ELVIS WEEK 2007

tour for fans "downunder", view:

BROCHURE

BOOKING FORM

EMAIL EIN for more info

 

Quote:

"Elvis Presley is the greatest cultural force in the 20th century."

(Leonard Bernstein)


Quote:

"If you're an Elvis fan, no explanation is necessary; If you're not an Elvis fan, no explanation is possible."

(George Klein)


Quote:

"For a dead man, Elvis Presley is awfully noisy."

(Professor Gilbert B. Rodman)


 

Quote:

"Absolute id crashed into absolute superego...as the uptightset man in America shook hands with just about the loosest."

(Mark Feeney on the 'Elvis meets Nixon' meeting)


Quote:

"Elvis is everywhere"

(Mojo Nixon & Skid Roper)


Quote:

"...especially in the South, they talk about Elvis and Jesus in the same breath"

(Michael Ventura, LA Weekly)


Quote:

"The image is one thing and the human being is another...it's very hard to live up to an image"

 

(Elvis Presley, Madison Square Garden press conference, 1972)


Quote:

"Elvis was a major hero of mine. I was actually stupid enough to believe that having the same birthday as him actually meant something"

(David Bowie)


Quote:

"No-one, but no-one, is his equal, or ever will be. He was, and is supreme"

(Mick Jagger)


Quote:

"I wasn't just a fan, I was his brother...there'll never be another like that soul brother"

(Soul legend, James Brown)


Quote:

"Before Elvis there was nothing!"

(John Lennon)


Quote:

"There were rock 'n' roll records before Heartbreak Hotel, but this was the one that didn't just open the door…it literally blasted the door off its rusted, rotten, anachronistic hinges...producing, no propelling, a fundamental, primordial and unstoppable shift in not only musical, but social, political and cultural history"

(JNP, BBC website)


Quote:

"Elvis, the musician, is largely a relic belonging to the baby boomer generation...Elvis, the icon, is arguably one of the most potent symbols of popular culture"

( Dr. John Walker)


Quote:

"It [rock & roll] was always about Elvis; not just because he was Elvis, but because he was the big star"

(Bono from U2)


Quote:

"If they had let me on white radio stations back then, there never would have been an Elvis"

(Little Richard)


Quote:

"Elvis loved opera, and he especially liked Mario Lanza. He would watch The Student Prince which was set in Heidelberg, over and over again. He loved the power of the big voices. And he loved big orchestras. He liked real dramatic things"

(Marty Lacker in 'Elvis and the Memphis Mafia')


Quote:

"If life was fair, Elvis would be alive and all the impersonators would be dead"

(Johnny Carson)


Elvis' #1 Pop Singles on Cashbox, USA:

Heartbreak Hotel (1956)

Don't Be Cruel (1956)

Hound Dog (1956)

Love Me Tender (1956)

Too Much (1957)

All Shook Up (1957)

Teddy Bear (1957)

Jailhouse Rock (1957)

Don't (1958)

Stuck On You (1960)

It's Now Or Never (1960)

Are You Lonesome Tonight? (1960)

Surrender (1961)

Good Luck Charm (1962)

Return To Sender (1962)

In The Ghetto (1969)

Suspicious Minds (1969)

Burning Love (1972)

(The Cashbox chart is now defunct)


Elvis Facts:

Elvis was 5' 11" tall

 

Elvis' natural hair color was dark blond

 

Elvis' blood type was O Positive

 

Elvis' shoe size was 11D

 

One of Elvis'( maternal) ancestors, Morning White Dove (born 1800, died 1835), was a full-blooded Cherokee Indian

 

Elvis' uncle, Noah Presley, became Mayor of East Tupelo on January 7, 1936

 

The Presley family moved to Memphis on November 6, 1948

 

Elvis was issued a Social Security card in September 1950 with the # 409-52-2002

 

In 1954 some of the shows played by Elvis & The Blue Moon Boys were at the Overton Park Shell; the Bel-Air Club; Sleepy-Eyed John's Eagle's Nest Club and the Louisiana Hayride

 

Elvis' first manager was Scotty Moore, then Bob Neal, before signing with Colonel Tom Parker

 

The first DJ to play an Elvis record was Fred Cook (WREC), not Dewey Phillips (WHBQ). However, Dewey had the distinction of being the first DJ to play an Elvis record in its entirety

 

Elvis once dated famous stripper, Tempest Storm

 

Elvis was filmed from the waist up only during his 3rd and final appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show

 

In the 50s Elvis was friendly with rising stars, Natalie Wood, Robert Wagner and Ty (Bronco Lane) Hardin

 

Gladys Presley was 46 years old when she died, not 42, as many books suggest

 

The Roustabout album sold 450,000 copies on its initial release, 150,000 copies more than any of the preceding three soundtrack LPs. It was Elvis' last "soundtrack" album to reach #1 on the major album charts in the US

 

Elvis received $1m for filming Harum Scarum (aka Harum Holiday). The film grossed around $2m in the US

 

Elvis and Priscilla married on May 1, 1967

 

They were officially divorced on October 9, 1973

 

Elvis earns nearly $3.5m in 1968 and pays just over $1.4m in income tax

 

Elvis' return to live performing in Las Vegas on July 31, 1969 was in front of an "by invitation only" audience. Stars in attendance included Wayne Newton, Petula Clark, Shirley Bassey, Burt Bacharach and Angie Dickinson

 

On January 9, 1971, the national Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees) announced Elvis as one of "The Top Ten Young Men of the Year". Elvis spoke at the official awards ceremony on January 16

 

"Elvis: Aloha From Hawai" made entertainment history on January 14, 1973, when it was beamed around the world by satellite. In the Philippines it drew 91% of the audience, in Hong Kong 70%. The viewing audience was estimated at more than 1 billion

 

For his 4 week Hilton Vegas season in August 1973 Elvis received $610,000

Sales of Elvis' 1973 album, Raised On Rock, were less than 200,000 units on its initial release

 

Elvis paid $2,959,000 in income tax in 1973

 

In December 1976 Elvis was sworn in as a special deputy sheriff of Shelby County (Memphis) by Sheriff Gene Barksdale

 

Elvis' final live concert was in Indianapolis on June 26, 1977

When Elvis died, he and his father Vernon, were embroiled in an FBI investigation called Operation Fountain Pen

More than 1,500 books have been published about The King in more than 30 languages

 

At Dec 2005 Elvis' biggest selling album in the US is the budget priced, Elvis' Christmas Album, with accredited sales of 9 million units (fingers crossed it reaches 10 million to give Elvis his first "Diamond" award)

 

By early2006, Sony BMG's "collectors label", Follow That Dream, had released more than 50 Elvis CDs

 

During the 1980s, tour guides at Graceland stated that Elvis' biggest selling album (globally) was Moody Blue, with sales exceeding 14 million

 

While Sony BMG estimates Elvis' global sales exceed 1 billion, the company is unable to substantiate this figure. Accredited sales worldwide are estimated to be less than 400 million

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 2006 is "Elvis Book Month" on EIN

Welcome to EIN's "Elvis Book Month".

Throughout August 2006 we will be highlighting the vast Elvis library comprised of non-fiction, fiction and specialist publications. We will:

  • have reviews of new Elvis book releases
  • publish various articles about the Elvis book phenomenon
  • look at the bibliographies for prolific Elvis authors and publishers including Ger Rijff, Joseph Tunzi, Sean Shaver and Bill Burk
  • present an interview or two with Elvis book authors
  • run a competition with several Elvis books as prizes
  • look at the rarest Elvis books ever published
  • publish various Elvis book covers
  • PLUS much more!

 

Friday 11 August 2006

Book Review: "Lips" by Byron Edwards: EIN's Nigel Patterson took a road trip across the USA and into Mexico as he travelled with Elvis and a cousin trying to stay one step ahead of the law.

Read what Nigel discovered in Byron Edwards' highly readable Elvis novel, a quirky mix of evocative imagery, adventure, and innovative narrative. Read our review


Ger Rijff Booklist - updated today


Elvis Book Fact #7: Particularly since the early 1990s, an increasing number of major Elvis books have been released in audio and/or digital formats. The titles include:

  • Careless Love (Guralnick)
  • Elvis An Audio Scrapbook (Klein)
  • Elvis Presley The Man The Life The Legend (Keogh)
  • Elvis Saves (Yancey)
  • FBI Files - Elvis Presley
  • Last Train to Memphis (Guralnick)
  • Maximum Elvis (Clayson)
  • Tears Of A Shadow (Patchouli)
  • Tender (Childress)
  • The Boy Who Would Be King (Greenwood & Tracy)
  • The Hidden Works of the King (Daughtry)
  • The Poster of Elvis (Semel)
  • The True Story of Elvis Presley
  • The Tupelo-Memphis Murders
  • Unfinished Lives 3: Elvis Presley and Judy Garland (Beck & Hack)
  • When Elvis Died (Gregory)


Where to buy out of print, rare Elvis books: As a rule of thumb Book Dealers put a premium on rare, out of print (OOP) books. However, the advent of the Internet has allowed us all to access thousands of items that previously were elusive.

Three great places to find rare, out of print Elvis books are:

Each of these outlets offers NEW and USED items, often at a fraction of the normal or original retail cost. Books can be found starting at only 1 cent (plus p&p)!

These outlets are also a great place to get recent titles at a discounted price.

Some examples. Yesterday Amazon had the following rare and/or used titles available:

  • Last Train To Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley (Guralnick) from US$2.95
  • A Presley Speaks (Vester Presley, hardcover) from US$7.00
  • Inside Elvis (Ed Parker) from $7.99
  • In Search of Elvis: Music Race, Art, Religion (Chadwick) from $10.64
  • Elvis What Happened? (the Bodyguard book) from $13.00
  • Me and a Guy Named Elvis: My Lifelong Friendship with Elvis Presley (Jerry Schilling) from $17.16

And don't forget to check the various country sites Amazon and ebay maintain. For example, if you are looking for a Japanese published Elvis title, Amazon Japan or eBay Japan may be your best bet rather than the main (USA based) Amazon and eBay sites.

Another tip: Always cross-check prices. Even if you find a very cheap book on eBay, look at Amazon & B&N as you'll be surprised how many times you find the same book at a cheaper, buy now price.


Mini Book Review - A PRESLEY SPEAKS, Vester Presley as told to Deda Bonura.

Wimmer Brothers, (Memphis) USA, 1978, Soft cover, Illustrated, ISBN: 0918544114.

Synopsis: Elvis’s late Uncle Vester offers positive family stories particularly of a young Elvis. Written with that simple down south charm:

I will never forget one day Elvis is out riding (Rising) Sun, his favorite horse. All of a sudden Sun starts bucking and off goes Elvis. Well, there were quite a few fans around the gate and they have a full view of Elvis...I reckon he’s a little embarrassed and figures he has do something. So, he doubles up his fist and starts jumping around as if he is trying to get Sun to fight with him. Sun just stands there, snorting and shaking his head...The fans laughed and applauded. They were all yelling for him to do it again.

Perennial best seller with fans visiting Graceland. Reprinted many times. Features some rare color and black and white photos. Recommended.

 

Wednesday 9 August 2006

Mini Book Review - CAUGHT IN A TRAP ELVIS PRESLEY’S TRAGIC LIFELONG SEARCH FOR LOVE, Rick Stanley with Paul Harold

Ward Publishing, USA, 1992, Hardback, 232 pages, Illustrated, No index, Appendices, ISBN: 0849909791.

Synopsis: The Stanley brothers have released numerous books about their stepbrother. All was revealed in the first two or three releases, and later publications such as this one are generally an embellished rehash of earlier stories.

The most important aspect of the Stanley books is their recounting of the difficulties and personal challenges they faced as a result of living in the shadow of the King. The title refers to a line in one of Elvis’s biggest hits, Suspicious Minds. Some interesting narrative:

hat came to terrorize him was the knowledge that what he appeared to be, this godlike image, meant so much to his fans.


Elvis Book Fact #6: There have been more than 20 comic books published about Elvis. These include the three part comic novel, "Elvis Shrugged" and the seven-part series, "The Elvis Presley Experience". The rarest Elvis comic book is an underground release with the title "Elvis and Priscilla F--king". Surprisingly, despite its controversial title, its images are not particularly pornographic.



German & French book releases: In Germany, Bosworth Music GmbH will release the German edition of Careless Love by Peter Guralnick (paperback, ISBN 3865431070). Release date is set for August. In February this year they also released the German edition of Last Train to Memphis. Also in August, Bosworth Music GmbH will re-release Elvis - Story und Songs Kompakt (paperback, 160 pages, ISBN 3865432301).

Publisher Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf released in June a second edition of the book Elvis Presley - Ein Leben fur den Rock'n'Roll. Die Fotochronik der Karriere (paperback, 320 pages, ISBN 3896024353).

In October, Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf will release the German edition of Elvis at 21: Elvis im Alter von 21 Jahre: Von New York nach Memphis (hardback, 300 pages, ISBN 3896027263).

A German edition of Tara McAdams' book Elvis Handbook will be released in November by Collection Rolf Heyne (hardback, 432 pages, ISBN 3899103289).

Also published by Collection Rolf Heyne are the book(s) from Jim Piazza, "Elvis Presley - The King". They come with three different covers: black (ISBN 3899103181), gold (ISBN 3899103173) and white (ISBN 389910319X). Release is set for October.

In France, the French translation of Alanna Nash' book The Colonel "Le colonnel : L'homme dans l'ombre d'Elvis" will be published by Stanké in September (paperback, ISBN: 2760410269). (News, Source: Elvis Presley A Life In Books / Elvis News)

 

Monday 7 August 2006
The Ger Rijff Elvis Book Collection: One name is synonymous with quality photo-journal books showcasing Elvis at the peak of his powers in the 1950s, and that name is the legendary Ger Rijff. EIN presents a look at the fascinating Ger Rijff catalog of Elvis books and offers you tips on how to find these much sought after collectors items.

Elvis Book Fact #5: There are more than 200 foreign language books with Elvis in their title. Books about Elvis have been published in more than 20 languages.


 

Opposite left: 2005's biggest selling Elvis book "Elvis By The Presleys"

 

Opposite right: A new type of Elvis book publishing...digital download

 

 


Mini Book Review - CHILD BRIDE: THE UNTOLD STORY OF PRISCILLA BEAULIEU PRESLEY, Suzanne Finstad

Harmony Books, USA, 1997, Hardback, 387 pages, Illustrated, ISBN: 0517705850.

Century/Random House, UK/Australia/New Zealand/South Africa, 1997, Hardback, 387 pages, Illustrated, ISBN: 0712677747.

Random House Value Publishing, Incorparated, USA, 1997, Hardback, 320 pages, Illustrated(?), ISBN: 0517705850.

Berkeley Boulevard Books, USA, 1998, Softcover, 464 pages, Illustrated, ISBN: 07183100750.

Berkley Publishing Group, USA, 1998, Softcover, 464 pages, Illustrated, ISBN: 0425165442.

Three Rivers Press, USA, 2006, Softcover, 480 pages, Illustrated, ISBN: 0307336956.

Synopsis: Truly sensational expose of the head of Elvis Presley Enterprises. Characterized as Priscilla’s ‘life of lies’ this book paints a far from flattering picture of a scheming woman who has created a false image of herself and spun a web of deceit. Was Priscilla a virgin when she met Elvis?: what did her parents really think about her dating and later living with Elvis - these and other themes in Elvis folklore are given a new twist:

Contrary to legend, neither Ann nor her husband exhibited the slightest hesitation about sending their daughter to meet Elvis.

Of particular interest are a detailed account of Elvis’s sexual persona, Lisa Marie Presley’s attempts at becoming a rock star and several rare photos.

The author also injects some humor:

Graceland in certain ways resembled the Clampett mansion in The Beverly Hillbillies...Vernon was a latter-day Jed: Elvis was a well-intended, oversexed Jethro.

As always, the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle.

 

Saturday 5 August 2006
"Banner Days": what do one of pro wrestling's original divas and Elvis have in common? Quite a lot as EIN found out when it delved inside Penny Banner's highly entertaining biography. The pair dated in the 1950s and Ms Banner shares details of their relationship with us, as well as taking us behind the scenes of what is now called sports entertainment. Read EIN's review

Elvis Book Fact #4 - Privately Published Elvis Books: Elvis is arguably the #1 icon for privately published Elvis books. From fan club booklets to quality photobooks nearly 500 titles have been produced by individuals and organisations operating within the Elvis fan club network and outside mainstream bookstores.



Little known Elvis novel a collectible thanks to copyright law!

The Dominion Post 02 December 2004
By TOM CARDY
Cartoon by Bromhead

All the vine-swinging Tarzan of the Apes had to worry about was the law of the jungle. But a New Zealand publishing company is up against complicated copyright law for using the fictional hero in a critically acclaimed novel.

Edgar Rice Burroughs Incorporated, the estate of Tarzan’s creator, has demanded that Victoria University Press stop selling copies of the humorous novel Tarzan Presley. Written by New Zealander Nigel Cox, it tells the story of Presley “raised by gorillas in the wild jungles of New Zealand, scarred in battles with vicious giant wetas, seduced by a beautiful young scientist” who gets a record deal with Elvis Presley’s producer and has 30 No 1 hits.

The book was published in June 2004 to critical acclaim and has sold most of its initial 3000 print run. Victoria University Press publisher Fergus Barrowman said it received a letter from a British law firm, acting on behalf of Burroughs’ estate, several weeks after the book was published. It wanted a New Zealand website to stop advertising the book. The publishers had since received several letters from lawyers for the estate, based in Tarzana, California.

Mr Barrowman said they were surprised by the company’s claim that Tarzan “infringes their intellectual property rights” including the name Tarzan and other aspects of the man-raised-by-apes character. He said Cox felt hurt by the attack. “Tarzan is in the dictionary, for goodness sake, and the book is in no sense an attempt to pass itself off as the work of Edgar Rice Burroughs or an authorised continuation of his work. It’s a literary reinvention.”

Mr Barrowman said Burroughs’ estate would be satisfied with it selling the remaining first edition copies, as long as none were sold outside New Zealand. It would also allow the book to be republished, but only if the name Tarzan was removed, the story changed to make it less like Tarzan’s story, and it was not sold overseas. But if Victoria University Press did not agree, “basically the big stick is `We’ll sue you.’ “ Mr Barrowman said Victoria University Press would be reluctant to go to court because of the cost. Differences in copyright law could be a factor.

Burroughs wrote Tarzan of the Apes in 1912 and set up Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc a year later. His estate has had a long history of zealously guarding Tarzan.

Availability: "Tarzan Presley" is not listed on Amazon or B&N and no copies of the book have appeared on ebay in the past year.

 

Thursday 3 August 2006

The hard-to-believe books worth reading (#1):

Are You Lonesome Tonight? The Untold Story of Elvis Presley's One True Love and the Child He Never Knew(Lucy de Barbin & Dary Matera)

Released by Villard Books in 1987 at the height of stories about Elvis' illegitimate children, de Barbin's fanciful tale was absorbing. Well written and seemingly sincere, it told a terrific tale of the author's 20 year love affair with Elvis, and the daughter, Desiree, it produced. Rumored for deserved, but eventually non-forthcoming film treatment, many couldn't help but get drawn into de Barbin's wonderfully compelling, if flawed, tragic fairytale.

Striking themes and evocative images which were the staple of a good soap opera and particularly appealing to romantics, Ms de Barbin wrote:

"I couldn't sleep that night. Why did he call after all these years? How did he find me? Would he call back? Why did he hang up? Nothing but questions, tormenting questions. The next day at work was impossible. My mind was far, far away. Ten years in the past by a river in the fall."

Critics quickly picked up on several factual errors in the narrative but these could be excused given the time lapse involved. The real giveaway was the lack of any substantive evidence that de Barbin ever met Elvis, and when offered, the non-showing of daughter Desiree to undergo a DNA test to resolve paternity.

Regardless, this book detailing an alleged affair of the heart was the first, and best, of an infrequent series to be published over the ensuing two decades. Others would be the factual "Elvis & Kathy" (Kathy Westmoreland: 1987), the neo-factual "Don't Ask Forever My Love Affair With Elvis" (Joyce Bova: 1994); "The King, McQueen and the Love Machine" (Barbara Leigh: 2001); and Tears Of A Shadow (Patchouli: 2004). "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" possessed a vital spark and eventual tragedy not as apparent in these other memoirs, although Kathy Westmoreland came close with her interesting, but uneven, reflection on her relationship with The King.

At the height of the illegitimate children story around 10 different people had come forward claiming to be Elvis' offspring. The story gained wide tabloid interest for nearly a year before giving way to a more psychologically resonant and long lasting story, namely that Elvis didn't die on 16 August 1977.

The bibliographic resource, Elvis In Print: The Definitive Reference and Price Guide, says of "Are You Lonesome Tonight?":

Highly entertaining and well written if unbelievable story. de Barbin claims her daughter, Desiree, was fathered by Elvis during their 24 years long affair!:

"I was finally holding the body I ached for all those empty years. I ran my fingers down his smooth skin and traced his sensuous mouth. Elvis responded, first slowly, then eagerly. He was as thrilling in bed as he was on stage, energetic, powerful, and commanding. He explored all the nuances of my body, awakening desires I feared had long died."

There are some fatal flaws in the story and a lack of precise places and dates that can be verified. It is also amazing that not one of the Memphis Mafia knew of de Barbin’s allegedly two-decade relationship with Elvis. Originally slated to be a TV movie or mini-series, public interest in it quickly waned due to the hard sell marketing of the ‘Is Elvis Alive?’ conspiracy story. The soft cover version in 1988 included new and previously unpublished material. Recommended (if you like a very well written and engrossing, if unbelievable read).



Elvis Book Fact #3 - Elvis book sales today: Since the early 1990s sales of Elvis books generally have been in decline. A glut of titles following his death was initially generally well met with even minor titles selling briskly, but over time the continuing high numbers of books being published about Elvis could not sustain substantial sales figures.


Mini Book Review - THE ATOMIC POWERED SINGER , Brian Petersen (foreword by Ernst Jorgensen)

Self published, Sweden , 1994, Soft cover, 238 pages, Illustrated, No index, No bibliography, ISBN: none.

Synopsis: Petersen’s labor of love is a worthy addition to the serious collector’s archives as he takes the reader on a ‘detailed’ day by day tour with the King through 1956.

Filled with rare photos and copies of press clippings it covers both Elvis in performance and Elvis in his private moments:

Elvis Presley fans all but tore the roof off the Oakland Auditorium Arena - not once, but twice - as the youthful singing sensation proved yesterday he is without a doubt, the most amazing of entertainers. Presley whips through a song as if he had grabbed a live wire. Some 6,400 madly screaming fans at two performances responded as if they, too, had been jolted by the same current.

The next day Elvis and Nick Adams drove out to the Mid-South Fair on Elvis’ motorcycle. Elvis was dressed in white pants, white socks and a white shirt with a waving stripe down the front and his motor-cycle cap with a big star on the front.

The title takes its name from the billing given Elvis when he first appeared (rather disastrously) in Las Vegas that year.

Tuesday 1 August 2006

Book Review - "Fairytale": The idea that Elvis did not die in August 1977 has spawned a mini-library of richly diverse and controversial, fiction and non-fiction titles since the late 1970s. The most well known books are of course by Gail Brewer-Giorgio, who left the Elvis world several years ago to pursue other interests.

In the fiction area, one book highly sought after by collectors is the anonymously written, Fairytale. In a thorough and insightful review of the book, Susan MacDougall (Presleys in the Press) dissects its meaning and explores its themes and merits.


New book - "Who Is the Greatest? Elvis or the Beatles?": Coinciding nicely with EIN's ongoing series of articles comparing Elvis and the Beatles, comes news of this new softcover 232 page book by Mike Stephens and Bill Slater. Due out in the USA on 28 August from the Dorset Group (ISBN: 0976802112). (News, Source: ElvisBookResearch)

Read EIN's articles on Elvis vs the Beatles


Elvis Book Fact #2 - The highest selling Elvis books: A number of books about Elvis have reached #1 on the best seller lists and/or sold in excess of 1 million copies. These include:

  • Elvis (Albert Goldman)
  • Elvis & Me (Priscilla Presley)
  • Elvis What Happened? (Steve Dunleavy, Red West, Sonny West & Dave Hebler)
  • Is Elvis Alive? (Gail Brewer-Giorgio)
  • Last Train To Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley (Peter Guralnick)

"Elvis What Happened?" (aka 'The Bodyguard Book') had the distinction of, at the time, being the biggest book order placed by the K-Mart chain in the USA, with more than 1 million copies ordered around August 1977.

The "original" Elvis biography, "Elvis" by Jerry Hopkins (originally published in 1971 and reissued most recently in 2006) sold very well around the world but its total sales figures have not been published. Whether or not it has reached 1 million sales is a moot point.



Elvis Book Fact #1: - How many books have been published about Elvis?: The bibliographic resource, Elvis In Print: The Definitive Reference and Price Guide lists more than 2,000 books about Elvis being published between 1959 and 2007. This number includes:

  • non-fiction
  • fiction
  • foreign language releases
  • specialist books

The only other persons to rival the number of books published about Elvis are 'Jesus' and 'JFK'.


(Mini) Book Review - The Elvis Reader (Texts and Sources on the King of Rock ‘N’ Roll), Kevin Quain (ed.), St. Martin ’s Press , USA , 1992, Soft cover, 344 pages, Not illustrated, ISBN: 0312069669, Bibliography, Index.

Synopsis: Little known but excellent compilation of ‘themed’ essays on aspects of Elvis. The themes include the musical Elvis, the mythical Elvis, the southern Elvis and the metaphysical Elvis. Insightful and illuminating. The prose is often colorful as in the Roy Blount, Jr essay “Elvis’:

“Even before the Pill, Elvis seemed to obviate the primacy of Jack-hunch-Annie-and-knock-her-up”.

In Nick Tosches ‘’Elvis In Death’ we find a description which perfectly sums up the contradictory phenomenon that is Elvis Presley:

“However we choose to look at Elvis Presley - as a saint, a savior, or a monstrosity: as the apotheosis of America’s fatal and garish yearning: or as the final god in the pantheon of the West - we can be sure that the likes of him will not soon pass this way again.”

Easier to read than other serious collections about Elvis as it is largely composed of narrative essays rather than intellectual treatises. Individual essays are listed in Part D: The Essays.

Other contributors include Priscilla Presley, Albert Goldman, Richard Middleton and Lester Bangs. W. P. Kinsella’s essay ‘Elvis Bound’ may offend some with its graphic detail of Elvis’s sexual escapades. Some of the essays (eg. Van K. Brock’s ‘Images of Elvis, the South and America’) appeared previously. Also features with a useful 35 page reference section. This release is one of the best of its kind. (Source: Elvis In Print: The Definitive Reference and Price Guide)

Availability: Amazon & Barnes & Noble (Second Hand Dealers Network)


Click to comment on EIN's "Elvis Book Month"

 

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Magazine: MOJO
Book: Elvis Through My Eyes (Denson)
DVD: Love Me Tender (Special Edition)
CD: Inspirational (genre album)
CD: Elvis Country (genre album)
DVD: Kraig Parker - 50th Anniversary Tribute
CD: Pieces Of My Life
CD: Elvis rock
Book: Inside Loving You
FTD: Loving You
FTD: Southern Nights
CD: Elvis A Legendary Performer Vol. 7
Book: Elvis and the Memphis Mafia
Book: Dewey and Elvis
Articles
Burning Love: A classic single?
Elvis vs. The Beatles - The Matrix Argument
Ken Lay (Enron) & Elvis
The King has rebel roots
Elvis in Tucson
Elvis helps bring peace to Afghanistan
Elvis & Tupelo
Act Naturally: Elvis, the Beatles and "rocksploitation"
Is Elvis alive?: Major investigation identifies flaw in 'Elvis DNA findings'
"David vs. Goliath": Sid Shaw's legal battle with EPE
Elvis' blackest day on stage
Elvis' musical legacy - 'A Complete Body Of Work
The Best Elvis CDs, Books & DVDs ever released!
Elvis & the Mexican Bracero
Tribute to Charlie Hodge
Elvis That's The Way It Is: 1970 vs. 2001
Elvis' Bad Break!
The amazing story of Jimmy (Orion) Ellis
Graceland 2005
Elvis and Las Vegas
The man who bought Elvis (Robert Sillerman)
Presley Commission Report
Enduring economic power of Elvis
Graceland - the ultimate bachelor pad
Elvis was not a racist!
The Definitive Elvis "blues" album
Elvis on The Creative Edge - Part 2 - The CD
'Elvis Seriously'- Why is Elvis' voice too often ignored
Elvis - symbol of freedom or not?
The importance of being Elvis
Elvis rules on television! (updated August 2005)
Elvis rules on television! (updated May 2005)
How did Elvis die?
 
Interviews
Ernst Jorgensen
John Wilkinson
Andreas Roth (author of "Elvis In Munich")
Elvis Presley In Concert - Aussie Promoter
Jean-Marc Juilland (BMG Audio Restorer)
Rev. Mother Dolores Hart
David Stanley talks to EIN
Charlie Hodge talks to EIN
Kevan Budd (BMG)
Ernst Jorgensen on Elvis' record sales
Billy Smith (Part 2)
Lamar Fike (Part 2)
Marty Lacker (part 2)
Ernst Jorgensen
 
Audio-visual
Elvis Only Radio
Elvis On Tour (Hampton Roads) footage
Elvis On Tour
Graceland cam
Listen to the Elvis "strung out" in Vegas audio
The "Real" Elvis off-stage
Unreleased Elvis audio now online
View EPE Graceland tourism ads
View video of "All Shook Up" opening night on Broadway
"Images In Concert" Photo Database
 
Reference
All about Elvis
All about Elvis tribute artists
All about Lisa Presley
All about Graceland
Contact List
Elvis CDs in 2006
Elvis DVDs 2006
Elvis books 2006-07
Elvis Week 2007
Elvis film guide
Elvis Online Virtual Library
Elvis Presley Research Forum
Elvis vs. The Beatles (index)
Elvis was a racist? (archives)
Elvis Week 2005
Links to Elvis' family & friends
Online Elvis Symposium
Presleys in the Press
Sale of EPE "Archives"
6th Elvis Website Survey
Spotlight on The King
"Wikipedia" Elvis bio
 
 

Quote:

"Elvis Presley is the supreme socio-cultural icon in the history of pop culture"

(Dr. Gary Enders)


Quote:

"Elvis is the 'glue' which holds our society together....which subconciously gives our world meaning"

(Anonymous)


Quote:

"Eventually everybody has to die, except Elvis"

(humorist Dave Barry)


Quote:

"He is the "Big Bang", and the universe he detonated is still expanding, the pieces are still flying"

(Greil Marcus, "Dead Elvis")


Quote:

"I think Elvis Presley will never be solved"

(Nick Tosches)


Quote:

"He was the most popular man that ever walked on this planet since Christ himself was here"

(Carl Perkins)


Quote:

"When I first heard Elvis' voice I just knew I wasn't going to work for anybody...hearing him for the first time was like busting out of jail"

(Bob Dylan)


Quote:

"When we were kids growing up in Liverpool, all we ever wanted was to be Elvis Presley"

(Sir Paul McCartney)


Quote:

"You can't say enough good things about Elvis. He was one of a kind"

(Johnny Cash)


Quote:

"And don't think for one moment he's just a passing fancy....he's got enough of it to keep him on top for a long time"

(R. Fred Arnold, Fury magazine, Aug 1957)


Quote:

"It isn't enough to say that Elvis is kind to his parents, sends money home, and is the same unspoiled kid he was before all the commotion began. That still isn't a free ticket to behave like a sex maniac in public"

(Eddie Condon, Cosmopolitan)


Elvis records reaching #2 & #3 on the Cashbox Pop Singles chart:

#2: A Fool Such As I (1959)

#2: A Big Hunk Of Love (1959)

#3: Hard Headed Woman (1958)

#3: One Night (1958)

#3: (You're The Devil) In Disguise (1963)


Elvis Facts:

Tickets for Elvis' show on March 29, 1957 in St. Louis cost $2.00 to $2.50

While in Germany Elvis was hospitalised with tonsillitis in October 1959

Despite being an illegal immigrant, photographic evidence shows Colonel Tom Parker traveled to Canada with Elvis in 1957

Elvis strongly believed there weren't enough good songs in King Creole to justify releasing a soundtrack album. RCA initially agreed, releasing two very successful EPs from the movie. A soundtrack LP eventually followed

During the 1960s Elvis had his own football team, Elvis Presley Enterprises, which played in the Memphis touch football league. In the 1962 final, EPE narrowly lost to Delta Automatic Transmission, 6-13

In Clambake, (Elvis) Scott Hayward's driving licence shows February 23, 1940...taking 5 years off Elvis' real age

In the 1970s Elvis was offered $5m to stage a concert in front of the Pyramids in Egypt. When the Colonel declined the offer, Saudi billionaires raised the offer to $10m