Elvis Presley Books

I'm only writing a review of this extremely out of print book because I recently read on Kathy's website that she is planning on reprinting an expanded version. For starters, I have to say that this is one of the most poorly written books I've ever read. There are hundreds of run-on sentences, and over a thousand missing commas. I found myself re-reading every other sentence, mentally placing the missing commas so that it would actually make sense. Then I discovered that the book's co-writer was supposedly a well know author and editor - incredible!
Now to the content. I gave the book three stars because there are some interesting Elvis stories not recorded elsewhere. However, this book gives what I consider a watered-down, whitewashed version of Elvis' life from 1970 to 1977. Now of course, I wasn't there, so I don't know exactly what happened, but it really bothers me that books like this make Elvis appear to be a saint. With the exception of a few details about Elvis' excesses, there is way too much "syrup" in this book for my taste (I much prefer Guralnick's "Careless Love," because it was well researched and gave a seemingly more balanced view of Elvis' life). For whatever reason, people like Ms. Westmoreland seem to feel that the best way to preserve Elvis' memory is to portray him as a nearly perfect, god-like character. I totally disagree. For the record, I believe that Elvis was the greatest entertainer of our lifetime. However, he was just as human as the rest of us, having frailties, weaknesses, etc. How can we learn from his mistakes, if the very people who knew him make it seem as though he rarely made any? They truly do us a disservice, in my opinion. Also, the author totally loses credibility when she makes repeated errors about well-known Elvis facts. For instance, she mentions several times that Elvis' mother Gladys died when she was 42, when in fact she died at 46. Also, Kathy refers to one of the last concerts as being in Rapid City, Iowa...well, it was actually Rapid City, South Dakota. And then there is the ridiculous claim that Elvis suffered from bone cancer, which has been totally disproven by those who had access to the autopsy results ("The Death of Elvis" sheds more light on this topic). Actually, Elvis may very well have allowed himself to believe that he had bone cancer, in order to justify his overuse of prescription drugs...but that's no excuse for someone to write about it as a medical fact, when there is not a shred of medical evidence to back up such a claim. Hopefully, Ms. Westmoreland will hire an editor (or at least a proofreader) for the re-write, and clear up some of the more glaring errors. If so, I might even be tempted to read it.

The essence of Elvis Presley is underscored in so many satisfying, subtle nuances. Featured, are numerous and detailed, flavourful recountings of highly personal annecdotes, sharing an insider's view of Elvis and seemingly placing the reader smack dab on the inside of Elvis' world. Many revelations. Most gratiflying. Once started, the book can not be put down. Highly recommended.

I have read MANY books on Elvis by many people who where "supposed" to have know him, lived with him, traveled with him. Kathy's book is the first to give us insight about the "man", not the "image". She was honest and fair, she told us bad habits, but she also tried to explain why he did many of things he did. She wrote her book with lots of love and respect for a dear friend she misses very much. I was touched my many things she wrote and I cried throughout much of the book. Thank you Cathy for giving us a chance for the first time to understand just what a truly misunderstood, kind, gentle, caring "man" Elvis really was. And thanks also for not tooting your own horn....... Like many of us, on those days when you miss him the most, remember he is finally at peace, with his mama, and someday you will meet your friend again

Col. Parker was a mystery, at least to me. How was it that that old geezer was the manager of the hottest Rock and Roll star of the century? It was pretty clear that he was a Svengali to Elvis, but how did he do it?

This short book answers those questions. The authors show how Parker grew from a carnival hustler to a successful country music promoter. Parker lacked any sentiment about people. He just up and left his family in Holland. He treated his staff and Elvis with disdain. He had no qualms about self dealing. In this he shows the marks of childhood adaptation to abuse, for which the authors present some evidence. He had one "wife" (may not have been legally married) whom he met before Elvis, and whom he saw little, but with whom he stayed with thoughout his life.

When he saw Elvis, he saw gold. He used his then business partner, Eddie Arnold, to help lure Elvis, and then cut him out. As he grew and Elvis grew, he cleverly cut Elvis out as well. The authors note how Parker's fast dealing style carnival aesthetic effected Elvis, holding back his art and his career.

While the book is not footnoted, it is convincing. The author's minimize Elvis's role in allowing this to happen. I would have liked more analysis on symbiotics of the Parker-Presley relationship and it's effect on Elvis's style. For instance, in the end, the authors say Parker had the gold suit that Elvis hated wearing. I didn't know Elvis hated that (famous) suit... It's a real carnival type thing. How much of the Elvis signature style was Parker and how much Presley?

To the degree possible, the author has reconstructed the life of Colonel Tom Parker, probably the most notorious personal manager in show business history. Beginning with his childhood in Holland, the factors that shaped the Colonel's character are unfolded in a plausible, well presented manner - no easy task on a man who could suddenly disappear without leaving a forwarding address.

A listing of Elvis's recording sessions from 1954 through 1977 is provided at the end of the book. An index is also provided.

You get a pretty good idea of what Tom Parker's life was like, because Vellenga interviewed so many people that knew Parker & Elvis.

I was very curious because I manage an Elvis Tribute Band, of how they worked together and I learned alot from their mistakes. I don't think the author liked the Colonel too much but you can tell he put alot of research into it & I'm glad he wrote the book.

You also get alot of insight into show business.

Before I read the book I thought the Colonel was maybe someone special or a superb businessman to have been so successful, but after reading it, it showed me he wasn't all that great of a manager, not keeping Elvis's best interests at heart. One example of this is he made songwriters share their profits with him thus eliminating alot of very good songwriters. "Suspicious Minds" was an exception to this. Elvis could have had alot more great songs if the Colonel hadn't been so greedy.

But their were some good things he did too, the concerts & especially Aloha from Hawaii, which was videotaped & similcast. I also liked the documentary movie "That's the Way it is" about Elvis & the NBC Special.

I think there was some kind of karmic bond between the Colonel & Elvis. Elvis said it best, "We're caught in a trap, I can't walk out, because I love you too much, baby."

Elvis fans, buy this book. You fill find out just what a business Elvis really was (before and after death) to people like Priscilla and Parker to name a few. Terrific book!

ELVIS INC. is one-stop shopping for anything to do with Elvis and money. All but the first chapter deal with events after Elvis' death. Especially good are the sections on the estate's lawsuit against manager Parker in the early 1980s, and on the stratospheric rise of Graceland after near-bankruptcy in the two years after Elvis died. There is more detail in this book on these subjects than I have seen anywhere else. Toward the end I did feel that the book loses a little focus, and is not quite as pertinent as the first half. As, O'Neal goes off on some tangents, such as the marriage of Lisa Marie to Michael Jackson. To be fair, though, more recent events are just not as salient. But O'Neal keeps it always interesting. And I love that pink cover - groovy, man!

As an Elvis fan, I have read a great number of books about Elvis and his life. What makes this book stand out from the others is the fact that the reader gets a good look at how Elvis Presley, the person has grown into Elvis Presley Enterprises, the money-maker. It is well known by now that Colonel Tom Parker hindered Elvis' career in many ways. Even though he helped Elvis make it to the top, Elvis had the sheer talent to make it with or without Parker. In this book, it is revealed how much Parker actually took from Elvis in the monetary sense. When Elvis died, his estate was nearly bankrupt due to his lavish spending and poor management of his money. But as you realize when you read this book, Elvis Presley Enterprises has gone to great lengths to make it the money machine it is today. O'Neal gives details on lawsuits EPE has won and lost and tells you of some of the future plans EPE has in store. There is also a chapter on Elvis' only heir, Lisa Marie and there is a detailed account of her inheritance as well as the "relationship" with Michael Jackson. I would recommend this book to anyone, Elvis fan or not. Every page had something interesting and new and I found it hard to put down.

Okay, so he was hot, but I've never been much of an Elvis fan... you don't need to be with this book though! I was so impressed by the authors in this book, particularly the hilarious piece by Mcclintock who managed to incorporate all the writers I've studied in grad school into a piece involving Elvis. It was genius! So even if you don't care much for Elvis, I strongly recommend this book!

Man, this here book rocked my lil' old world. I mean who woulda thunk a down home Tupelo boy like myself could inspire such artistry? And from more Gettysburg grads than you could shake a pelvis at. Damn fine readin. E

An enterprising producer in my playreading group assigned various monologues from this book for members to read. The readings were touching, funny, insightful, historical, and down right fun! I never thought it was possible to get so many creative interpretations wound around peanut butter and banana sandwiches!

This book is a must for Elvis fans!! It is great for even those who hate to read!! Lots of pictures and captions!! Some reading for those who love to read!! This book is for everyone!!

Every Elvis Presley fan should own this book. Pictures on every page,colour and black and white, and many unseen photographs.My daughter just bought herself a copy, and now I have to get one too.
Great Book!

Very nice layout of pictures both color and B&W. High quality shots. Some very common pictures but also filled with "new" pictures previously unpublished. The compliants I see are that there are captions inside pictures covering up parts of the pictures, this is annoying. Also the author didn't check the facts right. There are many errors in these captions when talking about Elvis and his life. But this book is mainly about the pictures, a great coffee table book!

ELVIS: Remembering August 16, 1977 is a book that is totally devoted to memories of fans regarding the day Elvis Presley passed away. It is about their private thoughts of that fateful day, not the usual negative things that have been written so much about him in recent years. Before going on, I must mention that one of these memories is my own. Obviously, this puts me in a position of being a little conflictive, but then if you are reading this, you must be a fan and want an honest opinion. I feel I can do that.

This book includes memories of the day Elvis died from all over the world. This surprised me, but I can honestly say that as far as I know, I do not know any of these people personally who have contributed. Some fans were very short with their contributions while others had two of more pages. However, no matter how long or short each story was, if you are an Elvis fan, you feel their words. You feel what they felt. Many times as I read this book there would be something said that would really hit home for me. I won't go into any details so as not to give things away. It is not a long book only a little over 120 pages, but I think any real Elvis fan will find it intriguing. There is an occasional typo causing me to not give it 5 stars, but it is a very minor point.

Ron Collamore is a relatively unknown author, but along with his co-author Michael Best, I believe they have captured something very meaningful and unique with this work. I highly recommend this book for any true Elvis fan who understands what the world lost on August 16th, 1977. To borrow a phrase from the authors, and in my own words, let me point out that "there are two common threads pertaining to each story in this book. First, there is a strong love for Elvis and secondly, since his death we fans have all been deeply affected.

Thanks!

Steve

It is simple. The book is a collection of different memories from different people of how they felt on the day that Elvis Presley passed away and how you heard the news.
I am lucky to have my story in the book.
It shows just how much Elvis was loved.

WOW-SOME GREAT READING HERE! READING DIFFERENT ACCOUNTS OF WHERE PEOPLE WERE WHEN THE KING DIED BRINGS ME BACK TO THAT VERY DAY! LOTS OF TEARS WILL BE SHED WHEN READING THIS.YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE AN ELVIS FAN TO FEEL AND SENSE THE SORROW AND EMOTIONS HERE-GREAT READING,HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!!!!

I found this to be a highly entertaining book. The Gospel of Elvis is truly an inspired work. The only true flaw that I found is the "scholarly" commentary. It should have been left to a later edition so that someone not associated with the original project could have written it.

While THE GOSPEL OF ELVIS is not for the slow thinker, it's a brilliant insite never the less... if you like Rock n' Roll and Love the King as we all should, READ THIS BOOK. Too bad the lame Summit Publishing didn't include the great digitized pictures and maps... these would have improved the readability greatly.

This book requires a bit of work to enjoy; you need to slog though the first 30 pages, but once you do, this is a funny, and poignant, history of the 2nd half of the 20th century, and a sweet take on Presley. Weird, and kind of wonderful.

I know Leslie and heard her read parts of this book out loud and describe how she wrote it. She is an excellent journalist and her book is funny, witty and excellently written!

The King is still alive and kicking his heels on stage through Elvis impersonators. Rubinkowski tells their tale in a respectful manner. It would be easy to pass these folks off as kooks. Instead she allows us to follow real-life stories of Dennis Stella and Mike Memphis, among others, as well as providing a lot of information about the celebrity impersonation culture. The book is interesting, funny and touching, and I recommend it to anyone who still holds the King close to their heart.

I'm an Elvis Tribute Artist from Maryland ("Dave Elvis") and I enjoyed this book. Along with William Henderson's "I, Elvis: Confessions of a Counterfit King," it's one of the more fair portrayal of EP impersonators. No, we're not all a bunch of overweight, drugged, and unemployed guys who sit around all day in jumpsuits watching "Viva Las Vegas" and eating peanut butter and bananna sandwiches. We have jobs like everybody else, but paying tribute to Elvis is what we enjoy with our spare time and it seems to make a lot of folks happy. To whoever was responsible for the Kircus review which is, to say the least, condescending towards Tribute Artists, I have only one thing to say: You aint nuttin' but a houng dog!

This is an interesting book with rare photos. It's written by two Elvis insiders and I think any Elvis fan would find it worthwhile. Even though I'm a big Elvis fan, I'm glad that Rex and Elisabeth escaped from Elvis' world and gave their lives to the Lord. BTW, the epilogue is the best section of the entire book.

I've learned so much this year about Elvis' Army career, first in AROUND ELVIS and now in SGT PRESLEY. Elvis was assigned to the most dangerous duty station in all the world from 1958 to 1960 on the front lines of the Cold war on the Russian Front, where World War III. He was the scout of the 3rd Armor Division, General Patton's unit, and he drove the sergeant that drove Patton, and went ahead of the brigade. 3 months after Elvis was discharged the U2 Spy Plane was shot down and his unit was on it's highest alert since World War II. When the Berlin Wall went up, his old unit was there ready for battle. The point is that even though he was a peacetime soldier he wasn't out playing weekend warrior. His unit was out in the field more than half the time he was over there. And those fields are covered in freezing snow. The same snow that stopped Napoleon and Hitler dead in their tracks. Elvis was a patriot and he was respected by his superiors and peers for his hard work and his good job. He took R.O.T.C in school like all sophomores in the great fighting state of Tennesse do and wore his uniform everywhere. Despite what Joe Esposito has to to say, Elvis earned those stripes. He proudly had his Army montage in the Gold Room at Graceland amid his awards. After he died the only thing found in the money compartment of his wallet was a newspaper clipping of the statement made by TN. Senator Estes Kefauver about him to the 86th Congress of The United Staes after his discharge. After exalting him for not using the power of his fame to shirk his duty, Kefauver exclaimed, "Yours was a job well done soldier!" He carried that with him for 17 years.

Great read by one the best biographers in the business. I'd even let Terrill write my life story!

Keep up the good work Marshall. I can't wait for the Pete Maravich book!

This is a great story book. Very colorful and the references to Elvis songs make it a lot of fun. We loved it... don't pay attention to the School Library Journal Review above. It sounds like the reviewer didn't have the Elvis spirit.

What an absolutely charming counting book! The rhyming phrases make it fun to read and the illustrations are vibrant. It's a delightful way to introduce Elvis to children. Adult fans of the King will enjoy looking for all the references to Memphis, Vegas, Graceland and all other Elvis trivia. A definite must-have for any child or child-like fan of the man.

Fun book. Although classed as a children's book, adults will be amused with the clever verses that make reference to 10 of Elvis' best songs. The pictures are bright and with lots of activity to encourage conversation with any child too young to read the book by themself.