Susan MacDougall's
Book Reviews Page |
.......Welcome to Susan MacDougall's page of detailed reviews of a wide range of different Elvis books.......
Contact Susan
............................................................................................................................
'Bring Back the King' Book Review: Scientists are seriously debating the possibility of bringing back T-Rex or the Woolly Mammoth via DNA cloning, so what makes it so difficult to "Bring Back the King".
The idea seems a genuine possibility in the future.
Helen Pilcher's 'Bring Back the King - The New Science of De-extinction' was published last year and raises some interesting questions.
Pilcher is uniquely qualified to explain the cutting-edge science that makes the resurrection of extinct animals a very real possibility, while acknowledging the serious and humorous aspects of giving a deceased animal a second chance to live. If you could bring back to life a person who would you choose? Pilcher highlights her own choices from eras gone, including the King of the Dinosaurs, Tyrannosaurus rex, and the King of Rock 'n' Roll, Elvis Presley.
From dinosaurs to dodos and Neanderthals, BRING BACK THE KING reveals how the burgeoning field of DNA science is being used to help resurrect individual animals and assesses the ramifications of how these genetic Lazaruses might fare in their brave new world.
EIN contributor Susan MacDougall once again does the detective work that most Elvis fans tend to ignore and tracks down yet another Elvis phenomenon.
Click here to Susan MacDougall's review of BRING BACK THE KING to see whether the book and the idea are worth considering.
You never know who might just be knocking at your front door in the future!
(Book Reviews, Source;SM/ElvisInformationNetwork) |
 |
'They lost their heads! What happened to Washington’s teeth, (Elvis' wart) and other famous body parts' Book Review: Proving that EIN keeps a watch out for ELVIS in nearly every publication we start July 2018 with Susan MacDougall's review of 'They lost their heads! What happened to Washington’s teeth, Einstein’s brain, (Elvis' wart) and other famous body parts' by Carlyn Beccia.
The publicity notes that.. From the kidnapping of Einstein's brain to the horrifying end of Louis XIV's heart, the mysteries surrounding some of history's most famous body parts range from medical to macabre. Carlyn Beccia explores the misadventures of noteworthy body parts through history and springboards to exploring STEM topics such as forensics, DNA testing, brain science, organ donation, and cloning. The engaging tone, wonderfully creepy subject matter, and delightfully detailed art are sure to capture even the most reluctant readers.
So what has this to do with our Hero Elvis?
EIN book reviewer Susan MacDougall explores this weird book aimed at Children to check out whether Elvis will get a fair representation after all these years...
(Book Reviews, Source;Susan MacDougall/ElvisInformationNetwork) |
 |
'The Million Dollar Quartet’ Book Review: 'The Million Dollar Quartet’ is the name given to the impromptu jam session among Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash on December 4th 1956.
This book by Stephen Miller - from 2013 - includes interviews with the drummer and the sound engineer.
It features a detailed analysis of the music played – and its relevance to subsequent popular music.
The early lives and careers of the quartet – where they were in 1956.
Relevant social and economic factors which meant that a massive audience of young people were keenly looking for a new kind of music they could call their own.
The “reunions” of surviving members of the quartet.
The emergence of the tapes, first on bootleg and then on legitimate CDs.
The genesis of the stage show and its reception – the enduring appeal of the music.
Go here as EIN book reviewer Susan MacDougall explores this detailed look into a jam session that Elvis fans all know so well... is there really any more to discover?
(Book Reviews, Source;SMacDougall/ElvisInformationNetwork)
|
 |
'The Seeker King' - Book Review: A woman in the audience once handed Elvis a crown saying, "You're the King." "No, honey," Elvis replied. "There is only one king -- Jesus Christ. I'm just a singer."
In his 2013 book 'The Seeker King: a spiritual biography of Elvis Presley' author Gary Tillery presents a coherent view of Elvis's thoughts through such anecdotes and other recorded facts. Elvis came to believe that the Christ shines in everyone and that God wanted him to use his light to uplift people. And so he did. Elvis's excesses were as legendary as his generosity, yet, despite his lethal reliance on drugs, he remained ever spiritually curious. This intimate, objective portrait inspires new admiration for the flawed but exceptional man who said, "All I want is to know and experience God. I'm a searcher, that's what I'm all about."
EIN book reviewer Susan MacDougall explores this interesting book and questions that since so much has been written about Elvis' including at least a dozen books about his spiritual search, is there anything new to say? Go here to read her detailed review to find out!
(Book Reviews, Source;SMacDougall/ElvisInformationNetwork)
|
 |
'The Death and Resurrection of Elvis Presley' - Book Review: Elvis Aaron Presley is more popular today than ever, yet he died nearly forty years ago. His music is constantly remixed and re-released to a new generation of fans, and his image thrives in popular art and culture. Elvis is the subject of some truly astonishing rumours and legends, including the one that he never actually died. In the new book, The Death and Resurrection of Elvis Presley, author Ted Harrison asks what lies behind the remarkable resurrection in popular culture of the King of Rock 'n' Roll. It tells the story of Elvis after Elvis. It shows how his estate, which was pillaged by his manager, was saved through the business acumen and financial vision of his ex-wife Priscilla Presley. It explores a spiritual dimension to the Elvis revival, where fans create a fantasy quasi-religion through which they blend and confuse Elvis and Jesus.
Published in 2016 this is a thoroughly researched book that brings us up-to-date with recent developments. Harrison draws on existing publications on the same topic, as well as websites and correspondence, conversations and interviews with many Elvis fans and associates conducted over 25 years, to make a well-argued case. He finally proposes possible future directions for this extraordinary Elvis phenomenon.
Go here as EIN book review Susan MacDougall explores this fascinating book and decides whether Elvis fans need to discover what the myth is all about.
(Book Reviews, Source;SMacDougall/ElvisInformationNetwork) |
 |
'Down At The End Of Lonely Street' - Book Review: This 1997 published fan favourite 'Down at the End of Lonely Street: The Life and Death of Elvis Presley'
promised an "intimate portrait of Elvis Presley, America’s favorite music idol, chronicling his remarkable life from a dirt-poor schoolboy in Memphis through his rise as a Rock n’ Roll superstar to his final days in Las Vegas. Drawing on exclusive interviews with Elvis’s closest friends and new documentary evidence, this biography reveals secrets about his relationships with his addictive mother Gladys, his ruthless manager Colonel Tom Parker, his musical rivals The Beatles, and the truth behind his marriage to Priscilla Beaulieu."
EIN reviewer Susan MacDougall checks out this old classic to see how it stands the test of time, look at some of the interesting issues addressed and investigates how the book sees Elvis as a "person" rather than an image.
(Book Review, Source: EIN, January 2016) |
 |
'Nashville Chrome' - Book Review: In the late fifties the Country Music group The Browns - Maxine, Bonnie, and Jim Ed - were enjoying unprecedented international success, rivaled only by their longtime friend Elvis Presley. The book 'Nashville Chrome' by author Rick Bass presents a vivid evocation of an era in American music, while at its heart it is a wrenching meditation on the complexities of fame and of one family who experienced them firsthand.
Just two months ago it was announced that The Browns would be inducted into Country Music Hall of Fame. With immaculate timing, EIN contributor Susan McDougall reviews the 2010 publication 'Nashville Chrome' about this fascinating group.
The connection between The Browns and Elvis is an intersting topic - and as always Susan presents both the positives and negatives about publishing a book about such a well-researched period.
Read Susan's full review
(Book Review, Source: EIN, May 2015) |
 |
Elvis My Best Man (Book Review): George Klein became a friend of Elvis' while they both attended Humes High. EIN contributor, Susan MacDougall, recently sat down to read George's memoir. What Susan found was an entertaining memoir which has met with some criticism. Susan says:
The stated purpose of the book is to document some of the important things about Elvis that have been missed elsewhere, especially “his deep, natural intelligence and how funny he was”. There are certainly some entertaining anecdotes, such as putting a gift-wrapped box of snakes on a car seat to frighten thieves, and Elvis hiding under a train to escape a horde of sorority sisters.
Read Susan's full review
(Book Review, Source: EIN, Feb 2010) |
|
|
|
