Elvis Presley Desert Storm: The Shattering of A Myth!/College Park: The Revelation of A Hoax!, Darrin Lee, 2008, Softcover, Illustrated, 220 pages

Read EIN's review of Darrin Lee's earlier edition of "Desert Storm: The Shattering of A Myth!"

Were Elvis' so-called 1974 concert disasters really so bad? Or were they in fact among his most personable and passionate performances? The quest to answer these questions is at the heart of Darrin Lee's controversial book, Elvis Presley Desert Storm: The Shattering of A Myth!/College Park: The Revelation of A Hoax! The Elvis world is a rich one, often full of controversial, conflicting and confronting theories, research and supposition. It has long been apparent that on many issues to do with Elvis there will never be absolute consensus. Be it the tyranny of fading memories over time or the diverse subjective interpretation of events, debates will continue to rage for decades to come.

It is this, at times frustrating, at times fascinating, dimension of not categorically knowing the real truth of a matter which provides the Elvis world with much of its color, texture and interest!

In the Desert Storm component of his hybrid book, author and researcher Darrin Lee provides a detailed account of that legendary night in Las Vegas when Elvis delivered a number of tirades. Included in the narrative is the account by England's well known Elvis author, Anne E. Nixon, who was part of the audience that night. Was Elvis really strung out or is there another explanation? Darrin Lee offers a challenging perspective on the incident.

Lee also focuses on the infamous Fort Baxter double album release Desert Storm; and his detailed analysis of this historic audio record wil be interesting to those who have heard the album and those who haven't.

The College Park section of Lee's book examines Elvis' concerts in the titular city in Maryland on 27 and 28 of September in 1974. Truth? Fiction? Conjecture? Supposition? Flight of fancy? Conspiracy?......... In many respects, Elvis Presley Desert Storm: The Shattering of A Myth!/College Park: The Revelation of A Hoax!, reads like a detective novel as Lee sorts through the facts, reports and eye witness accounts of Elvis in 1974.

Other chapters in Darrin Lee's multi faceted book examine:

• whether the ubiquitous gossip magazines were junk;
• Bill Cosby: Friend or Foe?; and
• the Patricia Parker Paternity Suit.

The author includes detailed source notes/references for the issues discussed.

Whether or not you agree with Darrin Lee there is real value in his writing in that he challenges what some regard as conventional wisdom! Any book which challenges its readers to re-consider ideas allows for, at least a mental tune-up, if not a clearer understanding or belief based on consideration of competing views and interpretations.

Lee's book is an investigative report based on hours of research, collected evidence and first hand interviews.

Those critical of Lee's views tend to use the quantificational fallacy (proof by example) approach.....look at all accounts of Elvis on stage, it is obvious he was out of it and it was a bad show. They resist objective intent to carefully consider an alternative view.

Having said this, I am not saying Darrin Lee has got it right. But I do say that on reading his carefully argued position, he raises valid issues and questions which need to be examined before we make up our mind's about the circumstances of Elvis, on and off stage, at the time of his legendary "Desert Storm" concerts.

Visit Darrin Lee's Elvis websites for more info:

www.elvisdrugmyths.com

www.elvisconcertmyths.com

www.elviscbstvspecial.com

www.elviscollegeparkhoax.com

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