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gracierose0108's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
4.0
booksandjaime's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
kelbs42's review against another edition
4.0
A great book about an American original; and the dark effects of loneliness and isolation can have on a human being.
kfrench1008's review against another edition
4.0
The first volume is one of the best bios I've ever read. This one suffers only in that it's such a downer. It's hard to read about the decline of Elvis and the indifference of those around him.
kasiakeen's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.5
How can you not feel sad about premature ending of a unfulfilled life?
karatedrummer's review against another edition
5.0
A dissertation of decline, this book agonizingly lays out Elvis's return to the spotlight (both post-Army and post-psychedelics) and subsequent disappearances, the latter of which ending with his death. It's a tough read, but Guralnick has a far better hand on this book's momentum than its predecessor, making it impossible to put down until Elvis finally leaves this mortal coil and we are left to reflect and wonder, "why did this have to happen?"
booksnguitars's review against another edition
5.0
Worthy companion to the author's "Last Train to Memphis", beginning when Elvis nears the end of his service in the army. Lot to be sad about, we see the roots of his drug addiction that troubled him for the rest of his life, womanizing, and the assembling of a crew of thugs, hangers-on, & leeches.
The book is copiously researched, with loads of financial & contractual figures, and has a nice recommendation article for the author's picks for the essential music collections - in the end, that's what matters anyway, with the films being merely a money grab, other than serving as evidence toward Elvis' charisma being enough to carry the flimsy roles & the cheap productions.
Before reading this, I'd assumed that the Colonel was the worst thing that happened to Elvis, but I think they kind of enabled each other, and he simultaneously made him the biggest star in the world, and possibly held him back from even greater successes, as well as artistic integrity.
I think Sam Phillips said it best, when he said that if Elvis (also Jerry Lee & Johnny, etc.) would have stayed with Sun, they'd all have been poorer but maybe a lot happier.
The book is copiously researched, with loads of financial & contractual figures, and has a nice recommendation article for the author's picks for the essential music collections - in the end, that's what matters anyway, with the films being merely a money grab, other than serving as evidence toward Elvis' charisma being enough to carry the flimsy roles & the cheap productions.
Before reading this, I'd assumed that the Colonel was the worst thing that happened to Elvis, but I think they kind of enabled each other, and he simultaneously made him the biggest star in the world, and possibly held him back from even greater successes, as well as artistic integrity.
I think Sam Phillips said it best, when he said that if Elvis (also Jerry Lee & Johnny, etc.) would have stayed with Sun, they'd all have been poorer but maybe a lot happier.