Not just a book of Elvis, but a concise summary of a fascinating point in time. The "South" was still the south. Hollywood still the dream. The beginnings of real change and true commercialism on the horizon, yet still a country incredibly naive and wholly unprepared for the coming storm. This "history book" of music and the 50's is also the exciting and yet already somewhat sad story of Elvis (even though this is his journey on the way up!). This musical visionary yet strange Mama's boy, overly dependant on a very strange cast of characters surrounding him, appears as a train wreck waiting to happen. As we all know, the wreck arrives in Guralnick's following book. Solid 4 star book!!