I don't do any vulgar movements.

CONTINUOUS UPDATES ON THE BOOK PROGRESS SECTION

We would appreciate it very much not to use any kind of information or scans for other sites !

 

-

How Many Books ARE There ?

The "Dishonest Title?-Caveat Emptor" reviewer claims that "several Elvis bibliophiles" state in their "works" that the "true figure" concerning the total number of books published on Elvis is "closer to 1100" rather than the 400 or so covered by Opdyke in his "complete guide."

This book is unique: it is a comprehensive guide to the books on Elvis. Not only are there more than 400 books on Elvis presented, there are another several hundred reviewed that are critical to Elvis research but not solely about the King. These other books included books either by or about Priscilla, Elvis backup singers, band members and many, many more. This Greenwood publication is huge and the reviews are highly informative and descriptive; some are more than a page long. There is also much information for collectors (i.e. how much some of the more rare items are worth - a feature that can't be found elsewhere, not even in Elvis memorabilia guides). For scholars, this is the comprehensive guide to every work worth studying to gain a perspective on Elvis. Beyond the reviews, there are three comprehensive discussions: Elvis and the Music of Black Americans, Elvis and the Colonel, as well as Elvis and his success. Each discussion is provocative and includes a great deal on what others thought of each subject area, for example what Gary Giddins quoted Otis Blackwell as saying about Elvis. The cover of the book is a beautifully embossed facial shot of Elvis with a smaller inset. Inside are some great pictures including some Michael Ochs archive photos. There are four indices that really point the reader to any facet about Elvis. I don't know how a book could be more helpful in pointing someone to scholarly research on Elvis as a way to get that person a well-rounded thoughtful picture of the provocative entertainer.

Promo Jerry Weintraub's Book

Elvis Presley’s Graceland Included in Annie Leibovitz’s Latest Book

Annie Leibovitz, celebrated portraitist, recently spent a few days shooting at Elvis Presleys’ Graceland and some of the photos are included in her latest book, Pilgrimage. It is a personal project for Leibovitz and all the pictures in the book were made simply because she was drawn to her subjects, including Elvis Presley and Graceland. She wasn’t on assignment and she had no particular agenda. The shots taken at Graceland in Memphis include one stunning image taken at dusk and with all the lights off except those in Elvis’ upstairs bedroom. “Standing there looking at his house that night, we almost had the feeling that Elvis was still home," Leibovitz says. “I know how much Elvis loved Graceland so seeing it like that makes it a very special image for me.”

The Pilgrimage photographs have no people in them. They are portraits only in the sense that they evoke the figures who have shaped the artist’s view of the world. Leibovitz began the project almost by accident, when she visited Emily Dickinson’s home in Amherst, Massachusetts, and, a few months later, when she traveled with her children to Niagara Falls. She had just started using small digital cameras, which gave her a new technical freedom and the ability to travel light. Pilgrimage is Leibovitz’s first purely digital project.

Leibovitz was guided to her subjects initially by memories of conversations with Susan Sontag about places they wanted to travel to and people they admired. Some of the earliest subjects were British, but most of the places on the lists were American. In addition to Graceland, she also visited Elvis’ birthplace in Tupelo, Miss. the Freud Museum in London and Virginia Woolf’s country house in East Sussex.

Leibovitz often went to the same site many times in her explorations. He photos at Graceland took place during several different visits to Memphis and she was granted rare access to the archives where she chose to photograph the television set from Elvis’ Palm Springs home.

For more information or to purchase the book, visit RandomHouse.com.

One particular image offered a unique challenge for Leibovitz. Elvis’ Harley Davidson motorcycle, which was on display in the “Sincerely Elvis” exhibit space, could not be easily moved so she had to take the photo through glass after setting up the shot inside the exhibit itself. While a tight squeeze for the portraitist, it offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for several children in school groups to receive an impromptu photography lesson from one icon while visiting the home of another.

Other Elvis-related images from the book include:

• A turntable Elvis used in his bedroom
• His birthplace in Tupelo, MS
• His mother's dresses in a closet
• Minnie Mae's sunglasses on a tray
• The stairs leading up to the private quarters at Graceland
  Meditation Garden

Some of the pictures in Pilgrimage are stylized, sometimes abstract, sometimes literal views of the interiors of living rooms and bedrooms, landscapes, and talismanic objects. The final list of subjects is perhaps a bit eccentric—In addition to Elvis, readers will find Georgia O’Keeffe, Eleanor Roosevelt and Annie Oakley, among others. Figurative imagery gives way to the abstractions of Old Faithful and Robert Smithson’s Spiral Jetty. Leibovitz speaks of the project’s restorative value for her. “From the beginning, when I was watching my children stand mesmerized over Niagara Falls, it was an exercise in renewal,” she says.

10/05/2011 17:54:28

New Elvis In Memphis Book   Roaring Forties Press announced the release of the book "Elvis Presley Memphis" by Mark Bernardo. The release-date is Noveber 1, 2011. From the press-release: "Weaving the story of the King’s personal and public life with detailed descriptions of the locations in Memphis that served as the setting for his musical education and evolution, this pop culture guide offers a refreshingly even-handed account of Elvis Presley’s life. Elvis came to Memphis as a 13-year-old boy, and within a few years, he was shocking and seducing the world with a mixture of moves and sounds he had first seen and heard in the city’s streets, churches, and bars. This comprehensive tour of places on which Elvis left his mark includes the Peabody Hotel, where he had his senior prom; Ellis Auditorium, where he played his first show; the Sun Studio, where he recorded his first singles; Lansky Brothers Clothiers, where he bought his suits; and Graceland, where he lived with his wife Priscilla and died in 1977. Anecdotes about each of the locations and how they shaped Elvis’s personal and musical identity enhance the travel information, while street maps and a handy size make this book an invaluable companion to Memphis visitors and lovers of rock and roll."   New Jerry Scheff Autobiography:- "Way Down: Playing Bass with Elvis, Dylan, the Doors and More - The Autobiography of Jerry Scheff" is the TCB bassist's new book to be released in March 2012. ... "In this candid and perceptive memoir of his 45-year career, bassist Jerry Scheff takes us onto Elvis's private jet, on tour with Bob Dylan, and into the studio with the Doors. A stalwart presence behind some of the greatest names of popular music, Scheff has also played with Roy Orbison, Elvis Costello, the Association, Neil Diamond, Johnny Mathis, the Everly Brothers, John Denver, and Nancy Sinatra, to name just a few. Eschewing hype, Scheff provides a behind-the-scenes perspective, from having worked sleeves rolled up, side by side, with the great artists in their factories. The book opens with the TCB band's learning of the King's death while en route to a tour date, a pivotal moment for him, the rest of the band, and the world at large. He then proceeds on a nonlinear journey that mirrors the process of true life-reflection, from his roots in San Francisco to his touring all over the world. This is a tale of a man who has truly grown a career from a genuine love of music and of his instrument, proving how following that gift can bring a person to places beyond his wildest dreams. It is an exciting inside view of the evolution and craft and work of making rock and roll - a must-have for true music craftsmen and music junkies in general." From Backbeat Books 256 pages - March 27, 2012 - no cover picture avilable as yet,

In 1972 Jeanne LeMay was named Miss Rhode Island Universe and went on to Puerto Rico to compete in the Miss USA Pageant. It was here that she met Linda Thompson, who was Miss Tennessee. The two were assigned as roommates and immediately became close friends. A month later Jeanne moved to Memphis at Linda's request, and so began the fairy tale portion of her life. Jeanne and Linda were invited to meet Elvis Presley one night, and Linda and Elvis clicked. She later moved into Graceland, where she remained for almost 5 years. Jeanne was privileged to accompany Elvis and Linda on the tour circuit and later went to work for Elvis as one of his secretaries. Elvis's generosity extended to Jeanne as he gifted her with a diamond ring, a watch, and a car. She also was afforded the privilege of being able to stay at Graceland with Linda when Elvis was out of town. It was during these visits that she was able to take the much-sought-after photos of the upstairs of Graceland. After much urging by her friends, Jeanne has told her story and shared her very special pictures so that the fans will know more about the man who became the greatest entertainer of the 20th century.

Normally I would never give a book I find to be so sloppily organized and redundant 4 stars. However, I am making an exception with this book because the actual SUBSTANCE in the book is undeniable -- replete with firsthand accounts of many, many different (and often disturbing) scenarios. Full of the demons the kind of life these authors lived has. A fascinating read.

It is a portrait not only of Elvis but of the "yes men" who chose to let Elvis be the center of their universes -- even when they weren't being paid or paid very little. It also describes many, many incidents that show the irresponsibility of Elvis and of themselves in the name of "fun." When Elvis caused damage he just threw money at it, and there was always plenty of money to throw at it; when the "boys" felt any tinges of responsibility for making poor choices they chalked it up to loyalty to Elvis.

He didn't often pay them much, but they lived in the craziness and glamour of a lifestyle only sometime very rich and very famous could have, and -- as it is repeated so often in the book -- their loyalty to him was out of love (at least what they thought was love).

It is amazing that this book came out just before Elvis died of a drug overdose. Most people didn't realize about Elvis's drug habits -- and by the time they did, it was too late.

I can't help but feel that the title: ELVIS: WHAT HAPPENED? was as a direct question to Elvis. As if the guys who wrote it felt that maybe Elvis would read the book and be reminded of how much they loved him -- but also have to face his self-destructive lifestyle.

I find this book very honest not only because of what it says about Elvis -- and it IS about Elvis -- but what it confesses about the men who wrote it -- especially Red West and Sonny West. There is MUCH confession here, and things that would be hard to admit to oneself much less a mass of strangers in a book. If they did not spare Elvis in their truth-telling, I suspect it would be fair to say that they did not spare themselves either. And because of this, I can't help but believe the book is very honest.

The agitatingly redundant part of the book was perhaps more the fault of the ghost writer or editor. It's all right for a two-hour movie to flash back and forth through time, but for an entire book to go from '58 to '73 back to '58 then to '75 then back to '61 and progress to '62 ... well, you get the picture. This is why I don't give the book 5 stars.

If I find a book interesting -- and this one is -- I often like to read it cover to cover in a short amount of time. But this book drove me nuts anytime I gave it more than an hour of reading time due to the unnecessary sense of vertigo from constant drifting and shifting back and forth into different places in time, but also because of certain phrases -- only slightly reworded -- used again and again and again until I could hardly stand it. A good editor, in my opinion, would have cut and pasted that baby big-time -- put it in chronological order -- and then dropped all the repetitive phrases from the book except for perhaps the very beginning and very end of the book.

However it is also those repetitive phrases, along with the title of the book, that make me to feel that this book was written very much with Elvis reading it in mind -- and wanting to remind him over and over how they loved him and were loyal to him in so many ways. Or maybe it wasn't even that. Maybe -- in fact, surely -- they were fighting their own demons after coming out of so many years in their very dysfunctional relationships that they had with Elvis and with each other. Sometimes when you are trying to resolve something and make sense of it you just feel a need to talk about it, hoping that something will suddenly snap and all the pieces will finally fall in place.

Very much a "reality book."

I think the authors really hoped that the book would help bring Elvis to his senses so that he would dry out from all his pills and become the guy they once knew and loved most.

One other thing: I found it fascinating to read all the things people put up with around Elvis. I'm sorry, but just one day with some of his antics with guns for instance and I would be SO out of there. As I read this book I was not just dismayed by Elvis's self-destruction, but by the self-destruction that went on for just about everyone involved in Elvis's daily life (except for the possible exception of Col. Parker who seemed to lead a totally separate personal life, his role being limited more to being Elvis's respected, capable, somewhat heavy-handed and influential personal manager).

Biggest missed opportunity for Elvis: turning down a role in the movie THUNDER ROAD -- apparently under Col. Parker's insistence. Because, like many celebrity singers, Elvis wanted to be a movie star.

I would like to know what Elvis might have done if he had refused to make all the "musical travelogue" movies he hated so and had divorced himself from Col. Parker's ruling hand. Elvis, (and I agree with him), didn't like those movies much and hated making them, but it was "sure money," a thing Parker, like any "good" businessman, always liked to go for. It was Parker too who chose to stage Elvis's "comeback" after the Army in a Las Vegas setting. Well, I won't go on and on anymore. Needless to say, this book got me to thinking about a LOT of things. It's revealing, informative, often brutally honest, and best of all really stirring. It gave me a LOT to think about -- not only about Elvis but about "yes men," women and fans who went over the top in their own personal choices in response to the opportunity to be in the inner circle with this man or chose to storm the stage at one of his concerts, be it for a decade or an hour.

Riveting stuff. Just don't try to read it all at once. I'm tellin' ya, that'd drive you nuts! Perfect would be maybe 15-30 minutes a day. Worth the read.

short read, but interesting. Stanley is quoted as stating The Beatles visited Graceland, perhaps the drugs he was taking kicked in and made him believe that at the time, but it never happend at Graceland.
All in all this is a good book, however Stanley could have gone into some more stories, or more in depth.
An easy read. calling Elvis "Brother" seems to be an exageration according to other Elvis books I read. I never heard anyone else ever say Elvis referred to the Stanley guys as "Brothers".

The Elvis Files, Volume 2

This is the Elvis that few people have ever seen or known about--the Spiritual side. I truely enjoyed reading the SAME words that comforted Elvis in his times of need. The words contained with in this small, but powerful little book spoke out to me as if IT was written just for me. This must have been how Elvis felt while reading it too. This book is like an instruction manual directly from God, speaking from within. I will keep this book and read it many times as a reminder of the power of God, which is found within. It makes a great gift for those who are interested in the spirual side of Elvis, but most importantly for those who want to discover more of the spiritual side of themselves.

Book Description
Elvis’ Search for God presents the deeply spiritual side of Elvis Presley, who devoted enormous amounts of effort pursuing metaphysical teachings in his search to find the true meaning of life. Among the insights this biography provides are the reasons behind Elvis’ many legendary gifts and devotional songs. Contains never-before-published facts and photographs. 

    

A biography of Elvis Presley which, the authors claim, was largely overseen by Presley himself. Geller, Presley's hairdresser, who describes himself as a confidant and spiritual advisor to the late singer, kept a diary that is the basis for this book. The biography is easily read, evenhanded, straightforward, unapologetic, and seemingly unbiased. The material is treated with care, thought, and cool reason. Elvis fans will find the book a curiosity, appealing in many ways. The people described are at once naive and licentious. There is a dedication to excellence in musical performance and hairdressing coupled with a chilling absence of discipline in almost any other aspect of living. Puritanical attitudes live side-by-side with sensual gratifications, including gluttony, greed, and lust. The incredible career of Elvis Presley will capture the interest of secondary students, for the legendary star was and continues to be a figure in American life. The book's most valuable asset may be the honesty with which the authors describe a bizarre way of life, destroyed by excessive quantities of money, ignorance, and foolishness.
- Dortha Dee Vaughan, Port Arthur I.S.D., TX

If you wanted a picture of the life of Elvis Presley, who better to paint it for you than someone who worked as his trusted cook and maid at Graceland? Someone whose daily tasks centered around keeping the 'King of Rock & Roll' happy, whose every move was designed to please the greatest music legend the entertainment world has ever known. Here is that picture, as painted by Nancy Rooks. Nancy worked for Elvis from 1967 until his untimely death in 1977. Read her stories of what those years were like, of what the routines were at Graceland, and what it meant to be close to Elvis and his family on a daily basis. Read the sad account of her rushing upstairs, after a frantic call from Ginger Alden, and finding him on the bathroom floor. This book presents that picture, one that every Elvis fan will want to see.

               Even during his 1958-60 army stint, E (as close friends called Elvis) surrounded himself with a group of loyal male friends who were also his assistants. Esposito was quickly assimilated into this group of merry men, who soon became known as the Memphis Mafia. The name came about because Esposito was an Italian from Chicago, and Elvis was intrigued by the idea that he might be involved in organized crime (although he was not). After Elvis completed his tour of duty, Esposito served as his personal manager for almost 20 years, looking after every wide-ranging detail of his personal life. He made sure that Elvis was where he needed to be and that he was fed and comforted; Esposito was partly responsible for placing a constant stream of beautiful women at Elvis's disposal. In a crowded field, Esposito's book offers a unique view of Elvis's life and thus belongs in public libraries that can afford another Elvis biography.
Regina Beach, Mississippi State Univ. Lib., Mississippi State
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

This book originally came out in the wake of the infamous "bodyguard book" entitled "Elvis: What Happened?". Parker, who was a dear friend of Elvis Presley's, presents an Elvis in this book who is not a drug abuser, adulterer, or the middle-aged adolescent he was determined to be. Parker sugarcoats Presley's shortcomings to the point where the reader wants to say, "Oh, come on!"

For instance, Parker blames a love affair for the break-up of Presley's marriage to Priscilla. However, the love affair was not with another woman, but with the fans! That Presley put his love of the fans above his love for Priscilla. Everyone else who knew Presley, even Priscilla herself, has admitted the real reasons for the break-up.

The edition of the book I read contains many great pictures of Presley taken in the last couple of years before his death, when he was starting to look middle-aged, but was not the bloated wreck he was when he died.

The book is good when Parker talks of his friendship with Presley, but Parker, in my opinion, was only trying to defend his late friend, though his defenses were too over-the-top to be believed 100%.

This book is a good counter-balance to "Elvis: What Happened?", and, taken together, the two books probably show as complete a picture of Presley as could have been presented at the time.

this was a very good book with lots of facts about Elvis. this book is written by uncle vester so I know it is true. it is a fast read because it is hard to put down once you start. I know one day I will read it again. if you love reading books about Elvis this is one you should read.lots of good pictures to

Each year, thousands flock to the Memphis home of Elvis Presley, not only to pay homage, but also to marvel at the artifacts there - the jeweled jumpsuits, the gold seatbelts of the plane, the jungle room - all perfectly preserved in the extravagant 1970s time capsule of Graceland. Beginning in 2000, with the cooperation of the Elvis Presley estate, artist Jeff Scott gained unparalleled access to Elvis's personal possessions and property to create a complex portrait of the music legend through his belongings. Scott goes beyond the kitsch to resurrect the ultimate American icon, revealing the humanity of Elvis behind the recognizable celebrity veneer. These artifacts are loaded with subtext that contain clues to uncovering deeper aspects of Elvis's character. Indeed, Presley's possessions span the distance between his materialistic persona and his private reality, and Scott's keen eye for detail takes us on a unique tour through the estate.

Elvis's driver's license, at once a banal Tennessee document and a charged remainder of the celebrity idol, raises larger questions of identity. The way Scott juxtaposes Elvis's gun collection and vanity police badges reveals a fundamental rift between Presley's rebellious reputation and his private obsession with police and authority. The gold bedside telephone, the TV with a bullet hole through the screen, and the travel trunk filled with scarves still in their dry-cleaning plastic provide a rare portrayal of Elvis's inner life, placing the public man in an intimate context. Throughout, Scott explores our complex relationship with modern celebrity culture and the ways our possessions and material objects outlive us to tell our story.

Scott's first book, Elvis: The Personal Archives was released worldwide by Channel Photographics on November 1, 2005. Gallery Soco is pleased to announce the release of two new large works on paper featuring Scott's ongoing series exploring the inner life of Elvis: "Visionary" and "Thumbprint." These photogravure works debuted to the public in November 2005.

Scott has been in the studio producing a dramatic new series of abstract photographic works entitled BETWEEN MIDNIGHT. This series of large chromogenic and photogravure prints, along with an upcoming film installation series, highlights our urban culture and shared anxieties, unveiling a gritty Los Angeles film noir. Dealing with cinematic narrative elements, image fragments and collage, these photographic works reveal themselves to be complex and evocative physical objects in and of themselves.

Scott has exhibited widely in the United States, and his work is in the permanent collections of the Dallas Museum of Art and the Smithsonian
Institution, as well as Elvis Presley Enterprises, Disneyland, Polo Ralph Lauren, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Portions of his series based on Elvis's personal archives were exhibited at the Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh.

                This Book was very very good! Lots of new stories in this book.
Sonny tells us about what it was like to work for Elvis and also be his friend. he tells us about when himself Red and Dave were fired.
I have read Sonny's last book on Elvis {Elvis What Happened}
I thought it was written out of anger at being fired but Sonny explains a little better to us about that time and the true reason behind that book I do feel better about Sonny after reading this book. I also loved the section in the back where Sonny tells a little about some of the other guys that worked for Elvis and What they are doing now. This is a very good read!
Great job Sonny and God Bless!  

In 1954, at age 12, Schilling first met fellow Memphis homeboy Presley, a 19-year-old truck driver "a year out of high school and less than a week into a recording career that carried no guarantee of turning into steady work." He provides a fascinating view of Memphis in the late '50s, but most of his memoir is from after 1964, when he officially joined the retinue of friends—the "Memphis Mafia"—that served as Elvis's surrogate family. While this thoroughly enjoyable book deftly describes his many adventures with Elvis and other notables, including the Beatles, Ann-Margret, the Beach Boys and Billy Joel, the heart of it is his many observations of Elvis's inner exploration. Unlike the rest of Elvis's posse, Schilling was liberal in his musical and racial views, and he shared Elvis's spiritual hunger "for a sense of meaning and purpose." Schilling provides the most detailed account yet of the sometimes comical LSD trip he took with Presley, and he poignantly observes the "disappointment and frustration" Elvis felt about his Hollywood movies. Overall, Schilling's heartfelt narrative makes this more than just another piece of Elvis product. (Aug.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

On the heels of Peter Guralnick's acclaimed two-volume study of the rise and fall of Elvis Presley (Last Train to Memphis and Careless Love) comes a book that chronicles the same epic tale in a manner that's far less weighty than the preceding tomes, but almost as telling. For this quick-hit chronology of the Elvis story, Guralnick and his collaborator, archivist/record producer Ernst Jorgensen, were given access to 35 tons of Presley flotsam that included everything from his first income tax return to a mother lode of unpublished candids. Freed from a narrative structure, the authors chronicle the cultural icon through snippets that capture the mundane (Elvis gets his first Tupelo Public Library card, February 13, 1948) and remarkable (Elvis enlists in the battle against drugs when meeting President Nixon in the White House, December 21, 1970). Little by little, the fragments fit together to form the picture of a man hurtling toward the precipice (March 24, 1977: "Elvis's stage wardrobe is limited to two jumpsuits that he can fit into"). In this sense, Day by Day's scrapbook appearance is deceiving; this is serious business, indeed. --Steven Stolder --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist
It seems as though a day doesn't go by without an Elvis sighting of some kind. The King lives on--on TV, radio, and the New York Times' best-seller list as well as embodied by innumerable impersonators, some of whose careers have lasted longer than Elvis' did. Guralnick and Jorgensen have devoted major portions of their lives to documenting Elvis. Guralnick just completed a noteworthy biography in two volumes, Last Train to Memphis (1994) and Careless Love , and Jorgensen has concentrated on Elvis' recording career (see Elvis Presley: A Life in Music, 1998). Thus, both have had access to truckloads of material, much of it previously unexamined, which enabled them to compile a detailed Presley biochronology that begins on April 25, 1912, with the birth of Gladys Love Smith, Elvis' mother, and ends on October 3, 1977, with the airing of a CBS special recorded two months before Elvis' August 16, 1977, death. Anything that could be verified by documents is recorded, including school report cards (Elvis got an F in typing in tenth grade), purchase receipts (on February 1, 1966, Elvis, his motor home, and a caravan of cars stopped in Clines Corners, New Mexico, to fill up with 75.8 gallons of fuel), and his movie and touring profits (after his seventh tour of 1976, he split $1,005,000.09 with Colonel Tom Parker, his manager). Copies of contracts, income tax forms, posters, and programs, as well as more than 300 photographs, ease eyes wearied by the three-column text display. Essential for thoroughgoing Elvis collections. Benjamin Segedin --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title

I finally got my hands on a copy of this amazing book. It has lived up to everything I've heard about it from my fellow Elvis fans. First of all it's huge. It's 626 oversized pages of nothing but Elvis. It has over 500 photos ( I stopped counting at 500). Many of the photos were completly new to me. If you were from another planet and didn't know anything about Elvis this book would bring you up to speed. I predict this book will become "the bible" of Elvis fans all over the world.

The book is divided into 33 chapters. Each chapter focuses on one aspect of Elvis and his fans. Some of the chapter titles: Elvis music, Elvis and family, Elvis and the Army, Elvis and romance, Elvis and the martial arts, Elvis and food, Elvis impersonators, Elvis and animals, Elvis in person, Collecting Elvis, Elvis in cyberspace - It's sort of a "how to" book on being an Elvis Fan. It's like a Peter Guralnick book with a sense of humor and a lot more photos.

Not only does it tell you everything you want to know about Elvis himself, it tells you about what has emerged in the 25 years since he's been gone. At the end of every chapter is a section called " The Elvis and You Experience." This is where the author's suggest things to do to enhance your enjoyment of Elvis. The suggestions are a lot of fun. Some are really silly. Just like Elvis!

My favorite chapter is "The Pilgrimage". It lists all the important places to see in Memphis during tribute week. A lot of stuff only Elvis insiders know. I'm studying up to get ready for Tribute week 2002. If you're going to the 25th anniversary Elvis week in Memphis this August. I have one thing to say about this book. Don't leave home without it.

This is a very positive book about Elvis ... it was wrote by Mary Jenkins ...Mary cooked for Elvis for years ... She loved Elvis dearly and his fans... Mary never said one negative thing about Elvis in her life... In the house Elvis purchased for her Mary would invite the fans in for a visit if she felt good she enjoyed cooking meals like she did for Elvis for the fans I was honored to be among one of the fans she cooked for along with Sharon and Sue...I will always remember the days I spent with her listening to Elvis stories ... the book is a must to any Elvis Fan collections... Mary passed a couple of years back she is missed by all for the love she had for everyone the beautiful smiles she gave everyone she met, the funny stories she would tell about Elvis such a pleasure to be around ... oh yes, she is the one that made the banana sandwiches for Elvis... The first one she made was a flop the next one Vernon stood beside her telling her just how to make it the way Elvis like it ... this book is one ever fan should have in their collection...

The basic concept of this book is what basically makes it great. Old photos of Elvis in all kinds of different outfits, both for the stage and from his personal wardrobe, are paired with the brand new photos of the same clothes now kept in the Graceland archives.
As simple as that, but it works. The new photos are truly great and together with the high class layout, it makes it a really quality investment - a coffee table book in the best sense of the word. The accompanying text by Julie Mundy is informative and well-written. No need to wonder who made what clothes, when, what the cost was at the time, and when Elvis wore it - all the information is right here. I personally really enjoyed the parts about the people who designed for Elvis, in particular the interview bits with Bill Belew who amongst other things did Elvis' famous jumpsuits.
The book is also a look back through history. It reminds you that Elvis dared to have a fashion style uniquely his own way before fashion dictated that everyone should have their own individual style. The book is a beautiful and interesting document of Elvis' transformation - and the development in fashion as Elvis interpretated it - over his 20 years career and definitely a good buy!

Dick Grob  was associated with Elvis Presley for over ten years, served as his personal bodyguard and Chief of Security on every tour, trip and almost everywhere else. After Elvis' death, he remained with the estate for a time as Director of Security, working directly for Elvis' father, Vernon Presley.

Grob, an Air Force officer, served over ten years in law enforcement. Presently, he operates his own successful consulting business. During his career in law enforcement he received specialized training from the FBI and worked security details in personal and dignitary protection. He also, on occasion, worked with the CIA. His credentials were well established when he took over protection for his friend, Elvis.

Grob's specialized training in protection and investigation makes him eminently qualified to relate and substantiate the facts revealed in this manuscript concerning the death of the world's greatest superstar. The Elvis Conspiracy? differs from the many other books published about Elvis. The author refused to use a ghost writer and adamantly opposed any connection with the "Me and Elvis" format used in so many previous books. The reader will find no outside influence in this narrative. Although the emotions and feeling of the author come through, you'll find "the facts, ma'am, just the facts," as the thread weaving the tapestry of this story.

Reviews of The Elvis Conspiracy?
The Elvis Conspiracy? by Dick Grob U.S. ORDERS: $44.95 Free Priority Shipping in the Continental U.S. ORDER NOW		"There has never been a book like it about Elvis and probably never will be again. It brought me back eighteen years with questions I had concerning the loss of Elvis. I answered those questions and added more that were really answered." J. Ivins Elvis Fan, California "It's funny, even after almost 18 years, I still cry when I read something about Elvis' death. You pain a vivid picture of the occurrences of August 16, 1977." C. Hopp President of Elvis "That's The Way It Is Fan Club",

Complete Script of

"ComeBack special 68"

As director of RCA's Elvis catalogue, Jorgensen is one of the key figures behind the Elvis Presley CD box sets RCA has issued in recent years. This book makes a worthy companion to those historic releases. All of the King's known recordings?including rehearsals, live recordings and recordings made in the privacy of his hotel rooms?are approached with the same reverence that his studio sessions inspire, providing a framework for a narrative of Elvis's life. Indeed, eminent Presley biographer Guralnik (Last Train to Memphis) writes that, given Jorgensen's attention to detail, the author is "either a madman or a great detective." While so many Presley books are written by authors who never seem to overcome their poetic sense of awe regarding the King, Jorgensen, being an RCA executive, couches the story of Presley's life in the gritty details of the artist's work and gets past the myths, giving readers a glimpse of what it might have been like to be Elvis. Hence, his is a truly insightful book. 150 photos in color and b&w. Editor, Calvert D. Morgan.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --

 

Book Description
For the first time, the complete story of Elvis Presley's recording career is told in this remarkable book.With exclusive access to the RCA vaults, producer Ernst Jorgensen brings to intimate life every moment that Elvis spent in the studio--from the spontaneous joy of his early sessions to the intensely creative periods of his later career.At once the definitive recording session guide and a compellingly readable narrative, this is the ultimate companion to the singer and his songs. AUTHORBIO: Ernst Jorgensen produced many RCA Elvis box sets, for which he was nominated for a Grammy Award.He lives in Denmark.

Marian J Cocke was a true friend to Elvis Presley and it's evident in her book. She asked for nothing from him but his friendship. I received this book from my mother and read it the same day. I just couldn't put it down. I heard Marian speak at the 30th Anniversary Memorial service for Elvis that George Klein hosted at Memphis State University. I had heard of Marian and the fact that she was a private nurse to Elvis in later years. After hearing her speak so fondly of him and tell a couple of funny stories, I was intrigued and wanted to learn more about her. My mother who is a life long Elvis fan looked through her expansive collection of books and found that she had a copy of Marian's book and gave it to me. What a great story that is certainly a must read for the true Elvis fan.

	20th Anniversary		Darwin Lamm		Photobook		1997
	Aloha via satellite		Joseph A. Tunzi		Photobook		1998
	Bio-bibliography, a		Patsy Guy Hammontree		Biography		1985
	Boy who dared to rock, the		Paul Lichter		Biography / Photobook		1978

	Careless Love		Peter Guralnick		Biography		1999
	Celebration in pictures, a		Charles Hirschberg / LIFE		Photobook		1995
	Concert years, the		Stein Erik Skar		Biography / Photobook		1997
	Day by day		Peter Guralnick & Ernst Jorgensen		Biography		1999

	Elvis		Dave Marsh		Biography		1982
	Elvis '69 - The return		Joseph A. Tunzi		Photobook		1991
	Elvis '70 - Bringing him back		Joseph A. Tunzi		Photobook		1994
	Elvis '73 -Hawaiian Spirit		Joseph A. Tunzi		Photobook		1992

	Elvis '74 - Enter the dragon		Joseph A. Tunzi		Photobook		1996
	Elvis album		Unknown		Photobook / Memorabilia		1991
	Elvis encyclopedia, the		David Stanley / Frank Coffey		Biography		1994
	Encore performance		Joseph A. Tunzi		Photobook		1990

	Encore performance II - In the Garden		Joseph A. Tunzi		Photobook		1993
	Encore performance III - Back to Chicago 1977		Joseph A. Tunzi		Photobook		1999
	Final years, the		Jerry Hopkins		Biography		1980
	Highway 51, Memphis Tennessee		Joseph A. Tunzi		Photobook		1995

	King on the road, the		Robert Gordon		Biography / Photobook		1996
	Legend and the music, the		John Tobler / Richard Wootton		Biography		1983
	Life in music, a		Ernst Jorgensen		Biography		1998
	Life Of Elvis Presley, the		S. Shaver / A. Wertheimer / E. Fadal		Photobook		1979

	Memorabilia		Sean O' Neal		Photobook / Memorabilia		2001
	Muziek, mens en mythe		Marc Hendrickx		Biography		1994
	New gladiators, the		Unknown		Photobook		1999
	On Stage		Keith Alverson		Photobook		2000

	Our memories of Elvis		Sean Shaver		Photobook		1984
	Rebel years, the		Lester Bangs / Schirmer's Visual Libr.		Photobook		1994
	Shot by Ed Bonja		Ed Bonja / Henrik Knudsen		Photobook		2000
	Standing room only		Joseph A. Tunzi		Photobook		1994

	Steamrolling over Texas		Ger Rijff / Linda Jones / Peter Haan		Photobook		1997
	Thank you very much		Paul Lichter		Photobook		1998
	Tribute to his life, a		Susan Doll / Beekman House		Biography / Photobook		1989
	Unseen Elvis		Jim Curtain		Photobook		1992

	Way it was, the		Ernst Jorgensen / Sherif Hanna		Photobook		2001
	What happened		Red West/Sonny West/Dave Hebler as told to Steve Dunleavy		Biography		1977

CHAPTER TWO: "THE CALL FROM JOE [ESPOSITO]"

EXCERPTED WITH EXPRESS-WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM KATCO MEDIA; COPYRIGHT 1998,2004 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

We turned off Union Avenue and into the funeral home parking area where we headed straight for the preparation building and warehouse on the far side of the property. About two hundred and fifty men and women, including television crews with cameras and klieg lights, microphones and other paraphernalia, and still photographers with strobe lights, were crowded against a chain-link fence surrounding the property. In sharp contrast to the respectfully muted atmosphere among the fans at the hospital entrance and those strung out along Union Avenue, the media people were loud and boisterous.

“Hey!” shouted one of their number as we stopped the coach and waited for the door to be opened from inside. “How about a shot of you unloadin’ the body?” “Com’mon guys!” another cried. “Have a heart, will ya? We only askin’ for a shot of you wheeling it into the building. Come on, how about it?”

After waiting several seconds for someone from inside to open the door, Webb pressed the automatic electronic, door-opening device attached to the dashboard and the wide slatted aluminum door of the building began its slow ascent. As soon as it had been lifted just high enough for clearance, Webb pulled the coach into the building and the door began to close behind us. I couldn’t help but rejoice at having disappointed the two loudmouthed cameramen who did most of the yelling from behind the fence. My rancor quickly subsided after I reminded myself that they were merely doing the job they are paid to do and that, personally, most of the guys and gals in the profession are pretty damned good eggs. Still, I had to admit that at times they could bug the shit out of a Mother Theresa.

There they were, disregarding all the rules of civilized decency in dealing with the newly dead by making all manner of unreasonable demands, while the people to whom Elvis really belonged, his fans, asked nothing more than the opportunity to quietly pay their respects to the memory of a man they loved and respected. It wasn’t until we unloaded the stretcher from the funeral coach inside the windowless, cinder block structure and started to wheel it in the direction of the embalming suite that a chilling thought struck me.

I had signed for the mortal remains of one of the world’s most famous entertainment figures without having looked to make certain that what lay under those sheets were even human remains, much less those of Elvis Presley.

CHAPTER THREE: "MISTER PRESLEY'S ORDERS"

EXCERPTED WITH EXPRESS-WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM KATCO MEDIA; COPYRIGHT 1998,2004 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

A city policeman standing at the gate spotted my car as I headed toward the gate. He blew his whistle and waved for me to straighten out and move on. I lowered the automatic car window and politely signaled for the officer to approach so that I might explain the reason for my presence. But he shook his head in rejection of my request for a hearing and again waved me on.

“Hey, Bob Kendall,” shouted a voice from somewhere in the shadows behind the closed mansion gates. “It’s me, Dick Grob.”

I stopped the car and waited until the one gate swung partially open and Dick came out with another policeman and said something to the police officer who had been waving me away. This time, when the officer blew his whistle, he accompanied it with a hand signal for me to approach the gate while at the same time motioning for the crowd to let my car through.

When the iron gates swung open, I pulled through onto the bottom of the blacktop road that snaked up the grass knoll to the entrance of the white stone and wooden mansion. Dick, and another Graceland employee came to the car and greeted me with a handshake before they both climbed onto the back seat. I drove to the residence at the crown of the knoll and parked off to the side of the main door.

As the three of us left the car and approached the main entrance to the mansion, a uniformed city policeman guarding the threshold drew open the wide door and invited us to cross into the foyer of the residence named by a former physician owner as “Graceland.”

***

The old man [Ed, Note, Vernon Presley] reached into one of his trouser pockets and extracted a piece of lined notebook paper on which he had written in his own hand the names headed by George Klein, Joe Esposito, Charlie Hodge, Billy Smith, Lamar Fike, and Dr. George Nicopolis. “Here’s the list,” he said, as he passed the paper to Joe, who passed it to me without even looking at it.

Vernon turned the conversation to the clothing in which Elvis would be buried by pointing to a white linen, two-button suit with fashionably narrow lapels folded neatly on the bed in front of him. I could see from the expressions on Joe and George Klein’s faces that they were as surprised as I was at the suit. I guess we all somehow expected, perhaps I even hoped that Elvis would make his final appearance on this earth in one of the many jump-suits that had become a hallmark of his fabulous career.

“I bought that suit for Elvis at Neubies not long ago when we were in California,” Mister Presley explained, his eyes moistened with tears after having mentioned his son by name for the first time in the meeting. “It didn’t get here until about two weeks ago. You know, he never even got to wear it.” With those words another of my fading hopes for a glitzy showbiz funeral for Elvis was dashed.

To relieve the emotional tension of the moment, Al Stroter, Elvis wardrobe manager, chimed in to suggest that I go to the Julius Lewis men’s furnishings store on Union Avenue the next day to purchase a powder blue shirt and white tie that would color-coordinate with the suit. He needlessly suggested that I spare no expense in the purchases and gave me Elvis’ shirt measurements as a sixteen-and-a-half inch neck and thirty-five inch sleeves. I wrote the measurements in my notebook. Having by then regained his complete composure, Vernon came back into the conversation to announce that C. W. Bradley, minister of the Wooddale Church of Christ, would conduct the funeral service and preside at the interment rites.

“Will the burial be next to Mrs. Presley in the Forest Hills Cemetery?” I asked.

“No,” Vernon snapped. “There’s been so much damage done to Gladys’ tombstone already that I don’t want her buried there any more. I want Elvis to be buried in the mausoleum, and later we’ll move my wife next to him, but we could never bury them in the plot. People would tear it apart for souvenirs.”

RareElvisPresley.com thanks to Katco Media for granting us permission to publish the above excerpts from The King Is Dead

Demise of publisher forcing up value of rare Elvis book: By all accounts, Katco Media, publisher of the insightful book, the King is Dead, has ceased business. As a result, its book by Robert Holton, detailing the arrangements for Elvis' funeral in August 1977, is rapidlty rising in value. For example, on Amazon, its dealer network now has a price for the book starting at US$399.95! In writing the book, Holton interviewed Robert Kendall, Funeral Director at Memphis Funeral Home, and the book provides almost a blow-by-blow account, with rare photos, of what happened. The logistics of arranging Elvis' casket at very short notice and other intricate details are well chronicled and provide a great insight to what happened behind the scenes in August 1977. Sadly, despite the Katco reprint of the book in 2004, a number of fans, and EIN, found difficulties in obtaining a copy of the book despite direct contact with the principal of Katco. (News, Source: EIN/eBay/Elvis Dealers)