Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More


Tiny TimEternal Troubadour by Justin Martell, with Alanna Wray McDonald


Thanks to Steve Roth of Jawbone Press, I am giving away one print copy of  Eternal Troubadour by Justin Martell.

Description of Eternal Troubadour by Justin Martell


TINY TIM was an American original, to say the least. He was a reality TV star before there was such a thing. His 1969 wedding to Miss Vicky on the Tonight Show had 40,000,000+ watch—still a huge audience today. He appeared regularly on Laugh-In, Merv Griffin, Howard Stern and many other shows. His signature song, “Tiptoe Thru The Tulips” was a worldwide smash.

Tiny was more than a caricature, he was an expert and master interpreter of early American song. While often characterized as an oddball curio his story is one of Shakespearean tragedy framed around a bizarre yet loveable public persona. After reaching the height of stardom his star began to fade and Tiny would spend the rest of his life trying to revive his career—with many of his attempts taking a turn toward the absurd.

ETERNAL TROUBADOUR: the IMPROBABLE LIFE OF TINY TIM, by Justin Martell and Alanna Wray McDonald is the most in-depth bio on Tiny ever written. Drawing on over one hundred interviews with family, friends and associates, plus access to Tiny’s diaries, which have never before made public, ETERNAL TROUBADOUR is an incredible true story of one of the most fascinating yet misunderstood figures in the history of popular music.

 “It’s the best book about Tiny Tim IMO, with far more info than the others…his story is all there, the depressing parts and the thrilling parts” —DR. DEMENTO

About Justin Martell


Justin Martell is an independent filmmaker and writer. Considered one of the world’s foremost experts on Tiny Tim, he has consulted on and contributed liner notes to two posthumous Tiny Tim releases, I’ve Never Seen A Straight Banana (Collector’s Choice, 2009) and Lost & Found: Volume 1 (Secret Seven Records, 2011). In 2013,he put out a previously unreleased Tiny Tim track on a limited-edition Edison wax cylinder, which Time magazine dubbed the ‘most retro record release ever.’

About Alanna Wray McDonald


Alanna Wray McDonald is a poet, writer, and freelance art director for film and television. She resides in Iowa and Brooklyn, New York.

Giveaway of Eternal Troubadour by Justin Martell


This giveaway is open to Canada and the U.S. and ends on May 6, 2016 at midnight pacific time.  Entries are accepted by Rafflecopter only.

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Alyssa PalomboThanks to Jessalyn Foggy of St. Martin’s Press, I am giving away one print copy of ‘The Violinist of Venice’: A Story of Vivaldi by Alyssa Palombo.

Description of Violinist of Venice by Alyssa Palombo


A sweeping historical novel of composer and priest Antonio Vivaldi, a secret wealthy mistress, and their passion for music and each other 

Like most 18th century Venetians, Adriana d’Amato adores music-except her strict merchant father has forbidden her to cultivate her gift for the violin. But she refuses to let that stop her from living her dreams and begins sneaking out of her family’s palazzo under the cover of night to take violin lessons from virtuoso violinist and composer Antonio Vivaldi. However, what begins as secret lessons swiftly evolves into a passionate, consuming love affair.

Adriana’s father is intent on seeing her married to a wealthy, prominent member of Venice’s patrician class-and a handsome, charming suitor, whom she knows she could love, only complicates matters-but Vivaldi is a priest, making their relationship forbidden in the eyes of the Church and of society. They both know their affair will end upon Adriana’s marriage, but she cannot anticipate the events that will force Vivaldi to choose between her and his music. The repercussions of his choice-and of Adriana’s own choices-will haunt both of their lives in ways they never imagined.

Spanning more than 30 years of Adriana’s life, Alyssa Palombo’s The Violinist of Venice is a story of passion, music, ambition, and finding the strength to both fall in love and to carry on when it ends

Vivid and alive and thrumming with the exquisite strains of violin music, the novel explores the impossible choices between love and duty and the demands of art in the decadent world of early 18th century Venice.”―Kate Forsyth, international bestselling author of Bitter Greens

About Alyssa PalomboAlyssa Palombo


ALYSSA PALOMBO has published short historical fiction pieces in Black Lantern, Novelletum, and The Great Lakes Review. She is a recent a graduate of Canisius College with degrees in English and creative writing, respectively, as well as a trained classical musician. The Violinist of Venice is her first novel. She lives in Tonawanda, New York. 

 Giveaway of Violinist of Venice by Alyssa Palombo


This giveaway is open to the U.S. only and ends on December 31, 2015 midnight pacific time. Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.

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Another Side of Bob DylanBook Description:

Los Angeles Times Best seller!

August 2014 marks 50 years since Bob Dylan released his fourth album,Another Side of Bob Dylan. Recorded in one night, in the middle of a turbulent year in his life, the music marked a departure from Dylan’s socially-conscious folk songs and began his evolution toward other directions.

During the years they spent together, few people outside of Dylan’s immediate family were closer than Victor Maymudes, who was Dylan’s tour manager, personal friend, and travelling companion from the early days in 1960s Greenwich Village through the late 90’s.

Another Side of Bob Dylan recounts landmark events including Dylan’s infamous motorcycle crash; meeting the Beatles on their first US tour; his marriage to Sara Lownds, his romances with Suze Rotolo, Joan Baez, and others; fellow travelers Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Wavy Gravy, Dennis Hopper, The Band, The Traveling Wilburys, and more; memorable concerts, and insights on Dylan’s songwriting process.

On January 26th, 2001, after recording more than 24 hours of taped memories in preparation for writing this book, Victor Maymudes suffered an aneurysm and died. His son Jacob has written the book, using the tapes to shape the story.

The result is a vivid, first-hand account of Dylan as an artist, friend, and celebrity, illustrated with never-before-seen photographs, and told by an engaging raconteur who cut his own swathe through the turbulent counterculture.

My Thoughts:

Victor Maymudes was the tour manager for Bob Dylan on and off in the 60’s and then again 1986-1996.  They became friends in the early 60’s and basically had an on/off friendship and working relationship.  St. Martin’s Press signed him up to write his memoir but he died before he could complete it.

He had recorded over 24 hours of tape about his life and relationship with Dylan and his son, Jacob, used them to complete the book for him.  He basically transcribed the tapes into print and put in his two cents.

I especially loved Maymudes’s view from the early days of Greenwich Village and the early days when Dylan was still developing his style.  I questioned some of Maymudes actions, like the time he had his two small children in the van when picking up Dylan at Universal Studios.  Dylan had a hard day of work there and the kids annoyed him with questions.  When he told Victor to deal with it, he left his kids in the parking lot, alone for 3 hours at night, while he drove Dylan home.

There were a few places I would have liked a bit more information, yet a few places that were a bit repetitive as well.  I think it could have used a bit more editing.  However, I found the book quite touching, especially with Jacobs interjections at the end of each tape.  Victor Maymudes wasn’t around much when Jacob was growing up but I could tell that Jacob loved his father despite that.

3.5/5

I received an advance reading copy of this book for my honest review.

About the Authors:

VICTOR MAYMUDES was Bob Dylan’s tour manager at the beginning of his musical career in the early 1960s. After a brief hiatus in New Mexico, Maymudes rejoined Dylan as his tour manager from 1986 to 1996. He died in January, 2001.

JACOB MAYMUDES is a writer, director and visual effects supervisor working for the Mill in Los Angeles, California.