Examining Elvis Books —
Which Ones Tell the Truth?
To View Elvis Book Reviews, Scroll Down
There're a million different Elvis books out there. Well, that's probably an exaggeration, but certainly there has been a flood of volumes published about the man since his death in 1977. And there's no end in sight. In 2007 an average of two Presley books hit the market each month. The problem for those seeking credible information about Elvis is this: Which books are worth reading? Which ones tell the truth?
Unfortunately, many of the books about Elvis in recent years mix half-truths and bias to distort his real legacy. At one end of the spectrum are the Elvis detractors, best typified by Albert Goldman's spurious biography, Elvis, published in 1981.Much more numerous, but just as untrustworthy, are books written by the Elvis myth-makers. In their efforts to exalt Elvis, they credit him with either false or exaggerated accomplishments. In doing so, they defeat their own purpose. Instead of the exciting entertainer that he was, such books depict Elvis as a some kind of freak who instigated riotous behavior wherever he went.
While writing Elvis’57: The Final Fifties Tours, my goal was to be as accurate and objective as possible (not easy for an Elvis fan). There are other books, such as Peter Guralnick's two-volume biography and Scotty Moore's autobiography, that also strive to earn the reader's trust through a factual and balanced look at Presley's life and work. Of course, most of the commercially successful books about Elvis have been written by those who knew him—relatives, friends, fellow entertainers, employees, hangers-on, and so forth. Some of these volumes tell the truth, others tell fans what they want to hear, while still others contain half-truths and falsehoods. My purpose here is to review Elvis books with an eye for historical honesty. In addition to current books, some older volumes will be included, especially some that in my opinion belong in every public library, as well as on the shelf of every Elvis fan. Hopefully, these reviews will help you decide which Elvis books out there are worth reading. Check out the links below. — Alan Hanson (February 2008) Elvis ’57: The Final Fifties Tours Alan Hanson recalls Elvis Presley's final concert tours of the 1950s, when controversy and pandemonium followed wherever he went. That’s Alright, Elvis Written ten years ago, Scotty Moore's book is still the best among the dozens of volumes written by Elvis's acquaintances. Private Presley: The Missing Years—Elvis in Germany Andreas Schröer recalls Elvis's military tour in Germany, where he met his future wife and started down the road to prescription drug addiction. Elvis ’57: The Final Fifties Tours In his review David Neale calls this volume "one of the best Elvis books in many a year." Elvis: What Happened? Thirty years after three of Elvis's bodyguards first revealed details of his bizarre private life, their story about their former boss remains a flawed but important Elvis biography.
Go to Home Page
|
