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Readers!

 

My July fund-raising campaign to celebrate the fifteenth anniversary since I began Behind the Black is now over. I want to thank all those who so generously donated or subscribed, especially those who have become regular supporters. I can't do this without your help. I also find it increasingly hard to express how much your support means to me. God bless you all!

 

The donations during this year's campaign were sadly less than previous years, but for this I blame myself. I am tired of begging for money, and so I put up the campaign announcement at the start of the month but had no desire to update it weekly to encourage more donations, as I have done in past years. This lack of begging likely contributed to the drop in donations.

 

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Ringo Starr to be knighted

Ringo Starr, who grew up in the poorest of situations and was so sickly that he ended up getting almost no education, will be knighted by the Queen of England in the coming year.

The article paints a great picture of Starr, who always came off as the nicest and most endearing Beatle, and whose abilities on the drums in many ways cemented the band’s musical style. What makes my heart sing about this story however was how it demonstrates that it is still possible in the English-speaking world to come from nothing and rise to greatness. Starr’s poor background could have led to any number of bad ends, but he instead chose to play drums, and ended up helping to change the world’s musical culture.

Genesis cover

On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.

 

The print edition can be purchased at Amazon or from any other book seller. If you want an autographed copy the price is $60 for the hardback and $45 for the paperback, plus $8 shipping for each. Go here for purchasing details. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.


The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
 

"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News

6 comments

  • wayne

    Ringo’s Theme, (This Boy)
    A Hard Days Night 1964 clip
    https://youtu.be/GIvEc4yhdpM
    (3:22)

  • Jwing

    Ringo is left handed as well as McCartney. With a prevalence of left-handedness in the general population of approximately 10%, I have to wonder about this fact’s significance and impact on the Beatles artistically being composed of 50% left-handed musicians.
    Ringo’s style is unique in that he played with a right-handed kit yet lead with his left hand around the drums.

  • Phill O

    A friend of mine indicates the percentage of left handed people in prison was greater than %50 (his experience anyway).

    I am left handed too.

    Merry Christmas and hope you all have a great New Year.

  • Given the quality of musicians knighted, you’d have a very exclusive Knights of the Rock Table.

    http://ultimateclassicrock.com/rock-stars-knighted/

  • Phil Berardelli

    Well said, Bob. I’ve always thought John and Paul were the creative forces behind the Beatles but Ringo and George held its heart and much of its appeal.

  • ken anthony

    IDK, knighthood seems a silly concept today, not to take anything away from Starr. Ringo was a great caveman though! Not as pretentious as the other three.

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