When Elvis Died is one of the very few books to address the Elvis phenomenon with both intelligence and insight while avoiding the pretention and adulatory bombast that so often plague rock criticism. It tells, with neither condescension nor fanfare, how the story of Elvis's death shocked the nation and changed forever our society's perception and appreciation of popular culture.
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Editorial Reviews
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"Finally, a good book on the death of Elvis Presley. . . . Unlike the scores of other volumes . . . When Elvis Died is serious and well written; it will be of unfailing interest to both Elvis fans and to anyone intrigued by the mechanics of popular culture."--Greil Marcus, Rolling Stone
"Now and then a memorial volume breaks out of mindlessness and invites serious response. When Elvis Died is such a work, and I found much of it provocative. . . . I'm struck by the book's direct and indirect penetration of the inner life of the mass audience--the expressible beliefs and turbulent passions shaping pop-cultural response."--Benjamin DeMott, Atlantic Monthly
"When Elvis Died, by Neal and Janice Gregory, is the sort of book that should be written after every great media event. It is an exhaustive, entertaining, and painfully instructive look at how the news business reacted to Elvis Presley's death. . . . It should be required reading for all of us who care about our profession and how well it performs under pressure."--James Strodes, Washington Journalism Review
"Now and then a memorial volume breaks out of mindlessness and invites serious response. When Elvis Died is such a work, and I found much of it provocative. . . . I'm struck by the book's direct and indirect penetration of the inner life of the mass audience--the expressible beliefs and turbulent passions shaping pop-cultural response."--Benjamin DeMott, Atlantic Monthly
"When Elvis Died, by Neal and Janice Gregory, is the sort of book that should be written after every great media event. It is an exhaustive, entertaining, and painfully instructive look at how the news business reacted to Elvis Presley's death. . . . It should be required reading for all of us who care about our profession and how well it performs under pressure."--James Strodes, Washington Journalism Review
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8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
what it was like the day elvis died,
By A Customer
This review is from: When Elvis Died: Media Overload & the Origins of theElvis Cult (Paperback)
This book takes you back to August 16,1977, the day Elvis Presley died.The book lets you see how elvis's death affected so many people from all over the world.The book begins with the early unconfirmed media reports of elvis's death,and then goes to how the media reacts when these reports are confirmed.And then the book focuses on the vigils the fans held outside of Presley's home in Memphis after he died.Also included are obituary's and articles about elvis from several newpapers from around the country.This book does a great job of giving the reader a feel for what it was like that sad time in 1977,and is recommended to all Elvis fans.
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of The 5 Best Elvis Books,
By Gregory L. Dolce (Illinois) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: When Elvis Died: Media Overload & the Origins of theElvis Cult (Paperback)
I collect Elvis books and am a bit of an Elvis historian. So, when I got this book I was reading it as part of the never ending stream of books about Presley, etc.
However, I was impressed with this book. The book offers the media perspective of his death, what went down from their POV and how things fell into place back in 1977. It gives you a very detailed insight into what the story was, why and how it was covered. It also brings out several details of how the story broke and how information was gathered and used once it was known Presley died. It covers local, national and international reaction to his death and the impact it had on life in those days. I strongly recommend this book, especially if your a bit tired of reading all of those personal accounts of Elvis by, it seems, anyone who came within 10 miles of his person. This book isn't like those. It's a real book. Uncle Vester probably wouldn't have read it. It would have too many big words for Priscilla or Lisa M. Presley. Same with Sonny or Red West.
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
That Tuesday afternoon seemed typical for Memphis in August. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
grieving fans, heartbreak hotel Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Elvis Presley, New York, Las Vegas, United States, The Commercial Appeal, Colonel Parker, Los Angeles, Baptist Hospital, Vernon Presley, North Carolina, Associated Press, World War, Chicago Tribune, The Guardian, Jack Good, New Orleans, President Carter, Todd Slaughter, Love Me Tender, Martin Luther King, Rolling Stone, The Washington Post, Chicago Sun-Times, James Brown, Les Seago New!
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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
That Tuesday afternoon seemed typical for Memphis in August. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
grieving fans, heartbreak hotel Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Elvis Presley, New York, Las Vegas, United States, The Commercial Appeal, Colonel Parker, Los Angeles, Baptist Hospital, Vernon Presley, North Carolina, Associated Press, World War, Chicago Tribune, The Guardian, Jack Good, New Orleans, President Carter, Todd Slaughter, Love Me Tender, Martin Luther King, Rolling Stone, The Washington Post, Chicago Sun-Times, James Brown, Les Seago New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 100
books:
See all 100 books this book cites
1
book
cites this book:
- Elvis: What Happened? by Steve Dunleavy on 5 pages
- Elvis, We Love You Tender by Dee Presley on page 225, and Back Matter
- Pat Boone by Paul Davis on page 112, and page 114
- Are You Lonesome Tonight? The Untold Story of Elvis Presley's One True Love and the Child He Never Knew by Dary Matera on page 225, and Back Matter
- This Is Elvis by Elvis Presley on page 151, and page 233
See all 100 books this book cites
- In Search Of Elvis: Music, Race, Art, Religion by Vernon Chadwick on page 235
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