Customer Reviews

The Inner Elvis: A Psychological Biography of Elvis Aaron Presley

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
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I read this book AFTER reading the 2 book biography of Elvis by Peter Guralnick and I think that is how best to read this. While Guralnick gives the 'definative' story of Elvis and what happened to him, I think "The Inner Elvis" explains the WHY of it all. There is in this book the 'missing link' the explanation of why, and how Elvis was so affected by the early years of his life and the psychological effects of such things as his mother's over protection "enmeshment", his dead twin brother amongst other things. This book, I found, was a fascinating read but if you haven't read the full biography of Elvis' life and were looking for it here then there's a lot of detail missing, but that isn't what the author intended, I believe. His point and explanations are very well made & I rate this a 5 star read.

A different and valuable analysis of Elvis Presley presenting the basis for his behavior in later life. I found a great deal of it plausible and very helpful in my understanding of the man. However, much of the reasoning seemed contorted and overextended with rambling, sometimes disjointed and overworked passages. It was like listening to Allen Greenspan before a congressional committee. I felt that the author made some conflicting statements. Most difficult for me to accept was the degree to which Elvis's life was supposedly shaped by the death of his twin at birth. But then I'm no psychologist.

The Inner Elvis was, for me, an identical twin, like reading a highly suspenseful mystery or spy novel. I devoured each page, each new pyschological insight.

As the author reveals through extensive research of events, interviews, recordings, Elvis Presely was, in large part, shaped by his lost (br)other and their one source, their mother.

Dr. Whitmer's "discovery", so to speak, of the origin of Elvis' unique musical style is nothing short of brilliant, spot on. I am sure music critics and scholars would scoff at his view but as an identical twin and a musician I understood it perfectly.

I look forward to any further explorations Dr. Whitmer may pursue in the psychological study of twins.

A great read.

Charlie Wine

This is a great work not to be missed, for those looking for exceptional insight and value into Elvis's world.

The analysis of "Twinless Twins" was priceless in its value at showing who Elvis was as a person, and I had to call home to see if I had been a twinless twin myself, since I have felt many of those same feelings (other than having my long standing invisible friend revisited, mom said no...).

The Inner Elvis takes the reader into how the closeness of being twins in the womb can change a person forever, even when they grow up distanced from their twin by death or physical separation.

Add to that a mother who was unable to cope with the loss of one son and the abuse of a wayward husband. She heaped the love and the fears of their spartan early existence onto the one son remaining.

Combining all of this offers a fascinating read into Elvis' motivations.

I did take some objection to the author's obvious atheistic viewpoint, as God was very real to Elvis, his mom and also to me, and He isn't some crutch to the weak masses as Peter likes to put forth here. But, Peter, like everyone, will find that out for himself one day too.

All in all though, The Inner Elvis is a worthwhile read for the "why's" about Elvis. I always wondered why Elvis didn't stand up and tell the near-criminal Colonel Tom Parker to shove off in the 60's when the incredibly selfish and controlling manager forever damaged Elvis' movie career potential, and now I know. It was Elvis' fatal flaw, now understood a bit better.

RIP Elvis, you were a wonderful, warm and brilliantly gifted man who shared his talents and love with the world. You left the world so much better for having been in it. And, say Hi to Jessie Garon for me.

I am not a huge Elvis fan, but this was recommended to me. Dr Whitmer does an incredible job of research from angles nobody has explored before. He goes in deep on the family history of both of his parents and the dynamics between them. Also the impact of Elvis being the survivor of a set of twins. It goes a long way to explain the inner workings of Elvis' psyche. Fascinating book for anyone and a must read for Elvis fans. One of the best Biographies I've read in a while.

I've read just about all the books written about Elvis because I am fascinated with the MAN and what made him who he was. This book skips the recording contract info, the boring record sales statistics, etc., and dissects the man, his life, and the influences that shaped him. Very interesting read, and I highly recommend it. What I DO NOT RECOMMEND IS THE KINDLE VERSION OF THIS BOOK. It is one of the worst book-to-Kindle conversions I've seen - words inappropriately hyphenated mid-page REPEATEDLY (like, 4-7 words per page), misspelled/mis-scanned words, text on only 1/4 of the page, etc... it's a MESS and makes the book very distracting to read. Amazon should have given 50% off the already low price just for the headaches it's caused while reading it. Look into it Amazon - quality control is a good thing.

EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT. Explains why he did the things he did and why
he was the way he was...a MUST READ for every Elvis fan!

Sometimes I wonder if formal "counseling" would have helped Elvis - before too much damage set in, and this book confirms those doubts. This book takes the cake. Its theme of the "missing twin" is worn, frazzled, and this volume makes Elvis's very real sense of being an unjustly "lonely only" something that no writer will even touch again. Which is unfortunate, because it is but one more "symptom," if you must, of Elvis's difficult, if not untenable life. Elvis grew up in severe rural and urban poverty, and as much as we Americans like to ignore the very idea that class not only exists here, but often hurts and even kills, it does. Elvis himself knew he was just one among millions: one listen to "Long Black Limosine" is enough to "explain" this with more clarity and power than just about any psychohistory {or psychobabble, for those less charitable}.
There are, though, things written here that are simply unfair and not based on empirical evidence, but on gossipy old cliches. Vernon Presley was not "shiftless": he worked from the age of 12 and didn't stop working a mind-numbing and literally painful job until his son implored him to do so when his career began to take off. Soon, taking care of his son's personal business, he studied books on "bookkeeping" and worked hard at it - often to his son's irritation. Part of the "shiftless" label comes from the fact that Vernon Presley was a gentle parent and man. This is often just not acceptable in our society where men are supposed to be "disciplinarians" -- the parent who frightens his offspring into good behavior. Vernon made a conscious choice - early on - not to do so. Sure, Gladys was overprotective, but in a culture where most have many children, she was very afraid for her only one. The fact that they were forced to share close quarters does not make for "emotional incest." Enough already. We'll never know if Elvis suffered any genuine childhood trauma {urban 'tweens are at substantial risk, though with Elvis, this is empty speculation}, but let's leave *his mother* alone already on this point! Yes, Elvis had a poor self-image, and did constantly practice both self-deprecation to a pathological degree - of that, there is plenty of evidence. He also seems to have practiced what many anxious gifted and talented young people do: "self-sabotage." That Whitmer does not see Elvis Presley as he might see any other prodigiously gifted and talented young person is stunning. When you throw desperate poverty into the life of such a talented child, adolescent, and young adult, you have a life filled with land mines.
He did not, though, live in "his own world," but in our own: in the fifties, while still so very young, he found stunning success and hurtful scorn, but like many who never went to college, he was swiftly drafted. During which time his mother died when he was only 23. Then Hollywood realized he was insecure and used him as a means to print money until he was useless to them.
Director Steve Binder {"the Comeback Special"}, who tried to help Elvis learn how to fight back against the forces he'd always feared, did not do everything "perfectly," either: hindsight being 20/20, his "you're not strong enough" dare was undoubtedly regretted. Otherwise, he was remarkable, and we can forgive his awkward attempt to keep Elvis challenged. And Elvis really did try to "prove him wrong," but the drugs in which he dabbled much too heavily in the '60s took over his life in the '70s. In that time, some lived, and some did not. Surrounded by self-involved individuals of all types, Elvis and his father had nowhere to turn. But at least Elvis had a parent who cared deeply all of his life, and tried very hard to save him.
This book is unfair to Elvis Presley and his whole family.
In my humble opinion,
RM, Ph.D.