Assistant's Memoirs of Epstein Due Out in 2011

For the past couple of years, I've been hearing about the possibility of a book coming out based upon the recollections of Brian Epstein's former assistant, Joanne Newfield, (now, "Petersen"). Even back then, the speculation was that she would make some definite revelation about an alleged affair he'd had with one of the lads....bet ya can't guess who? Uh-huh, yeah, like that rumor is news....and, regardless, who really cares, anyway?
Well, the book, at least, is no longer rumor....it's now official."There's a Beatle in My Closet" is scheduled for release in January, 2011. Sadly, beyond that little piece of salacious gossip, there's not a lot I'm hearing about anything new Ms. Petersen's book may have to offer. That said, at least she was there and knew the people she's writing about, (one can only hope she writes about these events and people with some integrity), so, hoping for the best, I've already pre-ordered my copy. I ended up having to get through Amazon UK since Amazon US has an " Out of Print--Limited Availability" message. So...will there be any other takers?

Actually, just yesterday I was thinking that I'd be interested in reading a good Brian Epstein biography because I feel he is such a mystery...

I'd like to check this one out; I imagine Joanne would have more than a few interesting stories to tell. Whether or not she has real new and shocking tales to reveal, I'd like to hear some of her memories and her take on events.

I have a Brian Epstein biography.

Debbie Geller wrote "The Brian Epstein Story" and "In My Life: The Brian Epstein Story."

Ray Coleman wrote an EXCELLENT biography entitled "The Man Who Made the Beatles."

I guess we'll have to see what the word is on the book. Me personally, we knew all that dirt back in the 60s and it just seemed an unnecessary sling even back then.
I prefer the joy and the happiness of those early days. THAT is what changed all of our lives, not if John slept with Brian on vacation in Spain.

This sounds interesting. And I'll look out for Ray Coleman's biography of Brian.

Hi. Just thought I'd put my tuppence in here.

I really, really hate the fact that Joanne is crapping on Brian's legacy. That's all everyone seems to be interested in.

However, I am acquainted with someone who had spoken with her ~ and, whether or not my friend is telling me a tale, I dunno ~ BUT she insists that Joanne told her it was NOT Lennon who she caught with Brian.

I hope she's lying to me.

I can say no more. Except I wish like hell Joanne would shut up.

What we need is a book written full of anecdotes and reminiscences of what everyone insists is the very, very funny side of Brian. And the fact that whenever the boys and Brian were in a room, all eyes were on the highly amusing, shining Eppy. He was on a constant watch to avoid taking all the attention from his lads. This is according to Derek Taylor, Nat Weiss, Alistair, and others.

Over the past few years I have asked myself if the research and writing of that good book is going to be left up to me. Damn.

Originally Posted by eppylover

Over the past few years I have asked myself if the research and writing of that good book is going to be left up to me. Damn.

Go for it... it would be nice to read something by someone who has been dedicated and truly respects her/his subject!

Brian has remained quite the mystery... I'm sure there is SO much more to him than the little bits we fans can scrape together.

I too am very interested in this book and will be purchasing it upon its release in, I believe, Oct 2010?

Anyway could this other beatle be Paul?
Apart from John, he is the only other beatle I've heard of in a romantic connection with Brian. I cannot for the life of me remember where, but quite recently I read somewhere on the web that Brian and Paul had a "thing going on" during the Sgt. Pepper era. This of course was the period directly leading up to Brian's tragic death. I recall that Paul's gf Francie Schwartz found a love letter from Brian to Paul in Paul's car when they were together but I'm sure that Schwartz turned up on the scene in 1968, way after Brian's death. I think she wrote about this find in her book. Anyway the Brian/Paul story doesn't ring true with me the same way that the Brian/John one does and which I can find quite plausible. But, who knows?

We all wait in anticipation and I do hope that this book sheds light on Brian and the boys as people and has alot of anecdotes about them. Also this book has been in the works for the best part of a decade. Could Joanne have been encountering legal difficulties? That would fit in with the Paul theory as he has got a reputation for... legal stuff (in all fairness the four of them all have had problems with the law in the past). Anyway it may narrow the search down to the two living beatles, Paul and Ringo? Paul seems the more likely of those two, in my opinion, as John once described him as a "sexual athlete". It will be very interesting to read Joanne's version of events.

Originally Posted by eppylover

What we need is a book written full of anecdotes and reminiscences of what everyone insists is the very, very funny side of Brian. And the fact that whenever the boys and Brian were in a room, all eyes were on the highly amusing, shining Eppy. He was on a constant watch to avoid taking all the attention from his lads.

I agree. He really doesn't seem to get his due. And the popular perception of the group is riddled with enough gross (and grossly unfair) oversimplifications, such as "Yoko broke up the Beatles," as it is.

I really, really hope the mystery Beatle is not Paul. To me, it would make Paul seem cruelly manipulative, if not predatory. Way different from a youthful experimentation (which would seem to be the case in the John/Barcelona scenario).

The jacket art, though, seems to imply it was George. Which seems even more random.