Autografado-pela-Autora-198500393
If you live in Rio, you can buy the book directly at the bookstore that is located downtown. They are open 2:00-6:00pm
Buriti Sebo Literário
Rua do Carmo, 9, sala 902 - Centro
Rio de Janeiro / RJ
(21) 2220-5492
And if you are in the rest of the world? You can contact Lizzie directly at lizzie.bravo@gmail.com and she will telly you more about how you can own a copy for yourself.
I have come to find that Lizzie is a true sweetheart of a women and a real Beatle fan. I felt connected with her right away because we both love John Lennon and appreciate certain pictures of him. I am honored to be able to consider Lizzie to be a friend of mine, although I have never had the pleasure to meet her in person.
For many years Lizzie has said that she was going to publish a book based on the diaries that she kept during her time in London. I know that I have waited patiently for a long time and the wait is over! Lizzie book, Do Rio a Abbey Road is published in glorious colors and let me tell you: it was worth the wait!
The book is Lizzie's diaries from when she was a teenage Beatle fan living in London beginning in February 1967 when she first waited outside of EMI studios and met the members of the Beatles after they were recording tracks for the Sgt. Pepper album. Of course Lizzie was hooked and went back to EMI and Paul's house on Cavendish Avenue over and over again---making wonderful friends along the way.
Lizzie will tell details about what Paul was wearing on a particular day and will lament about how she will just die if she doesn't see John soon---and then when she DOES get to see John, she says that she just about died! I am certain that Lizzie was not the only teenage girl in 1967 that felt that way.
Of course she tells her story including the amazing day in February 1968 when she sang backup on "Across the Universe" and until she left London and got married in 1969.
Lizzie's story isn't the only one in the book. I particularly enjoyed a section of the book written by Paul Minett, who was someone that met Lizzie at EMI around the time the Beatles were recording "All you need is love." Paul and his friend, Gordon, traveled out to Kinfauns and met up with not just George but also John. They also met Ringo at Sunny Heights and saw the Beatles many times at EMI. The photographs from Paul and Gordon are breathtaking, particularly one of George Harrison at the window of the painted Kinfuans.
The photos in the book are just amazing. Lizzie published every photo regardless of the quality or if it was the back of a Beatles' head. But there aren't very many "bad" photo---they are all so amazing and they reminded me why I started this blog in the first place. Because I truly believe that the snapshots taken by the fans show a side of the Beatles that we never see in posed photographs. And the photos Lizzie has taken of the Beatles, particularly the ones of John Lennon, show how much she loved and adored them.
The best part of the book for me was at the end, there is a thumbnail of each photo in the book with the date the photo was taken (if known) and where the photo was taken. What an amazing resource!
Right now Do Rio a Abbey Road is only available in the Portuguese language. Hopefully it will eventually be available in English. However, the photographs are amazing regardless of what language you speak.
If you live in Brazil and would like to order the book online, you can go to
http://www.estantevirtual.com.br/buritisebo/Lizzie-Bravo-Do-Rio-a-Abbey-Road-Autografado-pela-Autora-198500393
If you live in Rio, you can buy the book directly at the bookstore that is located downtown. They are open 2:00-6:00pm
Buriti Sebo Literário
Rua do Carmo, 9, sala 902 - Centro
Rio de Janeiro / RJ
(21) 2220-5492
And if you are in the rest of the world? You can contact Lizzie directly at lizzie.bravo@gmail.com and she will telly you more about how you can own a copy for yourself.