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outsmartyourshelf's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.75
Most people know about Vegas/jewel-encrusted-jumpsuit Elvis, but what about before he was really famous? This book looks at the first 24 years of his life including his early life in Tupelo, his start in the music business at Sun Records, & it runs up until he was drafted into the US army at the height of his popularity.
It's been painstakingly written & must have taken a huge amount of research. It's a long read & the first few chapters were a tough slog but eventually it became more interesting & was worth sticking with. In some parts of it, you feel as you're living day-by-day with Elvis, his family, & entourage & the amount of minutiae included can be a bit overwhelming. I felt that Colonel Parker remained a shadowy figure though & thought there would be more about him & his control over Elvis's career.
It's been painstakingly written & must have taken a huge amount of research. It's a long read & the first few chapters were a tough slog but eventually it became more interesting & was worth sticking with. In some parts of it, you feel as you're living day-by-day with Elvis, his family, & entourage & the amount of minutiae included can be a bit overwhelming. I felt that Colonel Parker remained a shadowy figure though & thought there would be more about him & his control over Elvis's career.
rosaliekicks's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed learning more about Elvis and his life. He truly seemed to be a kid that got thrown into an unexpected whirlwind that initially was filled with excitement.
It was interesting to go on the journey of stardom with him. By the end I started to see the cracks forming tho especially with the loss of his mother. The Colonel is NO. I will not be rushing to read vol ii - I have a feeling I will need a box of tissues for that. In the meantime, I will enjoy these moments in my mind. I would have loved to have seen him in concert. Elvis was/is magic
It was interesting to go on the journey of stardom with him. By the end I started to see the cracks forming tho especially with the loss of his mother. The Colonel is NO. I will not be rushing to read vol ii - I have a feeling I will need a box of tissues for that. In the meantime, I will enjoy these moments in my mind. I would have loved to have seen him in concert. Elvis was/is magic
fusaichipegasusk's review against another edition
Tried to read this but it has more detail than could ever be needed for a simple biography. Addresses, names of classmates...it read more like an encyclopedia than a biography. I didn't even get to his teenage years and was interested in learning more about Elvis's life, but this was way too detailed, at least for my purposes.
karen7's review against another edition
5.0
Excellent biography (Part 1 of 2) of Elvis Presley, meticulously researched by the author. In his intro, Guralnick states that he hoped to rescue Elvis from the bondage of myth, and he most definitely does. Elvis emerges as a real human being with complexity and paradoxes. I also got a sense of what was happening culturally at the time that propelled Elvis to stardom, and learned a lot about popular music along the way. I would definitely recommend this biography, and I'm very interested in reading the second part.
jzoni's review against another edition
4.0
I saw this book when we visited Sun Records in Memphis in March. It paints a very detailed picture of Elvis's life up until he joins the Army. I felt melancholy for much of it, knowing how his life turns out. Actors/musicians/stars at that time had so little control over their lives -- the record companies and movie executives had ALL the power. And the only way that musicians and actors could share their art was through constantly releasing new songs and movies, and relentless touring. These days stars can connect with their fans through social media while never leaving their couch. It's a good thing I didn't realize when I started that the book ends in 1958, or else I never would have listened to 22 hours of an audiobook!
internetnomads's review against another edition
5.0
Put away your other writings about Elvis - this is the standard by which all others will be judged. This book is a excruciatingly complete biography of Elvis from birth to his entrance into the Army. The portraits of saint and sinner are stripped away and replaced with first-hand accounts and facts. I am looking to [b:Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley|55176|Careless Love The Unmaking of Elvis Presley|Peter Guralnick|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1442032370s/55176.jpg|53772] with trepidation, because I enjoyed the story of Elvis's rise so much, and I know how the second half goes. I hope Guralnick continues to be respectful to Elvis's humanity in the second part.
bernadettej34's review against another edition
5.0
I decided to read this for a second time after watching the movie last year. It is truly a definitive biography. All of the information gathered - from friends, girlfriends, people in the music industry - who Elvis was as a person comes clearly into view. The music and the time period are also clearly shown. Now, I’m looking forward to reading part 2!