Inside Graceland: Elvis' Maid Remembers [Paperback]

Nancy Rooks (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 23, 2005

If you wanted a picture of the life of Elvis Presley, who better to paint it for you than someone who worked as his trusted cook and maid at Graceland? Someone whose daily tasks centered around keeping the 'King of Rock & Roll' happy, whose every move was designed to please the greatest music legend the entertainment world has ever known. Here is that picture, as painted by Nancy Rooks. Nancy worked for Elvis from 1967 until his untimely death in 1977. Read her stories of what those years were like, of what the routines were at Graceland, and what it meant to be close to Elvis and his family on a daily basis. Read the sad account of her rushing upstairs, after a frantic call from Ginger Alden, and finding him on the bathroom floor. This book presents that picture, one that every Elvis fan will want to see.

Product Details

• Paperback: 150 pages
• Publisher: Xlibris, Corp. (March 23, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1413454763
• ISBN-13: 978-1413454765
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #198,120 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #26 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( P ) > Presley, Elvis

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Elvis Book Ever, October 6, 2005

By 

Danny Matthews (Lake City Sc) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Inside Graceland: Elvis' Maid Remembers (Paperback)

This is the best Elvis book I have ever read and I have read many.most Elvis books have a small mention of Elvis's grandmother and his aunt Delta but Nancy tells us a lot about these two strong women. I really liked learning more about them also Nancy goes into great detail about Elvis and his last days. I also enjoyed the stories about the strange things that went on in Graceland after Elvis died. Nancy also mentions Lisa's marriages. and tells us a little about that this is just a very very interesting book on Elvis as well as the Presley family. I would give it more than 5 stars if I could!

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great read...hard to put down!, March 12, 2006

By 

Jeff Krug (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Inside Graceland: Elvis' Maid Remembers (Paperback)

Unlike many other books on Elvis, this one seems very genuine and authentic with no agenda other than to share memories of life Inside Graceland. Rather than a slick, professionally written biography, the style of writing feels as if you were sitting down over a cup of coffee with Nancy as she remembers the years she spent working in Graceland - unstructured and unpolished....just as thoughts pop into her head. There are many interesting little tidbits and details she offers that really humanize Elvis and bring him to life as a real person instead of a celebrity. The personalities and interaction of all members of the family really come out. A pure joy to read - thanks Nancy!

26 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Excellent inside view, but not enough, March 25, 2006

By 

Roy F. Johnson (Columbia, TN United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Inside Graceland (Hardcover)

Nancy Rooks comes across as an innocent and largely credible witness to Elvis's life at Graceland. I wondered, just a bit, how much her loyalty to Elvis might have resulted in omitting some information.

Describing the roles of Aunt Delta and Grandma Presley help to fill out the story of Elvis's home life as presented in other books. Nancy accounts for her own experiences, almost autobiographically. In a sense, she is that fly on the wall that we wished we could have been at Graceland. Most important is her account of Elvis's death. You see her perspective as she watches people rushing through the kitchen. The book has a diary-like nature, laid down as though she were dictating her experiences to a scribe, which in large measure she was.

Unfortunately, the book is small and only 149 pages long. There should have been much more. Page numbering starts with the title page, a telltale sign that the book is too short. A half-page table of contents is provided, 16 pages of poor quality photographs, and 143 pages of text divided into ten chapters.