And this: What of Harrison? According to Damian Smyth, co-author of The Beatles and Ireland, "Of all The Beatles, it was George who had the strongest Irish connections by far." He continues "George had cousins living in Drumcondra [North Dublin] and he made a point of visiting them when they came over to play in 1963. But even before that, in the late forties and early fifties, the family would get the ferry from Liverpool to Dublin to stay with the cousins and go to places like Malahide Beach; I have photos of him there and [of him] walking down O?Connell Street with his mother. So there was a strong connection from the family point of view."

According to a few sources, it was George who was the most Irish, his family settled into Ireland in the 1200s. http://www.beatlesireland.info/Irish%20Heritage/georgeheritage.html

I just love him soooo much!!!!!!! His voice alone was so calm and soothing and relaxing, and then the content of his speech was so wise and generous. It had me in tears because this was done days before his final birthday here on earth. Thank you so much for so kindly sharing this here, MetalGod!

I read Alistair Taylor's book recently too! These arrived within the past week from Amazon: the John Lennon bio by Tim Riley The Beatles on Camera, Off Guard, by Mark Hayward The Lost Beatles Photographs, Bob Bonis archive

Nancy: I did find the Life issue yesterday, the whole magazine is about George! Very nicely done! I was so excited to find it!

I got the Beatles in Hamburg, but before I could get too in-depth into it, Olivia's book arrived, and I had to read through that one completely first! Kathryn: from what I can tell just by browsing, it looks like it gives a good account of the time and place, the era, but few real anecdotes not already known. I still maintain the best books about the Beatles' time in Hamburg are probably books written only in German, and I wish some publisher would take the initiative to translate them into English, it would be a goldmine for them. I'm surprised no one has yet done so.

The Rolling Stone I have...so many other magazines I must get!!! But I think I'm going to have to wait a bit, so I can be sure my daughter has a good holiday in December. There is also a European art magazine called Lid, or something like that, George is on the cover in a never-before seen pic...oh my God, one could just collapse from the g(e)orgeousness!!! I'm also seeing, on ebay, old tribute magazines from the 2001 era when he passed away, and I'm wanting those as well! Maybe I can get one a month or something, til I'm all caught up. I want to collect and know everything I can about George, as best as one can indeed know George, who was basically unknowable. Who knows, if I get enough sources together, maybe one day I'll compile my own book! ops:

Nancy, it's excellent, isn't it? A true labour of love from Olivia, such a beautiful tribute to a beautiful man!

Olivia's beautiful book about George arrived today!!!!!

Spencer Leigh's The Beatles in Hamburg just arrived today.