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 enlarge | Author: Peter Guralnick
Publisher: Back Bay Books
Category: Book
List Price: $17.99
Buy Used: $2.78
You Save: $15.21 (85%)
New (31) Used (58) Collectible (5) from $2.78
Rating:  61 reviews
Sales Rank: 62086
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 576
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.8
Dimensions (in): 9.2 x 6.1 x 1.4
ISBN: 0316332259
Dewey Decimal Number: 782.42166092
EAN: 9780316332255
ASIN: 0316332259
Publication Date: September 1, 1995
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Clean reading copy. O23
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| Customer Reviews:
 Not the man I thought he was July 16, 2007
2 out of 7 found this review helpful
I thought Elvis was the Golden gift from God until I read this book.
I can't give it a 5 because I had such a hard time keeping up with who did or said what. I found the book very hard to read. Some sentences were paragraphs long and so botched up that I had to read them over and over just to finally understand what he was trying to say. (When a person gets at a certain stage in his/her life, things wear out, ie, memory.) Time and again I had to revert back to even 2 or 3 pages ago to find out who said what, ie. "who did he say was talking here?" I asked myself.
And further, not the author's fault, of course, but if what he's written was true, then Elvis was not, per his professed church's teachings, the type of good Christian that we were taught to be. I come from that same type of church. Holiness. We did not use profanity. It was very much a no-no. And it is written somewhere in the bible to not resort to swearwords/bywords. And using God's name in vain is very much a sin per our teachers. Elvis took God's name in vain on at least two occasions that I remember. And then reprimanded one of the "guys", "don't ever take the Lord's name in vain around me again".
And he was constantly using that other most vile word -- the "f" word. I finally was able to skip over those, but not until I had seen them and too late. They embarrass me even as I'm reading them to myself and there's not another soul in the room with me. I know that God knows that I've read them to myself, and I have to just say, "Forgive me God". Makes my skin crawl to hear those awful words. It use to be said that people who resort to swearing were illiterate/uneducated and couldn't make any other type of sentence. Not so these days, at least it doesn't seem to be. I hear some very well placed and educated people resorting to it. It's a crying shame. I can't even watch movies anymore, and it's getting so on TV, and now in THIS book about one of the people I use to admire. My husband and I were sweethearts when Elvis put out that first record, and we really loved his singing. Today is our 51st wedding anniversary. We loved Elvis back in those days for who we thought he was. And, in the coming years, I didn't believe much of the stuff we heard about him. I still thought he was an outstanding person. After all, my own mother told me that a man who loved his mother and treated her good, would love his wife and treat her right. I believed it. My husband and his mom were very much like Elvis and Gladys. Neither thought the other could do any wrong. He's treated me very well over the years. And I will never EVER forget when my husband's mom died. He was as devastated, and more so, than Elvis was, I'll bet. I had never seen him even close to crying before that day. And I have only one more time since then. I have no doubt that Elvis loved his mom. I don't have any issues with him over that. Because I have first hand knowledge of a scenario in that. But, I just don't understand how he could be so loving and devoted to his mom and do some of the things he did.
And about sleeping around as much as he did: He was taught, if he actually did belong to the Assembly of God Church and attended it regularly, he was taught that one doesn't sleep around with persons to whom that person is not married. That's called "fornication", and in the case of when he was married, it's also called "adultery". He should have been studying his bible more, because those words are well defined in any bible.
Call me a prude or whatever you want to, but I was raised in that Holiness church to be as righteous as I could and the way God intended for me to be. I know at times it's hard and I won't say that I don't stray from my teachings, but Elvis didn't seem to be concerned with it.
Then there he is saying that "nobody tells him what to do". Yet, every time Tom Parker or RCA dictated that he do something, he was right there, running his friends (hangers-on, some might say), running them off, and doing whatever would make "Kernel", and RCA happy. For instance, one of his good friends came by to see him, and Parker came by and called Elvis out of the room and told him to send the guy home. Did Elvis say "NO, You don't tell me what to do. I want him here and he's staying"? No he did not. He came back in the room and said "Kernel (that's what I call him since that's what he wanted to be called, but he was NOT a Colonel. That's an insult to even military people, of which I am married to one). Elvis told him "Kernel doesn't want you here so I guess you have to leave". How cruel. Elvis was the one who invited the guy to visit in the first place. Had to be humiliating to the man.
And I'm concerned as well that he didn't seem to show very much loyalty or "payback" to those at the very beginning - from that first record: Sam, Scotty, Bill and Dewey. It doesn't say, though. I wondered all the way through the book, "did he ever do anything nice for them like he did the hangers-on? Giving them cars and houses and such. Maybe if he'd shown a little gratuity towards Dewey, Dewey wouldn't have stiffed him with that song, I've forgotten which one, by playing it too early before it's official release. After all he's the first one to play Elvis's first record so that it got heard by hoards. And he was always mentioning it and Elvis and pushing it. I've heard that it's great publicity and PR.
And there's poor Sam, the guy who knew he couldn't do enough to help Elvis with his music, as much as he'd like to, and as much as Elvis deserved. He faced the fact that he'd done as much as he could do for Elvis due to lack of funds and lack of connections that Parker had, of which Elvis had NONE. And Sam in dire financial straits, about to lose his business, etc. I know he got $35,000 for Elvis's contract; however, look how much Elvis made from that deal. It wasn't enough to save Sam's business. I feel that he owed a heck of a lot of it to Sam and Dewey, even though they both had that "potty mouth syndrome."
And then, poor Scotty and Bill. There they were from the beginninig as well. A TRIO. Just because Elvis twisted his pelvis around, he got all of the attention. Later on after they resigned, he realized that he really needed them. And that's where I am in the book right now. I just had to come and write this stuff down while it's fresh in my mind. And I'm about seething at Elvis. I know I shouldn't have hard feelings about the dead, but he did these things when he was alive. And I'M not dead. YET.
I hope to read that he's going to share a little more of the wealth with them. Scotty was married (children? I've forgotten) but was terribly in debt due to making such low wages with Elvis, even for those days. $100/wk, only when he worked, while Elvis was making thousands???? And spending thousands on his friends???? UNREAL.
One of OUR (in the Holiness Church) 10 Commandments is "Do Unto Others As You Would Have Them Do Unto YOU". I wonder how Elvis would have felt if the shoe were on the other foot. If the band had hired him as their "insignificant" boy singer.
My final thought right at this moment is that old adage "be careful who you trample on your way to the top, because you could fall right on your face on the way down." Or something to that effect. I'd like to have been a fly in that bathroom where Elvis died. On his way out of this world, did he think of those people he didn't treat right? And ask forgiveness. Only God knows.
Oh I know he passed out a lot of charity and stuff, but he neglected at least those 4 I mention. And in comparison with how much he had, the charity wasn't all that significant. Just one of those Cadilacs, or Lincolns or houses or jewels or vacations he was always treating to first one and then another, could have supported an orphanage for a whole year. Or an old person's retirement home. I do remember that he gave 900 DOLLARS to a boys outfit of some kind, and a TV to one of the teachers. BIG DEAL. In retrospect, no, I don't think he was all that generous. I wonder did he give 10% to the church? Like he was taught to do in the HOLINESS Church. That could count as some redemption for him. But I'm afraid not enough. I hope he's up there, for he surely knew the way he was suppose to live his life. I just don't believe he practiced it as well as he should have. In his case, it's good that I'm not one of the judges at The Gate.
And if he made it to heaven, I still feel like I've got a chance, if that same judge will be my judge and forgive me for having such horrible thoughts about another soul.
 Superb. June 27, 2007
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
No wonder Priscilla calls this book a favorite as it provides a crystal clear insight to the world that Memphis was for Elvis in the early years. It allows a comprehensive understanding of so many characters in Elvis' life.....his parents and other family members, The Colonel, Sam Phillips, Dewey Phillips, Dixie, June, and Anita and so many more.
It provides detailed information on the stories we've heard and those we haven't, and brings them to life. I have a much better feel for how the rest of the country responded to the wonder of Elvis.
The book offers a mapped view, both psychological and physical, of places in Memphis where Elvis lived, played music, and frequented. I know I will driving by a few old haunts the next time I am there, thanks to Last Train to Memphis.
Finally, for those who enjoy history, period, you'll appreciate this read.
I knew the book must be good when I saw that it was offered for sale at Graceland, but I really didn't have any idea it would be the best and it remains the best I've read on it's intricate subject. A true "must read". Thank you, Mr. Guralnick.
Last Train November 12, 2006
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This book takes you to the early years of Elvis Presley. You feel like you are there living the story with him. The characters are alive and real. It gives you an insight to what life was like for Elvis in the 50s and his early years.
This book is it November 12, 2006
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
The book had more inofrmation than I could have imagined! Some facts served to emphasize the info that I had previously heard. I had always heard he was a generous man, now I also know that he was generous, gracious, kind & courteous always & to everyone he met. I also have Part 2, that one is a little harder to read, but only because it deals with his downward run. I did wonder - was Memphis as kind to Elvis as he was to Memphis?
Heady Days October 25, 2006
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
This book traces the early life and career of Elvis Presley. It begins with a few words about his parents' background and his birth. It follows his early years and many moves until his family landed in Memphis. It traces his progress through elementary, middle, and high school, and then proceeds to his rise to stardom as a recording artist. The book ends with Presley boarding the boat to Germany after being drafted by the army.
To write this book, Guralnick not only searched public records, but also interviewed Presley's friends and sweethearts from his early days in Memphis. He is quite sympathetic to Presley, as well as respectful towards fans and their cherished myths. Overall, the book provides a fascinating overview of the rise of one of the most famous musicians of the Twentieth Century. Even though I'm no great fan of Elvis myself, the book gave me a new respect for his accomplishments and spurred an interest to visit Graceland, if just to see the Presley hogpens and Gladys Presley's gravesite.
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