Elvis (2e, Tr)

"Before there was Elvis, there was nothing". -- John Lennon
-- August 1997 marks the 20th anniversary of Elvis's death
-- Contains over 200 photos
-- Features a new introduction by the author

The King lives on in this definitive biography, now in a new edition, by veteran rock writer Dave Marsh. Here are Presley's life and art, laid out and examined from every angle. His story was a grand American symphony gone sour, from his birth, in a humble shack in Tupelo, MS, to his drug-hastened demise in a luxurious Memphis mansion called Graceland.

Elvis contains enough photos to satisfy the hungriest of Presley fans and music historians. Here is the very young boy in overalls with Mom and Dad, already displaying the famous bedroom eyes and sensuous lips. His unprecedented rise to popularity as a musician and entertainer is documented in countless images: signing autographs for anxious female fans; at the piano and at the microphone, guitar in hand. In planes, motels, on TV, in concert, in the army, in love, and in marriage -- it's all captured in these pages.

A complete discography, filmography, and bibliography on works by and about Presley round out Marsh's insightful and incisive text.

"Handsome ... an intelligent and generous appreciation ... critical and sympathetic". -- New York Times Book Review

"A beautiful book ... exceptionally well written". -- Philadelphia Inquirer

"Opens new avenues of thought on Elvis's work ... should not be missed". -- Baltimore Sun

Elvis Presley, the kid from Tupelo, Mississippi, who paid four dollars to press a demo record as a birthday present for his mom; Elvis Presley, the rock-and-roll pioneer whose pelvic gyrations drove his legions of fans wild and his outspoken critics crazy; Elvis Presley, the soldier, the husband and father, the movie star, and the legend. All of these images are collected by Dave Marsh in his aptly titled book Elvis. Conveying the human being behind the icon often proves a difficult task, but Marsh's text is rife with well-researched facts and insightful observations that, coupled with the rich collection of photographs they accompany, deepen readers' understanding and appreciation of the King. The index containing a comprehensive bibliography, discography, and filmography is a solid resource, making Marsh's Elvis as informative as it is entertaining.