Best Book Focussing on Elvis in the 70s

[James27]

I don't have a lot of Elvis books (with mainly text) that deal in detail with the 70s period, except for the Guralnick book "Careless Love", and the "Day By Day" book (co-)written by Jorgensen and Guralnick and "The Concert Years" book by Skar and Granlund.

The Guralnick books are great overall, but they tend to give that whole 1973-1977 period too little attention.

I know there are a lot of books out by members of his entourage like Joe Esposito, Sonny West, Jerry Schilling, Larry Geller. But these either only touch the surface or only put light on certain aspects (spiritual, drugs,..) from that person's point of view.

Is there a detailed book about those up-and-down years which goes into great and reliable detail, but still remains balanced and objective?

Or is such a book still to be written ??

Does one have to buy ALL MM books to receive a proper overview? I'm not looking forward to that, because from what I've read here and there there are a lot of inaccuracies too.

I'd rather have one big ole' 70s Elvis Bible.

[Hans]

Did you actualy read Jerry Hopkins 'The Final Years'..?

I always liked it a lot an it is a rather cheap book as part of 'Elvis the Biography'

The Kathy Westmoreland book also does get nice reviews although I own it I never read it.

Concerning the concerts the Stein Erik Skar 'The Concert Years' is a nice one but it does hold a lot from 'Elvis The Final Years'.

[drjohncarpenter]

The Guralnick books are great overall, but they tend to give that whole 1973-1977 period too little attention ... Is there a detailed book about those up-and-down years which goes into great and reliable detail, but still remains balanced and objective?

All well-written, worthwhile biographies must offer a perspective, otherwise one doesn't have a credible book.

Highest recommendations, in order of importance, beyond the work of Guralnick and Hopkins:

1) Elvis Aaron Presley (Nash)
2) The Death of Elvis (Cole and Thompson)
3) A Life In Music (Jorgensen)
4) If I Can Dream (Geller)

These four, in the company of Careless Love (Guralnick), The Final Years (Hopkins) and The Concert Years (Skar), are about as panoramic a picture of 1973-1977 as we'll likely ever get.

[sooner]

its still to be written.

[drjohncarpenter]

its still to be written.

Wrong.

Highest recommendations, in order of importance, beyond the work of Guralnick and Hopkins:

1) Elvis Aaron Presley (Nash)
2) The Death of Elvis (Cole and Thompson)
3) A Life In Music (Jorgensen)
4) If I Can Dream (Geller)

These four, in the company of Careless Love (Guralnick), The Final Years (Hopkins) and The Concert Years (Skar), are about as panoramic a picture of 1973-1977 as we'll likely ever get.

[Scott]

In no particular order, you can't go wrong with:

The Death of Elvis
Elvis, What Happened (despite what the naysayers believe)
The Final Years (preferrably the updated version)
The Elvis Book, Vols 2,3 & 4 (Sean Shaver's very expensive and large tomes)

[JohnnyByeBye]

In no particular order, you can't go wrong with:
Elvis, What Happened (despite what the naysayers believe)

I agree, this will give you some exclusive info, and you will see the 70's in a different ligt when it comes to Elvis It might even get you out of your obsession of Elvis in the 70's

The Elvis Book, Vols 2,3 & 4 (Sean Shaver's very expensive and large tomes)

These, of course are super rare, cost many hundreds of dollars, if you ever find one and are mostly photos.

[Scott]

The Elvis Book, Vols 2,3 & 4 (Sean Shaver's very expensive and large tomes)

These, of course are super rare, cost many hundreds of dollars, if you ever find one and are mostly photos.

I have mine, personally signed by Sean, sealed in paper bags and in mint condition.

Still waiting for Volume 1 though!

[likethebike]

For the life of me I don't understand the cult for The Death of Elvis. If there was ever a book that was easy for me to put down this was it. I'm not Quincy ME. I don't need to know everything that was going on in Elvis' body at the time he died. If you're interested in that stuff, it's ok I guess. But I think the "essential" claims are over the top. Although we have been down this road before, a whole book on this topic seems excessive. A few page summary is enough for me. I just don't get it. Respectable writers like Dave Marsh have praised it to high heaven but, it just eludes me.

The Hopkins' book is strong but the criticism is spotty. Guralnick and Ernst of course are essential. The Nash book is also very good on this period as is the Heard/Clayton oral history which spreads the circle out a little further.

[James27]

Did you actualy read Jerry Hopkins 'The Final Years'..?

Yes, I did. I have an old and worn softcover version of it, so I might have to go for the updated version. I just didn't know how reliable and up-to-date the information in it still is.

Scott, how different is that revised version ?

Thanks Doc for your list.

1) Elvis Aaron Presley (Nash)
2) The Death of Elvis (Cole and Thompson)

Those books are now on my priority list.

If I Can Dream from Larry Geller is one I also have read from the local library, I must admit it was hard to put down.

[Scott]

Scott, how different is that revised version ?

I have it, but to be honest, I've never read it. I just assume it would have more up-to-date info and some corrections.

But the original is fine enough.

If I Can Dream from Larry Geller is one I also have read from the local library, I must admit it was hard to put down.

Nothing by Geller is essential reading, especially for the 70s ... and especially this one.

[sooner]

its still to be written.

Wrong.

Highest recommendations, in order of importance, beyond the work of Guralnick and Hopkins:

1) Elvis Aaron Presley (Nash)
2) The Death of Elvis (Cole and Thompson)
3) A Life In Music (Jorgensen)
4) If I Can Dream (Geller)
Still hasnt been written
These four, in the company of Careless Love (Guralnick), The Final Years (Hopkins) and The Concert Years (Skar), are about as panoramic a picture of 1973-1977 as we'll likely ever get.

[trevorelvis]

Stein Erik Skar 'The Concert Years'


Jerry Hopkins 'The Final Years' love the tagline, 'an extraordinary black fairytale


Alanna Nash Elvis and The Memphis Mafia'


Larry Geller 'If I Can Dream'


Lee Cotten 'Did Elvis Sing In Yor Hometown Too' nobody mentioned this, superb



Trevor

[Scott]

Lee Cotten 'Did Elvis Sing In Yor Hometown Too' nobody mentioned this, superb

Have never seen the cover for this; for some reason, I always assumed it was mainly a 50s thing. Can you tell us more about it? What's in it? Many pics? Contents etc?

Thanks.

[drjohncarpenter]

For the life of me I don't understand the cult for The Death of Elvis.

Cult? It might be a bit more broad than that.

One of the best reasons to own it is because it is pursuing a mystery -- how did Elvis Presley die? It is loaded with facts, and first-person interviews to get to the truth, painting an unapologetic and sober look at Elvis' later period. There are few publications on the subject that may say as much.

[Scott]

its still to be written.

Wrong.

What this person meant to say here, sooner, is that he disagrees with your assessment that the perfect 70s book hasn't been written.

No one would presume that his own list was the be-all and end-all of Elvis literature.

You are not wrong; you have an opinion. Stick to it, my friend.

[JEFF d]

Q: Best Book Focussing on Elvis in the 70s?

A: Elvis The Final Years - Jerry Hopkins ... is the book you want!

JEFF d
EP fan

[sooner]

Thanks Scott

[Francesc]

Lee Cotten 'Did Elvis Sing In Yor Hometown Too' nobody mentioned this, superb

Have never seen the cover for this; for some reason, I always assumed it was mainly a 50s thing. Can you tell us more about it? What's in it? Many pics? Contents etc?

Thanks.

Scott

There is one for the 50s concerts and other for the 70s.

About the 70s

The book goes concert by concert trying to highlight something from each concert. Mainly it is information extracted from newspaper reviews and second hand comments.

I dont know if there is the perfect book but The Concert Years (with many errors included) is a fantastic book. It is impossible not to have errors.

For the last 2 years I tried to clean up my website and it is not an easy task since some concerts have almost zero information.


But every day we are getting new photos that help us to complete the puzzle.

[ScottP]

One of the most handy Elvis books I have ever owned is this one:



It covers almost every single aspect of Elvis's career, including the 1970's concert tours, all album releases and chart positions, and a song-by-song alphabetical reference. You can also find out, for example, the color of the telephone at Elvis's bedside at Graceland...which was white by the way. The downside is that it was released in 1990 and there has been much new information discovered since then. It is too bad this book never had a 2nd edition.

[drjohncarpenter]

If I Can Dream from Larry Geller is one I also have read from the local library, I must admit it was hard to put down.

Yes. An intelligent Elvis fan will recognize and appreciate the value of Larry's insight through the 13 years he knew Presley, despite certain credibility issues.

Be aware that Elvis A-Z is a very flawed reference -- littered with inaccuracies and falsehoods thoroughout.

[midnightx]

If I Can Dream from Larry Geller is one I also have read from the local library, I must admit it was hard to put down.

Yes. An intelligent Elvis fan will recognize and appreciate the value of Larry's insight through the 13 years he knew Presley, despite certain credibility issues.

Be aware that Elvis A-Z is a very flawed reference -- littered with inaccuracies and falsehoods thoroughout.

For some fans, that is the perfect scenario.

[ScottP]

If I Can Dream from Larry Geller is one I also have read from the local library, I must admit it was hard to put down.

Yes. An intelligent Elvis fan will recognize and appreciate the value of Larry's insight through the 13 years he knew Presley, despite certain credibility issues.

Be aware that Elvis A-Z is a very flawed reference -- littered with inaccuracies and falsehoods thoroughout.

Thanks for the warning. I am aware of some of the book's flaws, but I have yet to find a better reference for some of the information in it. There may be newer books I am not aware of that have alphabetical listings of the songs, which albums/singles they were released on, etc.

A LIfe In Music is a great reference too, but it is chronological and does not include all releases for each song.

[trevorelvis]

One of the first and best books I bought was the one below. I was 12 years old, and it was 1986 - at the time I was in hospital after being diagnosed with the liver disease that eventually led to my two transplants in 1995. The book below was a revelation as it essentially told me the story of Elvis career for the first time. I would rate it still amongst the best books I have read, the pictures are superb and it deals in depth with all the releases during the 70's and the farcical release of Elvis Sings For Children and Grownups Too

But it was HEARTBREAKING to see the 70's albums that were deleted from the catolgue, at that time I had never heard songs like I Miss You, I Can Help etc

I don't hear this book mentioned enough. It is available from some Amazon sellers or perhaps ebay



A review from Amazon


Simply the best book about the great man's records, 7 Jun 2000


The authors are superb in conveying objective, critical and yet wholly positive reviews of the man's great work.They also are humourous, life affirming and have done similar books on other greats; Beatles, Stones and Bowie; I own them all and cannot overestimate the fun and excitement the authors generate and make you want all the albums too.

Incidentally, the Elvis book also gives a list of the definitive records to own; world beating book amongst the tacky dross of others; give them knighthoods.

[drjohncarpenter]

trevorelvis, the Carr/Farren book is very good reading, and a beautifully designed work, a delight to the eye in 12" x 12" on almost every page. The first edition was published in 1982, though, so a lot of water has gone under the bridge.

They do not mince words about any part of the Presley career, however, and some of their well-informed opinions, if noted here, would likely be met with a violent repsonse by some on this forum.

They do not go hog-wild over the 1970s; for example their look at 1974's Good Times:

A most inappropriate album title if there ever was one. To paraphrase the Kinks' Ray Davies, more like "Where Have All The Good Times Gone?"

Or the 1971 single "Life":

'Life' was a bizarre, if not totally out-to-lunch, attempt to set Darwinism to music. To Elvis' eternal credit, he managed to sing it stright-faced. The flip, 'Only Believe,' was a turgid piece of gimme-dat-ole-time-religion.