Which Elvis book, in your opinion, is the most credible?

I'll start by saying the Guralnick books, and then Ernst's 'Life In Music'.

I would say it would have to be a book by someone that actually knew Elvis and spent a lot of time with him experiencing things first hand.

So for me it would probably be Revelations of the Memphis mafia.

I'll start by saying the Guralnick books, and then Ernst's 'Life In Music'.

Plus WRITING FOR THE KING – awesome!

The works of Peter Guralnick, Jerry Hopkins and Greil Marcus.

Cheers,
Simon

Guralnick don't seem to be a big fan of the 70's
It might be a detail for you but in the day by day book, PG dont mention the song " i can help"

John Townson & Gordon Minto - Elvis UK and Elvis UK2 - The Ultimate guide to Elvis Presley's British Record Releases.

Andy

The "Recording sessions" tomes, plus "The final years" by Jerry Hopkins. "A date with Elvis" army-based book is fab too.

These are worth your time and money, although none are perfect:

the story
-----
Last Train To Memphis - Guralnick
Careless Love - Guralnick
Elvis Aaron Presley: Revelations from the Memphis Mafia - Nash
Elvis: Portrait of a Friend - Lacker, Lacker and Smith
Elvis and Gladys - Dundy
Elvis: Vegas '69 - Sharp
Rockin' Across Texas - Oberst
When Elvis Died - Gregory and Gregory
If I Can Dream - Geller
The Death of Elvis - Thompson II and Cole
Elvis Day By Day - Guralnick and Jorgensen

the music
-----
Elvis Presley: A Life in Music - Jorgensen
Talking Elvis - Cajiao
Sessions III - Tunzi
Mystery Train - Marcus
Writing For The King - Sharp
Dead Elvis - Marcus
Elvis: The Concert Years 1969-1977 - Skar
Elvis: Images and Fancies - University Press of Mississippi (edited by Thorpe)
The Elvis Atlas - Gray and Osborne
Elvis 57 - The Final Fifties Tours - Alan Hanson

the images
-----
Elvis 56 - Werthheimer
Elvis at 21 - Wertheimer
Elvis Presley 1956 - Israel
Private Presley - Schroer
Private Elvis - Cortez
The Life of Elvis Presley - Shaver
all of the Ger Rijff photo/essay collections
some of the Joe Tunzi photo/essay books

Last edited by drjohncarpenter on Mon Jun 07, 2010 2:38 am, edited 1 time in total.

Is elvis alive and the elvis files

Without doubt, Elvis - What Happened? is the best!

These are worth your time and money, although none are perfect:

the story
-----
Last Train To Memphis - Guralnick
Careless Love - Guralnick
Elvis Aaron Presley: Revelations from the Memphis Mafia - Nash
Elvis: Portrait of a Friend - Lacker, Lacker and Smith
Elvis and Gladys - Dundy
Rockin' Across Texas - Oberst
When Elvis Died - Gregory and Gregory
If I Can Dream - Geller
The Death of Elvis - Thompson II and Cole
Elvis Day By Day - Guralnick and Jorgensen

the music
-----
Elvis Presley: A Life in Music - Jorgensen
Talking Elvis - Cajiao
Sessions III - Tunzi
Mystery Train - Marcus
Writing For The King - Sharp
Dead Elvis - Marcus
Elvis: The Concert Years 1969-1977 - Skar
Elvis: Images and Fancies - University Press of Mississippi (edited by Thorpe)
The Elvis Atlas - Gray and Osborne
Elvis 57 - The Final Fifties Tours - Alan Hanson

the images
-----
Elvis 56 - Werthheimer
Elvis at 21 - Wertheimer
Elvis Presley 1956 - Israel
Private Presley - Schroer
Private Elvis - Cortez
The Life of Elvis Presley - Shaver
all of the Ger Rijff photo/essay collections
some of the Joe Tunzi photo/essay books

Doc, I'm surprised to see that you lef 'Elvis '69' off your images list. IMO it's a pretty damn nice looking book. I haven't read every word in it so I'll reserve judgment on the credibility, but it is a handsome book.

I'll take you up on your credibility rating for the Nash MM book. That sounds like something I'd like to read.

The Guranick books are to me the best books wrote about Elvis life. However the second part, Careless Love, lacks the same wonderful approach the author gave to the first part of the story, with much more insight in to the music, IMO. On Careless, Guralnick seems too focus to much on the bad side, albeit much, much more less and without the awful sensationalism often seen in other books that deal with the subject. The big difference of course, is Guralnicks profissionalism and respect for the man and his music. Does anyone haves the same impression?

Last edited by Sergio Luiz on Sun Jun 06, 2010 6:04 pm, edited 2 times in total.

The Guranick books are to me the best books wrpte about Elvis life. However the second part, Careless Love, lacks the same wonderful approach the author gave to the first part of the story, with much more insight in to the music, IMO. On Careless, Guralnick seems to focus to much on the bad side, albeit much, much more less and without the awful sensationalism often seen in other books that deal with the subject. The big difference of course, is guralnicks profissionalism and respect for the man and the his music. Does anyone haves the same impression?

I totally agree with you.
After reading other books abt Elvis and remembering the way PG tells histories, I got the impression he had not so much respect for the man and poked fun at Elvis.

Last Train To Memphis and Careless Love. The best two Elvis books in the universe. Ever.

The Guranick books are to me the best books wrpte about Elvis life. However the second part, Careless Love, lacks the same wonderful approach the author gave to the first part of the story, with much more insight in to the music, IMO. On Careless, Guralnick seems to focus to much on the bad side, albeit much, much more less and without the awful sensationalism often seen in other books that deal with the subject. The big difference of course, is guralnicks profissionalism and respect for the man and the his music. Does anyone haves the same impression?

While 'Careless Love' is a must have addition to one's collection a lot of Elvis' humour is missing. Reading Sandi Miller's stories of Elvis thru the 70's we know he never lost the wit - none of this comes across in Guarlnick's 2nd volume.

Andy

The Guranick books are to me the best books wrpte about Elvis life. However the second part, Careless Love, lacks the same wonderful approach the author gave to the first part of the story, with much more insight in to the music, IMO. On Careless, Guralnick seems to focus to much on the bad side, albeit much, much more less and without the awful sensationalism often seen in other books that deal with the subject. The big difference of course, is guralnicks profissionalism and respect for the man and the his music. Does anyone haves the same impression?

While 'Careless Love' is a must have addition to one's collection a lot of Elvis' humour is missing. Reading Sandi Miller's stories of Elvis thru the 70's we know he never lost the wit - none of this comes across in Guarlnick's 2nd volume.

Andy

It is a sad volume for sure, but superbly atmospheric.

The first volume is one of the most inspiring pieces I have ever read. It really transports you back. You are there. Whenever I read it, I just wanna go back to Mississippi and Memphis.

Doc, I'm surprised to see that you lef 'Elvis '69' off your images list. IMO it's a pretty damn nice looking book. I haven't read every word in it so I'll reserve judgment on the credibility, but it is a handsome book.

I'll take you up on your credibility rating for the Nash MM book. That sounds like something I'd like to read.

Right on -- it's honest, direct, and I felt like I knew the man, the guy behind the jumpsuits, after reading it.

You are so right about Elvis: Vegas '69 ! Please check out my revised list above.

And thanks.

Do the recent books by Shilling and Sonny West deserve some credit?

Do the recent books by Shilling and Sonny West deserve some credit?

My initial view was that they, sadly, did not add anything new to the story.

Do the recent books by Shilling and Sonny West deserve some credit?

I enjoyed Jerry's book. There were alot of memorable anecdotes in there and it seems like his tribute is genuine. He was one of the closest to Elvis but clearly remained his own person.

Right on -- it's honest, direct, and I felt like I knew the man, the guy behind the jumpsuits, after reading it.

And what kind of impression did you have of Elvis as a human being and friend, after reading the MM book, Doc?

Also, I would add the King Of Las Vegas book to the list of recommend books. It is one of the best projects done about the Vegas Years.

John Townson & Gordon Minto - Elvis UK and Elvis UK2 - The Ultimate guide to Elvis Presley's British Record Releases.

The first one has George Richardson involved, too !

Don't know why he isn't on the second book...................................

There is not ONE book that is most reliable. I would recommend to read as many as possible and to make up your own mind. Besides, it depends on what you are interested. If you are interested first of all in Elvis the singer and musician as well as his cultural impact, I would recommend the following:

* Richard Middleton: All Shook Up? Innovation and Continuity in Elvis Presley’s Vocal Style. in: Kevin Quain: The * Elvis Reader, New York, St. Martin’s Press 1992
* Jorgensen "A Life In Music"
* Daniel Wolff: Elvis in The Dark, The Threepenny Review, no. 79 (Autumn 1999)
* Michael T. Bertrand: Race, Rock And Elvis. How A White Take On Black Sounds Revolutionized Race Relations. University Of Illinois Press, Chicago / Illinois 2005
* Simon Frith: Wise Men Say: Elvis Presley, Essay in: Aspects of Elvis 1994
* Charles Hamm: Elvis, A Review, in: Putting Popular Music In Its Place, Cambridge University Press 1995, S. 131ff
* Greil Marcus: Dead Elvis
* Greil Marcus: Mystery Train: Images of America in Rock 'n' Roll Music
* Dave Marsh: Elvis, Omnibus Press 1992
* Georges Plasketes: Images of Elvis Presley in American Culture, 1977 – 1997, The Mystery Train, The Haworth Press 1992
* Henry Pleasants: The Great American Popular Singers, New York: Simon & Schuster 1974
* Sharp: Writing for the King

Guralnick's biography to me is a great piece of American literature, extremely well written, almost comparable to Melville's "Moby Dick". It is a great novel about the great American folk hero of the 20th century. But is it really the definite biography as the The New York Times claimed? Read what Middleton, Frith, Wolff, and Hamm have to say about Elvis Presley, it will help to put things into perspective.

With regard to the publications of the entourage members, read as many as you can. They all contain interesting stories, although they all include a lot of mistakes too. It's interesting with which people Elvis surrounded himself. Besides, the way the books are written reveal a lot about the authors, often more than about the person the book is about. No wonder "Revelations from the Memphis Mafia" ist such an interesting book title, though probably not in the sense the authors intended it to be .

Thompson & Cole "The Death of Elvis" should be read together with Dr. Nichopoulos account published early this year. Two books about one topic that come to very different conclusions. Judge for yourself what is the more reliable account.

Here are a few more books which are very interesting.

Marc Hendrickx: Elvis A. Presley - the Music, the man,the Myth (the book includes also Charts, Merchandising etc.)
Ed Parker - Inside Elvis - a interesting view not only about Elvis, but also into his concert-tours.
Rose Clayton /Dick Heard .- Elvis: By those who know him best. This book is one of the best written about Elvis.

"Revelations of the MM" - I see it very ambivalent and not everything into the book is "honest and true"
Guralnicks "Careless Love" is not as same good as "Last train to Memphis.

But you have to judge by yourself.

Red,Dave & Sonny told their story the way it went down in spite of their bitterness (from being fired by Vernon in 1976 on such short notice).

Last edited by TCB-FAN on Mon Jun 07, 2010 11:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.