Buy used: $14.99

FREE delivery April 23 - 29. Details

Or fastest delivery April 17 - 19. Details

Select delivery location

Used: Good | Details

Sold by ThriftBooks-Atlanta

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.

Follow the author

Patricia Gallo-Stenman

Follow

Diary of a Beatlemaniac: A Fab Insider's Look at the Beatles Era: A Fab Insider's Look at the Beatles Era Paperback – October 9, 2018

by Patricia Gallo-Stenman (Author)

32

See all formats and editions

This memoir of musicology is a must-read for music fans and those interested in Beatles history. At the helm of the rock n roll phenomenon that took over 60s pop music, the Beatles defined the Swinging Sixties and were at the forefront of the British music invasion. Offering fun and unique insights into the famous musicians and entertainers associated with the Beatles, including John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Victor Spinetti, and Hy Lit, through interviews and vignettes, and driven by the frenzy of fan clubs, Beatles concerts, and endless dreams and meeting schemes, Diary of a Beatlemaniac: A Fab Insider's Look at the Beatles Era romps through the heady, roller-coaster days of Beatlemania as seen through the eyes of one Philadelphia schoolgirl and her band of 'Beatle Buddies.' Compiled from the author's own diary and extensive scrapbooking, this extraordinary slice of life peeks into the heart of an inner-city teen at the forefront of Beatlemania. For Beatlemaniacs of any age, this memoir offers a unique glimpse into the groovy days of the Swinging Sixties and the chance to relive the magic of the pop-culture phenomenon called the Beatles.

Print length

214 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Cynren Press
Publication date

October 9, 2018
Dimensions

5.9 x 0.4 x 8.9 inches
ISBN-10

1947976036
ISBN-13

978-1947976030
See all details

Deirdre Kelly
13
Hardcover
54 offers from $12.12
Terry O'Neill
95
Hardcover
14 offers from $18.51
Allan Kozinn
404
Hardcover
85 offers from $9.47

Editorial Reviews

Review

This is an enjoyable, interesting perspective on the time and culture in which Beatlemania flourished. It demonstrates

very clearly that the young girls who were the most devoted fans were not so different from any other teens, and that

their devotion and passion could be healthy and even helpful in the process of growing up. --Catherine Thureson Foreword Reviews (July/August 2018)

''Diary of a Beatlemaniac: A Fab Insider's Look at the Beatles Era by Patricia Gallo-Stenman is the personal and deftly scripted memoir of 1960s era musicology and a must-read for music fans in general, and those interested in Beatles history in particular. While very highly recommended for both community and academic library 20th Century American Popular Music History collections, it should be noted for the personal lists of Beatles fans, students, academia, and non-specialist general readers that Diary of a Beatlemaniac is also available in a digital book format.'' --Midwest Book Review

From the Back Cover

Driven by the frenzy of fan clubs, Beatles concerts, and endless dreams and meeting schemes, Diary of a Beatlemaniac: A Fab Insider's Look at the Beatles Era romps through the heady, roller-coaster days of Beatlemania as seen through the eyes of one Philadelphia schoolgirl and her band of "Beatle Buddies." Compiled from the author's own diary and extensive scrapbooking, and featuring a wealth of original photographs and exclusive interviews with Victor Spinetti and Hy Lit, this extraordinary slice of life peeks into the heart of an inner-city teen at the forefront of Beatlemania. For Beatlemaniacs of any age, this memoir offers a unique glimpse into the groovy days of the Swingin' Sixties and the chance to relive the magic of the pop-culture phenomenon called the Beatles.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Cynren Press (October 9, 2018)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 214 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1947976036
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1947976030
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14.1 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.9 x 0.4 x 8.9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #2,490,687 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #504 in The Beatles
- #3,499 in Journalist Biographies
- #5,286 in Rock Band Biographies

Customer Reviews:
32

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Videos

Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video!

Upload your video

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Patricia Gallo-Stenman

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

While attempting to wrangle a press pass from a Philadelphia newspaper to meet the Beatles, Philadelphia-native Patricia Gallo-Stenman, then a teenager in blue-collar Southwest Philly of the 1960s, was invited to write a weekly column for teenagers. Teen to Teen launched her writing career. Patricia went on to work as a staff writer for the Philadelphia Evening and Sunday Bulletin.

A graduate of Temple University and the University of Stockholm (Sweden) International Graduate School, and an award-winning copywriter, Patricia practiced journalism in northern Europe for nearly twenty-five years. She has also written about the Beatles for Discover, The Sunday Bulletin Magazine.

Featuring a wealth of original photographs and exclusive interviews with actor Victor Spinetti and disc jockey Hy Lit, Diary of a Beatlemaniac: A Fab insider's Look at the Beatles Era is compiled from the author's own diary and extensive scrapbooking. This extraordinary slice of life peeks into the heart of an inner-city teen at the forefront of Beatlemania.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5

32 global ratings

How customer reviews and ratings work

Sort reviews by

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Annie Stanley

Beatlemania in real-time

Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2022

Verified Purchase

Reading this memoir made me feel like I was experiencing Beatlemania in real-time, something I missed out on as a second-generation Beatles fan. I've read so many books about the Beatles I wasn't sure I needed to buy another one but this was a unique spin on the subject from a true superfan and I'm really glad I picked it up.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Bob Woodside

a Beatlemaniac writes all about the Beatles

Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2018

Verified Purchase

I find it interesting to read about a fans great interest in the Beatles

Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2020

Verified Purchase

Came upon this book almost by accident. I vaguely remember Patti Gallo when I lived in southwest Philadelphia. What I do remember was her talking about the Victor Spinetti fan club she founded and how, as members, we could get a piece of fuzz from the sweater he wore in the movie “A Hard Day’s Night.” I don’t think I ever believed it until one day I read that Mr. Spinetti, when asked whatever happened to that sweater, responded that he had given it to a fan club. I was talking about this with an old friend — who immediately remembered Patti Gallo’s name — and a quick google produced a connection to this book.

I enjoyed reading Patti’s book which perfectly evokes that innocent time in our lives when we were Beatle-maniacs. Even as a teenager, she wrote well and this memoir brings back vivid memories of a time and place we have in common. Victor Spinetti turned out to be a very kind man who, from time-to-time, would send along mementos from the Beatles, including hand-written birthday greetings from Paul McCartney.

As a former Philadelphian, I’m sure we were sometimes in the same place at the same time — Chez Vous in particular comes to mind. Looking back, I wish I had joined the Victor Spinetti fan club — it gave Patti extraordinary access to the Beatles themselves.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Mystery

Fab & Gear at the Same Time

Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2023

This trip down memory lane is a strawberry fit for a king. You have to get this book into your collection if you love the lads. This brings back places to remember of simpler times, and the fun hysteria of the Beatles invasion. This scrapbook of love recalls for those who were there, and tells the new generation what it was like firsthand. What a steall effort by the author.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Kristine Fisher

Diary of a Beatlemaniac

Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2018

Diary of a Beatlemaniac by Patricia Gall0-Stenman is a free NetGalley ebook that I read in mid-June.

The literal diary of Patti, a Beatles fan from Philadelphia, between 1962-1967. She writes in her diary roughly once per month, starting in the eighth grade. The diary turns from being about obsessive, pre-concert lists and plans, before becoming progressively more emotive, more doting, and more like soliloquy, turning from black and white to color photographs, while writing poems and articles for her and her friends' magazine/newsletter, Teen to Teen.

Helpful

Daniel

A wonderful read on a variety of levels.

Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2018

Fandom ... of any sort, really ... looks pretty much the same, no matter what the generation or what the object of a fan's interest might be.

Patricia Gallo-Stenman, now an adult, spent her teenage years keeping a diary which chronicled her fanaticism for all things Beatles, as well as the typical teen-girl musings on subjects such as boys, school, and parents. Ms. Gallo-Stenman would go on to become a staff writer for a Philadelphia newspaper and, despite a teenager's anxiety that it wouldn't happen, a responsible adult and parent.

Gallo-Stenman (then simply Gallo) was a teen attending a Catholic high school where the strict nuns did not want to see anything Beatles in the school - even inside the lockers - and so the girls got pretty good at hiding their memorabilia. Reading through the teenager's complaints about nun strictness and enthusiasm for the lads from Liverpool, one can't help but see the plight of teen girls everywhere - those who came before the Fab Four, and those fighting through adolescence today.

Where Gallo deviates, perhaps, from the 'norm' is her drive and push to find ways to get close to the Beatles, beyond becoming part of a mob of screaming girls outside a hotel or concert hall. Though she and a friend or two are clever enough to hide out at the back entrance to said hotels and concert halls, it's to no avail. But when she learns that Victor Spinetti (an actor who appeared with The Beatles in A Hard Day's Night) is performing in a stage production in town, she meets with him after the show and a life-long friendship with the personable performer develops (and she becomes the head of his own fan club). He provides her with insight and autographs of the lads when he works with them (on Help! and Magical Mystery Tour).

In addition to her diary writing, Gallo pens a column for teens for the local paper, going beyond just news about The Beatles but sharing tips about a lot of pop culture that teens could find interesting.

There were a few moments when I was almost embarrassed reading this personal reflection and I thought how brave Gallo is to put her younger self on display this way. But again, although this book is billed and sold as an insider's look at being a 'Beatlemaniac' it really does address the adolescent's desire to find ones path - to see a world bigger and beyond the home. It is interesting to read her slow discovery that maybe she and Paul McCartney never really will meet, date, and marry. The young teen sees it as a hope, a dream, but the older teen begins to see that it was a dream that never would be.

As a book with a connection to the Beatles, it was definitely interesting. As a book that examines teenage social interest and anxiety, it is tremendous. Together it is a really fun read with some nostalgia.

Looking for a good book? Diary of a Beatlemaniac by Patricia Gallo-Stenman is a wonderful read on a variety of levels: Beatles, sociology, history, memoir.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Corinne H Tubbs

This book brings back loads of wonderful memories with The Beatles from the beginning

Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2019

Verified Purchase

A great look back at a wonderful time of innocent fun with the Fab Four.
R,remembering all the fun of The Beatles from the beginning.

Helpful