Customer Reviews

Elvis Presley: The Man, the Life, the Legend [UNABRIDGED]

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have been a lifelong Elvis fan from collecting his records and pictures to every article and book I could get my hands on. I thought I knew as much as anyone could know about Elvis. I was dead wrong. Pamela Keogh's fresh and insiteful look at Elvis Presley's life and career had me entranced. From the minute I read the first page I knew I could not put this book down. Her take on Elvis and the incredible impact he had on the world is compelling. I would highly recommend this book to everyone whether an Elvis fan or not. And to Pamela Keough I say bravo "a brilliant writer who gets it"

Pamela Clarke Keogh's biography of Elvis is quite witty and insightful. I think that the greatest accomplishment of the author is her ability to respect Elvis and present him as a human being. In doing so, she doesn't overemphasize either his great sucesses or faults but instead she writes about his enduring character traits. Also, she adequately discusses his life story through the narratives of people who actually knew him. I really enjoyed this book and I'm sure that other Elvis fans will too.

More books have been written about Elvis Presley than any other celebrity in the history of show busines. After reading only a few pages of Pamela Keogh's book, I was deeply engrossed and it became obvious to me that she had tapped into the very essence of Elvis' life. And what a joy every page from start to finish turned out to be! Her fresh, revealing and well-rounded account rings loud and clear. Knowing Elvis as I did (I was his personal hairstylist and close friend), I can say without reservation that the reader will experience new and revealing insights as they are skillfully taken into an exciting tour-de-force encompassing all aspects of Elvis' life and career. This book is a must for everyone!

John Lennon said, "Before elvis there was nothing." And he was right. Before Elvis there was the War. Before that the Depression, before that the first War. Mixed in with all this there was the Jazz age, the big band era, and swing. But Elvis carved new territory. With a sound all his own, Elvis found a niche somewhere between where the black artists of the day were trying to go and the mainstream of popular/country/gospel.

Untutored, Elvis was a natural showman. His hair, dress, and stage antics were enough to drive parents nuts, and to drive their kids straight to him. The onstage Elvis was a very different person than the private Elvis. And here, through interviews with the people who knew him best, by extensive use of the Graceland archives, and including more than a hundred images, many rarely seen before, is what may be the definitive biography.

Ms. Keogh has managed to capture the magic of Elvis on stage with the private person. She sums up her book: "Elvis. He was generous, he was kind, he was rambunctious, and, at times lonely, but who among us is not? By any measure, he lived a ful life, and even today, he does not fail to live."

I have read MANY Elvis books and everything you can think of. I cannot put this book down...I am amazed at the details, the dates, the inside stories...it is amazing and in a few hours I have read half the book, and it is 4am! GREAT!

Whether you are just starting your Elvis kick, or you have an A in Elvis-ology, this book is a must have. The photographs are beautiful and the writing is a breath of fresh air- putting you right in the heart of Memphis... and Elvis. You won't find tall tales, gossip, or dirt on Elvis here, just many reminders of why we love the man so much. The style of writing is musical and fresh and it is a delight to read.

There is obviously a lot of Elvis "product" out there, but this book is special. From gorgeous photographs to top-notch research and text by Keogh, this is a must-have. Whether you're a casual fan or hard-core, add this book to your Elvis collection!

I loved this book. Full of warmth for Elvis, it captures his vibrancy, his colossal talent, his classic living-large Americanness. Ms. Keogh has written a lavishly researched, detailed book with beautiful photos (a great one of Elvis and Sophia Loren...who knew?) A good gift...a wonderful introduction for a new fan or a re-affirmation for an old one. You won't be able to help falling in love again.

Wonderful is all I can say. Ms. Keogh is a masterful orchestrator of the words and images that do Elvis Justice finally.
I Recomend this book to any who loves or loved the King or knows anyone who did... it will be a treasured gift...

As a baby boomer, an Elvis fan since I watched his first appearance on Ed Sullivan, and as a former English major at an Ivy League university, I was thrilled to read, finally, a book on Elvis that was beautifully written. Apart from my obvious joy at seeing Ms. Keogh's previously unpublished photos and stories about The King, I was inexplicably drawn into her writing from the very first line. I'd never previously read any Elvis book from cover to cover, since the writing was always rather inferior. Finally,here's a book written well enough to deserve its subject.