Horse Doggin' --- a book review

John and Yoko (with 2 other people) in 1971--around the time Dave Morrell first talked to them.

One of the most popular fans that I often get questions about is none other than Dave Morrell.    I have posted some stories about Dave on this blog, and I personally have always been interested in him and his stories of meeting John Lennon.    I think what draws us fans into Dave's story so much is that he is  just a regular Beatles fan just like any of us.   He wasn't some insider in Apple or something like that.  He was a young Beatle fan who, under some amazing circumstances was able to bring some of the joy of being a Beatle fan to one of the actual Beatles!    It is just a story that blows us all away because it is so unbelievable and yet it happened. 

Luckily for us, Dave has began writing his stories in a new series of books.   The first book has been released this summer and it is called Horse Doggin':  Dave Morrell Archives Volume 1.    It begins in 1971, when Dave graduated from high school and goes through 1973.    In those three short years, Dave had more amazing things happen to him than you would imagine.

Dave tells the stories of his encounters with John Lennon in late 1971 and into 1972.  They are the stories that you will find on this blog, but instead of someone else writing about what happened, Dave himself is telling the story.   Many of the little questions I had about what happened were answered in this book because he was there.

What I liked about the book was that it was a time machine of sorts and really took me back in time to New York City in the early 1970's and what it was like to be a Beatles fan then.   John Lennon and Yoko Ono were new to the city and fans were seeing them out and about for the very first time.   The Beatles fandom of collecting rare music and films on bootlegs was beginning to really take off and no one was completely sure what was what.   It must have been such a fun and exciting time for fans and I enjoyed being able to appreciate that through this book.      Dave became a super collector and was getting rare Beatles materials and collectables at every chance.  

Overall it was an easy book to read.  There is a lot of great humor in the book and you will laugh on several occasions.  Being a reading teacher and all, I tend to read quickly, so I was able to read this book in one sitting.    It really is a good book to add to your summer reading list and grab it to take with you to the beach or to read while on a plane or car (if you can read in the car....I can't).   While a lot of the focus is on the Beatles, there are some stories about other performers in New York during the early 1970's. 

I am anxious to read the rest of Dave's books and I am especially looking forward to Volume IV "The Photograph book."   Doesn't that sound awesome?    But next volume  is 1974, which is a great year for more John Lennon stories!

If you would like to buy Dave Morrell's book Horse Doggin' it is available from amazon in paperback and on ebook.