A new book about Harry is on its way. Neil Watson's Harry & Me is now available for pre-order from the publisher's web site:

https://thisdayinmusicbooks.com/product/harry-me/

Neil is a true fan of Harry Nilsson and I trust that Harry's memory is in good hands.

I've been chatting with Neil since he started work on the book His enthusiasm for the project is obvious and with each email I received from him, I got more excited about it myself. Often he'd send an email telling me who he had just interviewed and how interesting their stories were. But, he wouldn't tell me anything about the stories! Oh, occasionally he'd drop some hints. But, just enough to pique my appetite. He's been quite a tease. And, now I have to wait until September.

I'm, of course, looking forward to reading the book myself. But, I'm also looking forward to it helping grow the ranks of Nilsson fandom. From the time Neil first mentioned the book, it reminded me of how it was a book written by a fan of the Beatles, The Beatles Forever, that took me beyond the threshold of being someone that liked the Beatles to being a hard-core fan. I think Neil's book will be more accessible to casual fans than Alyn Shipton's biography and will help convert many of them to true Harryheads!

You can read my interview with Neil Watson at:

https://nilssonschmilsson.com/interview-with-the-author-of-harry-me.html

Harry & Me is now available from Amazon.com in both hardcover and as a Kindle book:

https://amzn.to/3EweO1L

I am only a few pages into reading it so far and am already feeling chill bumps. Reading the recollections of Harry's Catholic school teacher and a fellow classmate is amazing.

I feel a little odd reading the Kindle version of the book before even seeing the hardcover. But I will get over it! :-)

I am now a little farther into the book and I really appreciate how the book is more than just a collection of anecdotes. Instead the recollections (and quotes from Harry) are woven into a narrative that follows Harry's life and career.

The Harry Nilsson quotes are interesting and enlightening. They often form the glue that bonds the commentary from others into a cohesive story.

Okay ... I want to be careful not to be nitpicky, but Drake Nilsson is Harry's brother, not half-brother as he is described in the book. Of course, things are a bit complicated because Drake was conceived and born after Harry's father supposedly "walked right out the door" and Harry was unaware that he had a brother until Drake contacted him in 1976.

Other even more nitpicky nits:

Palatka, the city in Florida where Harry's father lived, is misspelled as "Palatke."

"The Squire" refers to "Andrew Sanderville." That should be "Andrew Sandoval" who was a featured guest at Harryfest 1998.

I'm especially enjoying the contributions by Andrea Sheridan and John Sheridan. Spoiler Alert - they met because of their mutual appreciation of Harry's music and later got married. I'd heard them tell some of their stories, but there is much in the book that I had not heard and both Andrea and John are good storytellers.

I also really like Elliot Mintz's contributions especially when he talks about Harry visiting Yoko Ono after John Lennon died.

I had a doctor's appointment today and finished reading the book in the waiting area.

I read it in tiny print on my cell phone. My Kindle eReader has a gray-scale display so the photos wouldn't have looked as good. But, the book is laid out well for the Kindle and the photos are not overly important, so reading it on a Kindle would be fine.

I give Harry & Me twelve stars out of five! It isn't a biography, but will give you insight into Harry, his life, and music. Of course, it also introduces you to his fans.

I was particularly excited to read the story of the young person who discovered Harry's music through the use of "Me and My Arrow" in an episode of The Simpsons. That episode, as well as all the other appearances of Nilsson's music in TV shows and movies, promise to keep creating new generations of Harry Nilsson fans.

Darn. I wish I hadn't read it so quickly. :-)