Customer Reviews (3)

put yourself to sleep!
if you are having a hard to time falling to sleep..this book will do the trick..it is that boring..and full of boring lies! the worst Elvis book ever...

One of the better Elvis tell all's
Like the other reviewer said, it is Martin Torgoff who makes this book as good as it is. The stories about Elvis here are presented in a fair unjudgemental fashion, and the author (despite a few moments of artistic license) has a good grasp on Elvis the man and entertainer. The problem with the book is that the Stanley's were not as close to Elvis as they make out to be. For instance Ricky was not playing Racket Ball with Elvis the last night of Presley's life. Their stories turned very dark later on, but here they tell their stories both good and bad with a great deal of respect. Ricky and Billy basically maintained that respect over the years, but Dee and David's stories have gotten more scandalous since then. Basically this book captures the feel of Elvis' life in the 70's pretty well and feels authentic since it was finished before the 70's came to an end. Worth reading.

An ok read
This book was ok but not great it read more like a Biographie than an Autobiography. I find Biographies a bore. there were some interesting stories but I felt these were told by the writer more than by Dee Billy Ricky or David. if you are an Elvis fan and like Biographies I think you will like this book a lot. ... Read more

Product Description
Click this link to read a review of Elvis. ELVIS: Remembering August 16, 1977 ELVIS IS DEAD!!! The three unspeakable words that his family and friends and, of course, his fans never had expected to hear in their lifetime, but they did on August 16, 1977. The King of Roll-n-Roll is dead. Since then his family and friends have written and spoken about their years with Elvis and the tragic August 1977 days. At the same time his fans had kept silent until NOW ... Why now? They strongly feel it's time to share their precious thoughts and feelings about Elvis and his untimely death with others throughout the world. When reading each of the stories, there is a strong but special love affair between Elvis and his fans which had begun in the 1950s and still into the 21st century. For his fans, the special love Elvis gave will always be there and will never be broken. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

ELVIS: Remembering August 16, 1977
ELVIS: Remembering August 16, 1977 is a book that is totally devoted tomemories 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

Elvis:Remembering August 16,1977
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.

AWESOME READING-ELVIS FANS WILL LUV IT!!
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!!!!!! ... Read more

Product Description
The King Hits Hollywood!

Just finished with the shooting of Kissin' Cousins-and fresh from a headline-making affair with the sizzling Ann-Margret-Elvis Aron Presley is at one devilish crossroads. Should he choose glittering Hollywood, or the temptations of Graceland? Keep making lucrative bad movies, or go back to doing the music he loves? His search for the truly good script that can mean the best of both worlds only creates more chaos between his ruthlessly scheming manager and the industry powerbrokers who won't take him seriously. Elvis is convinced that he's forever trapped in one hell-bound bargain. . .

But when a fellow ex-soldier swears he's been wrongly convicted of killing a beautiful starlet, Elvis finds far worse trouble. To uncover the truth, he'll have to search the dark corners beyond Hollywood's bright-hot lights and confront the savage triple-dealing and lethal performances at the real heart of movieland. And only with the help of a discredited defense lawyer, a brilliant Mexican pathologist far ahead of his time, and a skeptical L.A. Times reporter, will Elvis have a prayer of finding the real killer and saving an innocent man's life.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

A light-hearted snack of a story
I can sympathize with the author when it comes to writing a series centered around a historical figure.It's doubly- or triply-difficult when that figure is Elvis.Not just Napoleon or Kutuzov (as another reader referred to); they're ghostly figures that a typical modern American reader would barely recognize (especially Kutuzov), let alone identify with.

But Elvis?More than a personage; much more.

Still, Daniel Klein has done an admirable job of placing Elvis in a setting that sweeps the reader along, in a story that is best read quickly.The book is a kind of literary beignet--best enjoyed now, because tomorrow, it won't be so tasty.

What I liked about "Kill Me Tender" was that is struck me as more than just a "gimmick" novel.I got a sense of Elvis the person--not in a true a biographical sense, perhaps, but at least the author's sympathetic sense of Elvis as a young man.

In "Blue Suede Clues", I was a little disappointed to find more of a caricature, in a plot that was a little weaker than I'd hoped (including a very obvious subplot).

Still, it was a fun read, and I have to give Daniel Klein a lot of credit for taking on this project and doing as well as he has.

Great mystery with Elvis Presley investigating
A fabulous installment in this terrific series.Elvis Presley does the sleuthing!

Freddy "Squirm" Littlejohn sent Elvis a letter and photo.The photo was from four years ago when Elvis was in Germany in the army.It was of Elvis singing with other Army guys at Christmas.Squirm was one of them.His letter asked for Elvis' help.Squirm was serving a life sentence for a murder he didn't commit.Holly McDougal had been strangled on the MGM lot.

Elvis went to the California Correction Institution in Tehachapi to see Squirm.He met Bob Reardon, warden of CCI.After his discussion with Squirm, the warden gave Elvis a script.In a recent interview Elvis had asked for a first-class script.

Then Elvis contacted Regis Clifford, Squirm's lawyer.Elvis quickly concluded that Regis was a drinker.He discussed Squirm's case.He found out that a makeup artist named Connie Spinelli had told Regis that Holly McDougal was a wild kid.She said that she `made a stripper blush to her ankles.' Unfortunately when Regis went to meet with Spinelli, she had vanished.

He also told Elvis that Miss Nanette Poulette, Squirm's girlfriend, had given some damning testimony against him which seemed to seal his fate.

Elvis asked around about Spinelli and finally got someone to talk to him.He then called his buddy Billy Jackson and asked for his help in contacting her.

Elvis went to the stunt shack on the MGM lot.He met Will Cathcart, a stuntman and rodeo rider.He showed Elvis around including the bunk room where Holly had died.Will had not been around then.He also gave Elvis a trial ride on Nelly, the stuntman's mistrees, a harness.While dangling from the harness, he met Mickey Grieves, Squirem's good buddy who had referred Squirm to his attorney.

I won't tell you anymore.You'll have to read to find out how Elvis keeps digging and digging to find out the truth behind the strangling of Holly McDougal.So many times I had to remind myself that Elvis never did all this investigation.It is written so well and with such believability and history interwoven, that I often forget it's fiction.

Mr. Klein has done a great job in catching the true essence of Elvis and using it in his books.

I highly recommend this book and the whole series.

A Bitter Victory
Daniel Klein did it again. Like Kill Me Tender, Blue Suede Clues is a true pageturner in spite of the fact that real life Elvis was not a detective and hardly could be one. Can a real life character be a fictional character, and how close they can grow, or how far they can depart? Every Russian (like myself) had read War and Peace where Commander-in-Chief Kutuzov, czar Alexander I and Napoleon Bonaparte were both, historical characters and fictional characters at once. Leo Tolstoi kept their images recognizable but didn't pursue their life-true portrayal. Instead, he used them for expressing his ideas regarding war and peace.

Blue Suede Clues cannot be compared to War and Peace, but in the latter case, the function of a famous character is the same. It expresses Klein's ideas about the subject of his mystery, the loss of humanity in a morally declining society.

Even Elvis cannot help Littlejohn, a victim of the corrupted justice system. As the mystery unfolds, the unholy power games escalate so forcefully that Elvis himself is caught by the net of intrigues. And Klein lets the forgotten Littlejohn to take care of himself by his own means. Littlejohn escapes and flees abroad. In the name of a traditional resolution, Elvis wins the battle against the evil by unmasking the judge, the twin brother of Littlejohn's attorney. Of course, the evil judge is the killer who framed Littlejohn. When unmasked judge takes his life -- evil is conquered. But it is a bitter victory. On the last page, Elvis learns that president Kennedy has been shot, and book ends with the words, "...he reached into his pocket for his bottle of painkillers." Who really won? Did Elvis conquer the evil, or the evil society conquered Elvis? Who will win at the end? As a matter of fact, the dark backdrop of Blue Suede Clues with its identical twin theme (one unit good versus one unit evil) leaves the battle unresolved. I cannot wait to learn, how Daniel Klein will handle this situation in his next installment of Elvis Presley mysteries...

Three Reasons to Read Blue Suede Clues
In Blue Suede Clues you get three for the price of one: a murder mystery, interesting facts about Elvis, and a psychological thriller. Serious suspense, of the kind that makes you stay up later than you had planned, mingles with amusing details from Elvis's real life. However, as a psychiatrist I found the psychological part of the plot the most fascinating. Dan Klein's portrait of Elvis struggling to reconcile his spiritual ideals with the reality of Hollywood (and sex) was both convincing and emotionally engaging. Will he succeed? That's one of the mysteries and I won't tell you what happens.

Convincing Elvis as a detective
t's 1963 and Elvis Presley is so bored with movie-making that when he gets a letter from a convict claiming his innocence, Elvis decides to check things out. What Elvis finds is a Hollywood full of wanna-be stars, each willing to do anything to make it big--anything including murder. The ex-stunt man, Squirm Littlejon might not have killed his prostitute girlfriend, but he certainly did make some powerful enemies. Enemies that wouldn't stop at killing him--and destroying Elvis--to protect their secrets.

Author Daniel Klein does a convincing job making Elvis both believable as a detective and likable as a person. It is amusing to think of Elvis rolling around Los Angeles in the early 1960s, solving crimes and trying to decide where to take his life. Klein adds enough topical references to satisfy the Elvis buff and to educate non-fans on this intriguing and conflicted character.

With a title like BLUE SUEDE CLUES and with Elvis as detective, I was expecting something funny but, while there are definitely some light moments, for the most part, Klein plays it straight. Elvis battles pain from a sprained ankle with too much codeine, risks his life, witnesses murder and suicide, and sinks deep into a world of blackmail, prostitution, and murder. Klein's smooth writing keeps the plot moving forward and hold's the reader's attention. ... Read more

Product Description
Elvis Presley
I Forgot to Remember to Forget

Elvis Aaron Presleya(January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King".

Born in Tupelo, Mississippi, Presley moved to Memphis, Tennessee, with his family at the age of 13. He began his career there in 1954 when Sun Records owner Sam Phillips, eager to bring the sound of African American music to a wider audience, saw in Presley the means to realize his ambition. Accompanied by guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black, Presley was one of the originators of rockabilly, an uptempo, backbeat-driven fusion of country and rhythm and blues. RCA Victor acquired his contract in a deal arranged by Colonel Tom Parker, who would manage the singer for over two decades. Presley's first RCA single, "Heartbreak Hotel", released in January 1956, was a number one hit. He became the leading figure of the newly popular sound of rock and roll with a series of network television appearances and chart-topping records. His energized interpretations of songs, many from African American sources, and his uninhibited performance style made him enormously popular—and controversial. In November 1956, he made his film debut in Love Me Tender.


ISBN: 978-0-557-60810-2
Publisher: IAC Society, Heinz Duthel
© Heinz Duthel 2010
Elvis Presley, That's All Right, Mama
http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/elvis-presley-thats-all-right-mama/12204382 ... Read more

Product Description
Back from his tour of duty in Germany-and desperately missing his Momma-Elvis Aron Presley just isn't turned on by the music any more, not the way he used to be. Between dealing with his Machiavellian manager, the hangers-on and childhood pals crowding Graceland, and his own propensity for gobbling down fried peanut butter, the King tries desperately to get his heart back into rock and roll.But how can the King sing when young girls-the presidents of his fan clubs-are dying all over Tennessee? Elvis suspects foul play. To prove it, and to find the killer, he'll need to navigate the resentment, sqareness, and bigotry that hound-dog him at every turn. Only by allying himself with a self-taught doctor in a small black community, his alluring-and forbidden-nurse, and a mysterious early Elvis impersonator, can Presely hope to Take Care of Business in time to save the next victim.AUTHORBIO: DANIEL KLEIN is the author of four previous novels, including the thrillers Embryo and Beauty Sleep. He is the co-author of the popular humor books Where's Elvis? and Macho Meditations. A graduate of Harvard, he lives in Great Barrrington, Massachusetts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Elvis is investigating the deaths of fan club presidents
What a great mystery.I loved having Elvis Presley sleuthing to unravel the mysterious deaths of the fan club presidents.He was very likeable but he also resembled the real King.

Elvis is made aware of two young girls who have apparently died in their sleep.They were both presidents of his fan club in different Tennessee cities.No one believes them to be anything but sad.No foul play is suspected.Elvis feels differently and enlists the aid of Billy Jackson, a self-taught doctor to a small black community.His nurse Selma also assists and Elvis is smitten with her.

He also has to deal with a Elvis impersonator that thinks he really is Elvis.Elvis consults with a forensic psychiatrist to try to understand the killer's mind.

Then there is another death of a fan club president.Still no one will listen to him and look into these deaths as murders.Plus Elvis keeps receiving recordings of his songs but with twisted lyrics.Who can be sending these?Could they be related to the deaths?

In the meantime, Elvis goes to his class reunion and runs into Penny Woodruff, a classmate and former girlfriend.

Things are getting complicated and Elvis is constantly missing recording sessions in his quest to find a killer no one else is even looking for.His is constantly have to deal with his manager and childhood pals at Graceland.His interest in Selma is constantly growing, but what about Priscilla.

Elvis ends up putting himself and others in danger to discover the identity of the killer before there are any more deaths.

I found this to be a delightful mystery.The Elvis character was so well constructed, I often found myself wondering if these things really happened!

This is a terrific new series and I can't wait to read them all.You will not be disappointed!You won't want to put it down until the last page!I highly recommend it!

Loved it!
I'm not a big Elvis fan and when my husband brought this book home, I was reluctant to read it. Alas, with nothing left in the house to read, I had no choice (I am a serious book junkie!).I thought the book would be silly and rather tongue-in-cheek, but boy, was I wrong.This book is magnificent. It is a real page turner!I could hardly put the book down.Elvis plays a detective trying to figure out who is killing the young, female presidents of his fan clubs.He turns out to be an upstanding citizen and his character is portrayed as being very un-Hollywood. Elvis fights both crime and moral issues is this novel.The book is quite witty and, although I would like to say I did not know who the killer was until the end, it managed to keep my attention with the interplay between the characters.For those who like a suspense-ful novel with light-hearted brevity and a good, twisty plot, this book is a must read!

Presley (Private Eye)
A fun read for most Elvis fans. The story is delightful
and fast paced with alot of twists to keep a mystery
reader happy. As a fan, I found myself wishing for a
few more details to be like the personal Elvis.
eg: language used was ok, but certain phrases
could have just as easy been used that Elvis was
known to say often. Ok..Ok... I'm picking but
all in all it was a fun book and worth a read and
a must for E collectors.

ElvisNews.com Review
Kill Me Tender by Daniel Klein

"Kill Me Tender" is a pure fiction "murder mystery" featuring Elvis Presley. Well, why not? There are many "fact"-books written about Elvis that are playing more or less fast and loose with those facts. At least the cover of this book states that this time it is fiction.

Elvis playing detective is not a strange idea at all, because it is a well-known fact Elvis had the hang of the police enforcement. Overall it is clear that the writer studied his main character pretty well. He does not only recommend Peter Guralnick's works, but it looks like he actually read them.

Daniel Klein took some liberties with stipulations as to time that catch the eye of the reader immediately, at least when the reader is an Elvis-fan. To the less fanatics those stipulations are just "Elvis-facts" that may seem in place. We can safely place the story in 1960, because most "facts" point to that. Elvis is home for just a couple of months after returning from Germany and "Elvis Is Back" is his latest album. Being a couple of weeks from the filming of "Take Me to The Fair" is in contradiction with this, because this movie (which became "It Happened At The World's Fair") was not filmed before the last quarter of 1962. Also a statue of Elvis in a jumpsuit and a TCB-belt do not really fit in the 1960-picture, because it took another decade before those things showed up. On first sight it looks strange that some of the Elvis-related people are mentioned by name, like Priscilla, Vernon, The Colonel and The Jordanaires, while Elvis' close friends are fictional.

Here we'll stop the hair-splitting. Assuming you like murder-mysteries at all this book is a nice read. It is fast, but demanding: it forces you to read on, even when you know you should go to sleep, because you have to go to work again the next day. The mystery starts when two young girls, both presidents of local fanclubs find an untimely death. Elvis gets involved and before you know it you are reading about P.I. Presley instead of G.I. Presley. There are some tender, touching moments, of course there is tension too and even humour can be spotted on several pages. In other words we enjoyed the book very much and therefore we won't say anything more about it, especially not regarding the story line. Not to give away the clue and to be sure we won't spoil your pleasure reading it!

Elvis would have loved this!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book.Elvis comes off as a real live breathing human being, and Daniel Klein did a great job with the various characters.I especially liked the relationship of Elvis and Selma - very sweet andtender.Elvis in the book did a lot of the things that the Elvis in reallife would love to have done.The mystery itself was intriguing - strangelethal drug killing fan club presidents - various characters appearing tobe the likely suspect.I liked Selma so much that I was sad at the end -and the final phone call from overseas was a great ending.My onlycomplaint was the overuse at times of crude language which did not alwaysseem necessary.However, I enjoyed the book enough that I would definitelybuy the next in the series.Jean Donovan ... Read more

Product Description
A biography of Elvis Presley, telling his life story and exploring his aims and achievements. It includes primary written and pictorial sources and analysis of the evidence, and examines perceptions of the subject over time. ... Read more

Product Description
A biography of Elvis Presley, whose musical style, forged from gospel songs, black blues, and country ballads, altered the course of contemporary music. ... Read more

Product Description
Includes 33 spiritual selections: Amazing Grace ¥ Bosom of Abraham ¥ By and By ¥ Crying in the Chapel ¥ He Touched Me ¥ How Great Thou Art ¥ If I Can Dream ¥ Let Us Pray ¥ Peace in the Valley ¥ Stand by Me ¥ Swing Down, Sweet Chariot ¥ YouÕll Never Walk Alone ¥ more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

OK for my purposes...
I am a beginning guitarist, and was looking for easy chords for some of Elvis' gospel songs.This book basically fits my level of play.

Gospel Elvis
Elvis's gospel singing is his most relaxed and natural singing. I have enjoyed singing songs from the book and I used it at one of my brothers' funeral wich made me feel proud and was dedicated to him, as he introdced me to Elvis in the first place. ... Read more

Product Description
Examines the childhood, musical career, films, family life, and legacy of the rock star Elvis Presley. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Review of "Elvis Presley, the King"
I love Elvis. In fact I think he is the best singer who ever lived.This book is the best book I have ever read in my whole life.It tells all about his life and how he got famous.Elvis was more than a singer.He acted inmovies too. He started out poor and got very rich. A lot of people likeElvis. This is a good book for anybody who likes Elvis. ... Read more

Product Description
The ultimate celebration of the King of Rock 'n' Roll as seen from the archives of the Elvis Presley Estate at Graceland published on the 25th Anniversary of his death.

Compiled and written with the full authorization and assistance of the Elvis Presley Estate, and using exclusive material from the official archive at Graceland, Elvis: A Celebration is the ultimate tribute to the King of Rock 'n' Roll on the 25th anniversary of his death. This pictorial record of Elvis's life features over 600 photographs and illustrations, from his early days in Tupelo and Memphis, his rise to superstardom, his career in movies, his television and Vegas performances, and his posthumous ascent to the top rank of the pop-culture pantheon. Loaded with news photographs, memorabilia, and movie stills-many never before published-this is the one book that Elvis fans should not be without! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Most of Elvis' life story told in pictures
Calling this book a coffee table book is something of a stretch, since the format is only 6.5" X 5". The photos in the book were procured from the Graceland archives, and the captions could have been written by the Presley estate as well. You won't find anything seriously critical of Elvis Presley or his body of work in this book. Some of the captions are enlightening, however. Elvis was Elvis' father's middle name. When Elvis' parents were married, his mother was 21 and his father was 17. Elvis came along 18 months later. One or two Amazon sellers are offering new copies at very reasonable prices, and on these terms the book is worth checking out. Still, if you're only going to buy one Elvis book, The Rough Guide to Elvis, being promoted on this page as a companion purchase, is far more informative and balanced.

The King Lives
Having acted with Elvis in Jailhouse Rock, I remember many of the images in this book. I like to look through this book over and over to keep my memories alive. The book is a great item to have for every Elvis fan and people that would like to find out more about the King. I love the layout and the quality of the pictures! My thumbs up for this book, Elvisly yours, Jennifer Holden

Elvis Presely : A Life In Pictures
This is a beautiful book dedicated to Elvis. I was looking for an Elvis picture book and I am very happy with this. I only wish there was some more information.
However, this is a picture book, and not really meant as a biography of words.

25th Anniversary Tribute
Since most of Elvis' life was over before mine ever began, the only way I can understand the fascination with his life is by seeing his life in pictures. To be honest, I was rather impressed with this collection. Not only do you see his entire life in pictures, there are many exclusive pictures you won't find in any other collection.

What DK has literally done is given fans a memorable collection at an affordable price. This book has a classic feel while also showing Elvis at his prime. The truth is, if you've never understood the fascination with Elvis, you will after reading this comprehensive volume.

This is a unique collection of over 600 photographs. You will find archive pictures, news photographs, autographed photographs, rare memorabilia, movie stills and never-before-published pictures. If you are interested in the details of Elvis' life, you will enjoy reading the detailed caption tidbits sprinkled throughout this well-organized visual feast.

This celebration is organized into ten chapters:

Child & Teenager (1935-1955)
The Sun Years (1954-1956)
Superstardom (1956-1957)
The King (1957-1958)
Army Days & After (1958-1961)
In the Movies (1960-1969)
Relaxing (1967-1973)
TV & Vegas (1968-1969)
Elvis on Tour (1970-1977)
Elvis Lives: The Legend Continues

Since I have mostly seen pictures from later in his life, I was personally surprised by the sheer magnetism of his younger years. In a way, this volume spares us from the reality of his rapid decline by highlighting the high points of his life and only briefly touching on the later years. There is a list of "facts, figures and statistics" on the life of Elvis at the end of the book which will be appreciated by the true fan.

Who knew that in 1957 Elvis was promoting "Teddy Bear Eau De Parfum" or "Elvis Presley Lipstick." The pictures of "Elvis in the Army" are quite interesting and you can also read about how Priscilla met Elvis when she was only 14 in Germany. There is a small section on his life with Prinscilla. Want to see what Elvis looks like with a beard or see pictures of him doing karate? This is your book.

An affordable way to have your own "Elvis Photo Album."

~The Rebecca Review

Waste of MONEY!
To think that a publication from Dorling Kindersley would be at least something worthwhile. But I was fooled.

This book is a lame attempt at "celebrating"? Elvis' death 25 years later.
(I thought one's death should be commemorated and not celebrated - oh well Dorling Kindersley is actually HAPPY that Elvis is dead so they can cash in on the poor man's demise).

The photo quality is pathetic!
The information is rather dull and uninviting.
I wasted so much money on this book thinking it would be educational or at least "fun".I was wrong on both accounts.

This got me thinking: I went to check Dorling's other publications and I was right!
All their other books are beautiful compared to this cheap and made-quick Elvis book.
I guess they did not want to spend any decent money to make a real good book!

Hey Dorling next time why don't use a real expert in the Elvis world to put together a book for you ... and make sure you invest at least a few dollars in printing like your other books.
Elvis may be dead --- but he deserves some kind of respect.

I suggest that people do not buy this book .. but rather go to a bookstore or library and flip through it.
Don't waste any money on this 25th Anniversary Disaster! ... Read more

Product Description
Note-for-note transcriptions of 25 top hits: All Shook Up * Blue Suede Shoes * Good Luck Charm * Heartbreak Hotel * Hound Dog * Little Sister * Love Me Tender * My Baby Left Me * Mystery Train * more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Elvis Presley: Recorded version/tabs book
You can look at my name and tell, I am a huge elvis fan and guitar player, the music from the book is right from the recording session. You want to sound like Elvis/Scotty pick up this book. Its great. ... Read more

Product Description
That voice, Graceland, the cars, the girls, the hair...Elvis Presley revolutionised Western pop culture when, at age twenty-two, he became the world's first modern superstar. A Memphis Beau Brummel even before he was famous, Elvis's personal style, like his music, had such a direct impact on his audience that it continues to permeate our world today. With ELVIS PRESLEY Pamela Keogh compellingly examines Elvis's life and style to reveal the generous, complex, spiritual man behind the fourteen-carat gold sunglasses. As Keogh demonstrates in ELVIS PRESLEY, Presley is in every sense a dynamic style icon - a man who travelled from poverty to fame, and through his very life defined modern culture. From his days as a young man in Memphis who wore black lace shirts and long hair, to his years as a rockabilly bad boy in a slouchy Lansky jacket, through the clean cut Hollywood phase, and finally to the jumpsuit-wearing Vegas era, Presley's sense of style - like his voice - was unmistakable. Drawing from extensive research and interviews Keogh introduces readers to the distinctive Elvises that emerged throughout his career, complete with fascinating insights into his life and times. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A perfect gift from a true Elvis fan...
My sister in law is a die hard Elvis fan (probably in the womb.) She has all the books you can think of. I know somehow she spoke with the author a few times, after reading the book, and I must say her review was true. I read it in 2 days and I could not put it down, like her! She purchased 20 copies for family members and I was so very happy to get one, even after I finished reading it. My mother in law also has a book on Jackie from before and the writer is very much appreciated and it is obvious the hard work put into it. It even inspired my sister in law to go to Memphis and see Graceland as soon as possible, although she was always afraid to go alone. This book has encouraged her to do so. I was very impressed and my sis in law has great taste!
Lisa ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Elvis gets the ID.
It was everything I expected.Most interesting.This is a follow up to the documentary on PBS.

Classic!
The odd couple, Elvis & Nixon.I'm glad I own this book.The photo is such a classic.

Easy entertainment
I got this book at Graceland when it was a new item back in 1995, and I was previously unaware of its existence. Of course, I knew that the two had met, as one of those bizarre connections of wildly different people. I couldn't pass it by as a souvenir, rather than all the cheesy alternatives. The book is entertaining, with a casual, chatty approach so different from typical works that involve politicians.

The classic, well-known photo of Nixon and Elvis is there, with several other informal shots. Mr. Krogh has included plenty of amusing details, such as Elvis' letter to Nixon on an airline notepad and Elvis rummaging through Nixon's desk looking for mementos for his pals. I don't think additional content would really have added much, as Mr. Krogh included enough for readers to get the picture.

After the meeting, the story moves to lunch in the cafeteria with folks used to political superstars thrilled by the appearance of a *real* superstar, and the arrival of the coveted official federal narcotics badge, per Nixon's order. The badge was at Graceland in my visit, and the whole adventure leaves me both amused and somewhat befuddled. What was Elvis thinking, anyway? Elvis certainly didn't take Nixon's advice to Elvis, which included, "just be sure you keep your credibility."

Undistinguished
*The Day Elvis Met Nixon* is Egil Krogh's first-person account of the day (Dec. 21, 1970) Elvis Presley dropped into the White House, met President Nixon, offered his services in the Administration's war against drug - he could talk to the young people - and posed with the President for what has become one of the most popular photographs in the national archives.

Published in 1994, nearly a quarter century after the event, Krogh's recollection lacks the sharp details of a more immediate event.In 1970 Krogh was a deputy counsel to the President, responsibilities including developing a drug policy.Which is how Presley's letter of introduction - he wanted to be a `Federal Agent at Large' in the drug war - came to Krogh's desk.Attractively laid out and so richly illustrated - behold the gift Elvis brought the day he met Nixon, all six pages of the letter hand-written on American Airlines stationary, the Special Agent badge Elvis coveted and asked for the day he met Nixon - that the text suffers in comparison.It's a quick read, a half-hour or so at a leisurely pace, easily digested and vaguely dissatisfying.Twenty-five years do tend to blunt and dull even the sharpest of memories.

In any event the piece de resistance is White House photographer Ollie Atkin's famous photo, hereafter referred to as The Picture.Everyone has seen it, no?Nixon and Elvis, hereafter referred to as the King, standing side by side directly in front of five flags.They're facing the camera, shaking hands.Nixon is in a gray business suit, a politician's pseudo-smile on his face.He looks like someone responding to a joke he doesn't get.The King stands beside him, already somewhat puffed and bloated.There's a heavy gold chain around his neck and about twenty pounds worth of gold on the biggest belt buckle you'll ever see around his waist.The King wears a dark suit over a white shirt, unbuttoned with big collars.If Nixon looks grimly jovial, the King simply looks toked.Both seem oblivious to the angry ghosts already gathering, the karmic debt collectors who would, in a few short years, leave the King to drown in his own suet and Nixon to resign in disgrace, delivering a humiliation - finally - large enough for a politician with an otherwise insatiable appetite for self-abasement.

Which brings me to why I bought this book. I have a modest collection of Watergate related books in my possession.Egil Krogh is the person who authorized the break-in of Daniel Ellsberg's psychiatrist's office.Ellsberg is the person who leaked the Pentagon Papers to the New York Times, causing an uproar in the Nixon Administration.After the publication and prior to Ellsberg's trial the Nixon White House wanted whatever it could get on Ellsberg, and a psychiatrist's notes on his patient seemed a good place to start.Krogh hasn't written anything else, that I'm aware of, besides this book.There may be a magazine article or two floating around.Krogh is also the one who brought G. Gordon Liddy into the White House.More to the pity *The Day Elvis Met Nixon* mentions none of this, although there's a nice book-congratulations note near the preface, written by Nixon shortly before his death, handsomely reproduced.

What you're left with, then, is something that feels an awful lot like a longish American Heritage magazine article.There's a nice, detachable, suitable for framing, color-tinted reproduction of the photograph hanging off the rear cover (in case you buy this book used, make sure the photo is intact!)

One of my favorite elvis books
this book details the day of the meeting between elvis and nixon. It is detailed but an easy reader. It is anything except boring! In the back you will find a RARE 8 by 10 color photo of the two that is worth the price in gold. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Some things are not accurate
over all a good book. Kinda out of date considering its now 2007. Also describes Elvis' pool as guitar shaped, which is NOT the case.
I assume alot of research went into this book, so I cant cut it down by any means. I just wish it could be udated. ... Read more

Product Description
Elvis Presley spoke to a whole generation of people through his music. Whether it was a ballad, a gospel hymn, or pure rock'n'roll, when he sang, people listened.

However, there was more to Elvis than his music and movies. Throughout his career he was questioned by mobs of adoring fans and interviewed by thousands of inquisitive reporters. Repeatedly he was asked personal questions about his life, ranging from love and marriage to his musical style, from his religious beliefs to his family. He answered them all in a polite and forthright way.

Elvis Speaks is a collection of Elvis's words--what he said on a variety of topics such as loneliness, performing in front of live audiences, how he felt about his fans, how he felt about being drafted into the army, music, love, and religion. The words are pure Elvis. They come from the heart and reflect the man behind the entertainer and beyond the gates of Graceland, the Cadillacs, the gold records, and the money. Elvis Speaks tells of a man who loved to entertain people and found heartache and happiness in a career that spanned nearly three decades. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

WORDS FROM THE KING!
Very enjoyable book that you will pick up and refer to over and over again. It also has some nice black and white photos of Elvis, many of them rarely seen. Definitely worth the money.

Elvis Speaks: Thoughts on Fame, Family, Music and More in His own Words
I really enjoy looking at this Elvis book. I pick it up often to read. I love reading how Elvis felt about every things. I already knew that Elvis has a wonderful sense of humor. I love to listen to Elvis talk and laugh. I would highly recomend this Elvis boook. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Hard to put down
this book was great I thought Davids book was good but this one is much better and very very interesting. I think Billy was honest in telling his story even the part about Elvis taking his wife from him. it is just a very good read for all Elvis fans!

Elvis & Billy Stanley - good read!
I found this book to be rather interesting. It's obvious that Elvis had a special relationship with his step-brothers. All Elvis fans should read this book. Why are so many people jealous of the Stanley boys and Dee Presley? They give these bad reviews of the books they wrote. I'm sure they would have loved to be in their place. And what a good way to honor their brother by writing a book. At least they didn't make Elvis look like a monster as Priscilla Presley did in her book, Elvis & Me!

A STEPBROTHER OF A BOOK
I enjoyed this book and so I gave it a star boost in spite of being boring and without depth. Billy is open and candid, but the story ranbles. the big bombshell is that Elvis took his wife (and others) to bed. once that comes and goes it's a whitefish. It's not like Billy penned this tome, so it's on the writers. The book ended strong and the writer should have explored the turmoil more intently. It felt like it was slapped together to be ready in time for the holidays. It's too chronicled and stiff. It reads like "Elvis and me got a pizza; Elvis and me watched T.V." And way way more about hot rods than needed unless it was a book about hot rods. I learned more about the Stanley bros reading the novel AROUND ELVIS. Billy, not only wasn't the star running back on the Hillcrest High football team, he didn't even play for the team. Not only that, he and Ricky were the waterboys!!! None of the brothers ever played on the team. Shame on you Billy! And how come you never told how you were arrested by the Constable of Desoto County, T. Burma Hobbs for taking a leak behind a liquor store? Billy Stanley!! I would recommend this book, because he did have a unique perspective of Elvis' life that manages to peak through now and then and it has moments that are absolutely charming.

Where are they located?
Can you please tell me how I can get in touch with Billy, Ric ,or David Stanley?

Where are they located?
Can you please tell me how I can get in touch with Billy, Ric ,or David Stanley? ... Read more

Product Description
This is a novel about friendship, a novel that spans the decades that changed America forever. Orson is a young boy whose mother works at a U.S. Army base in Germany in the 1950s. There, he becomes a fan of a G.I. stationed at the base, one Elvis Presley, whose music is played over and over on the radio. When Orson is caught stealing recordings of Elvis's tunes from the PX, the attendant publicity catches the star's attention, and he comes to visit his young fan. Thus begins a lifelong friendship. As Elvis's career rockets ever higher and his behavior becomes ever more erratic, the two share many adventures. The sixties explode, and Elvis becomes the icon of the nation, while Orson, a college demonstrator, drifts away from regular life while looking for something of substance to believe in. Each man is an emblem of his time, as social conventions crumble, barriers fall, and the cultural landscape changes forever.A panorama of change and dissent, of the ability of friends to stay true despite distance and time, Elvis in the Morning portrays a nation in change and the effects of celebrity on innocence. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

Politically Correct
Fictitious schoolboy Orson Killere lives with his widowed American mother, who works at a U.S. Army base in West Germany.When Orson watches Elvis make his television debut in 1956, Orson becomes captivated. The lesson Elvis imparts unto Orson is: do what you believe is right and ignore the establishment.

Orson is also strongly influenced by his teacher, who is a socialist.Then, in 1959, when fourteen year old Orson decides that Elvis' music is common property, he breaks into the Army base's PX and steals the Elvis acetates.Orson gets caught and a judge sentences him to a month without Elvis' music.

When G.I. Elvis learns about the incident, he decides to meet his young fan. Orson subsequently introduces Elvis to his Elvis Presley Fan Club co-president, Priscilla Beaulieu. It is then that a lifelong friendship between Orson, Elvis, and Priscilla develops.The story chronicles the true milestones in Elvis' life through Orson's eyes.

While Orson's character was vivid, the depth of the real characters fell short.For the reader who is not knowledgeable about the Greek-tragedy like life of Elvis and its ramifications, the book lacks emotion and power.

However, what I particularly love is the political spin.As an ardent fan of Elvis, I have always vocalized that it was he who single-handedly refaced the landscape of pop culture. It was his very innocence, talent and charisma that empowered Elvis to mainstream Rock and Roll. Elvis made it acceptable for one to be a non-conformist, different and unconventional.This revolution ultimately led to the breakdown of socioeconomic and racial barriers.

Therefore, Elvis was not just an entertainer and was indeed much more of a political influence than we realize.Hence, Mr. Buckley could not have been more politically correct than to have written Elvis in the Morning.

Interesting book & it worked for me
Overall, I truly enjoyed this boy-meets-pop-idol story.I, oddly, find this an interesting topic, and did long before this book.Here, a teenager meets Elvis Presley and becomes Elvis's friend.It's a rock and roll fantasy.

In this book, Orson is our Elvis fan who becomes the King's most trusted confidante.Their friendship spans 15 years and, for me, worked better for, approximately, the first half of the book than the latter.By the end of the book, which is very much about Elvis Presley--the real guy--it's hard to keep the focus on Orson while knowing, feeling, awaiting Elvis's fate. And I don't think Buckley pulled this element off; the real Elvis overshadowed the literary fantasy of their relationship.

Orson is a well-fleshed-out character, and he has a life and a wife who is also a solid, full character; they've got their own story and lives that work and are interesting.I would have enjoyed reading even more about them.

But, when we are in the 1970's (chapters are titled by date and place), it became, for me, nearly impossible not to dread and anticipate what would become of Elvis.Chapter headings 1971, '72, '73, etc. - I was thinking to myself: Elvis is going to be dead in five years; Elvis is going to die in four years...Elvis Presley is such a looming figure, and his real life well described in this book, that my focus--and the book's, to a great extent--became Elvis rather than Orson.

What began as boy-meets-hero turned into story of Elvis.And at that point, the fantasy element got lost in the largeness of Elvis Presley.This, then, created other flaws for me. Buckley went to great lengths to tell us Elvis's real life.Elvis's relationship with Orson, then, by the end, was nearly superfluous and, therfore, more "not-believable" than it was fantasy.Similarly for Priscilla's (and Lisa Marie's and others') relationships with both Orson and Orson's wife.Orson had become part of a real life that was vividly described, and the book beame so much about Elvis, that Orson got lost, as did the hero-fantasy (as well, Orson is now an adult with a very real Elvis Presley considering him the only person he can trust -- their friendship took on a far-fetched feel).

All that said, I liked it very much.I liked the beginning for the hero-fantasy, and I liked the latter part for the Elvis story.What I liked in the end is not, I think, what the book was "about," but what I took from it - what a sad, sad story, Elvis Presley.By then, I didn't need Orson - the book had become about Elvis Presley.

Buckley gets the downbeat!
It's a lot of fun to see debonair and sophisticated William Buckley drop his erudite (often pedantic) airs and just write for the fun of it (or as one fan noted, "so the rest of us can understand what he's saying!").In "Elvis in the Morning," Buckley, the noted politico pundit, takes an unlikely subject (for him) and develops/presents it in a fascinating, readable, and enjoyable manner.

To say his prose moves rapidly is an understatement, as this clever--yet in places ever so poignant--novel moves with a real rock 'n roll upbeat, although hardly taking time for the traditional chorus rounds! Orson Killere is the young son of a German mother who works for the US Army in Wiesbaden.A devout Presley fan, he gets caught stealing Elvis records at the local PX.Elvis, stationed nearby, hears about it and arranges for a meeting. They become lifelong friends and confidents.

This is not the story of Elvis, but of Orson, or "Killer," as Elvis playfully calls him.Elvis, of course, is the pivotal point of the book, as like a proper musical recitative (or even leitmotiv), we keep coming back to him, continually until the King's death.This relationship between the two--often symbiotic, often close--make a fascinating story, whether one is an Elvis fan or not.

While this is a work of fiction, Buckley exercises literary license here and there, but his research is thorough and can't be faulted (after all, remember, this is fiction).His ability to capture the landscape and atmosphere is unquestioned and Buckley shows once again that reading (and in his case,writing) is also a fun undertaking."Elvis in the Morning" is an odyssey or sorts and that said, don't expect to find the proverbial Trojan horse; just think of Orson as Cassandra, knowing what lies ahead but powerless to stop the inevitable. (Billyjhobbs@tyler.net)

He got old.
One day, little Orson decided that, since all property should be owned commonly (see: Karl Marx), it was right for him to take all of the Elvis records from a local store, and distribute them among the populace.Unfortunately, he was caught, and the judge's punishment declared that he was forbidden from listening to Elvis Presley on the radio for the next few months.Elvis, hearing of this, drives to meet little Orson and sing for him personally.Elvis in the Morning is the story of the relationship of Orson, Elvis, and Orson's friend (and Elvis' real-life future wife) Priscilla.It is, reportedly, the story of each one's development, and also about Orson's eventual repudiation of socialism.

I know this because I have read about Elvis in the Morning in newspapers and magazines.The book offers no such clues as to where these attributes may be hidden within it.The problem is that nothing in the novel seems connected.I was never quite sure as to what the point of it all was - not a political point, but I was looking for a final lesson learned, a theme, or a message.Orson, and everyone else, seem just the same at the end of the book as they do at the beginning.Maybe a little more world-weary, but they haven't changed in any definable way.And not only have the characters not changed, but the plot doesn't seem to be connected in any discernable way.Elvis and Orson fade in and out of each other's lives, with no real reason.In the end, you're left with a few sparkling scenes, but mainly pages upon pages of filler journalism, merely describing each character's actions.

That was what ended up being my main problem with the novel: the feeling of vacuousness I got reading it.Why was any particular scene happening?Who knows?It wasn't even entertaining, because you were left with a bunch of empty scenes describing characters you didn't care about.If Mr. Buckley was trying to advocate a message (though I don't think he was), he failed.If he was trying to tell a fun story (and I do think he was), he failed.

Now, I'm a huge fan of Bill Buckley.God & Man at Yale, his first novel, still rests only a few feet away.He was always interested in being cute - in including a funny turn on words or slightly off topic jab at a rival - but he always managed to also include substance in what he wrote.Unfortunately, in Elvis in the Morning, and his current columns, he's kept the desire to be cute and lost the ability to be substantive.It's too bad.Still, on the other hand, Mr. Buckley has, in his younger days, written many, many excellent books, both fiction and non-fiction.Go pick up one of those instead of Elvis in the Morning.

Impressive fiction from Buckley
Having been a fan of Buckley's political commentaries for some time, I decided to check out some of his fictional work. For better or worse, I began with this short novel. I was pleasantly surprised.

On one level, the novel is an "Edmund Morris-esque" biography of Elvis Presley, with the main character, Orson, finding himself caught up in the major events and dramas of Elvis' rise, fall, rise, and death throughout the 60's and 70's.

On another level, the book is a creative commentary on American political history - not too out-of-line with Buckley's other works. Orson's journey in and out of socialism begins with him stealing Elvis records in an attempt to give them out to people who can't afford them. He is kicked out of college for heading a botched student protest. His cross-country journey in search of an identity, all the while keeping in touch with Elvis, is symbolic of his gradual metamorphosis into a rational man - who, at least by his actions, rejects the ridiculous tenets of socialism that marked his failed early life.

Overall, it was a creative, refreshing way for Buckley to illustrate his insightfully conservative view of America during the turbulent 1960's and 70's. ... Read more