When Elvis Died: Media Overload & the Origins of theElvis Cult (Paperback)

~ Janice Gregory (Author), (Author) "That Tuesday afternoon seemed typical for Memphis in August..." (more)
Key Phrases: grieving fans, heartbreak hotel, Elvis Presley, New York, Las Vegas (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"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
-- Review

Review

"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

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: World Almanac (July 15, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 088687663X
• ISBN-13: 978-0886876630
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,594,821 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars what it was like the day elvis died, December 17, 1998

By A Customer

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.