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Elvis Presley (A Penguin Life)
A vibrant, sympathetic portrait of the once and future king of rock 'n' roll by the award-winning author of Shiloh and In Country
To this clear-eyed portrait of the first rock 'n' roll superstar, Bobbie Ann Mason brings a novelist's insight and the empathy of a fellow Southerner who, from the first time she heard his voice on the family radio, knew that Elvis was "on...more
To this clear-eyed portrait of the first rock 'n' roll superstar, Bobbie Ann Mason brings a novelist's insight and the empathy of a fellow Southerner who, from the first time she heard his voice on the family radio, knew that Elvis was "on...more
Paperback, 178 pages
Published
July 31st 2007
by Penguin (Non-Classics)
(first published September 6th 2002)
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This is a great little bio which draws from Peter Guralnick's two part biography and a shelf of other books on the big E. If you don't have time or inclination to wade through Guralnick this is the book for you, and it stands on its own pretty darn well given Mason's deep understanding of her fellow Southerner Mr. Presley's culture and upbringing. There's a lot of great stuff in this short and beautifully written book. It's sympathetic and really gets at the charisma and significance of Elvis, b...more
I listened to this book - wonderfully narrated.
I suppose there's so much written about Elvis that Mason had to pick and choose. I have no idea if she did a good job or not, or what, if any, are her particular insights - but since I don't intend to follow up and be an Elvis scholar, it all worked for me.
As Mason tell it, the Elvis story is basically a parable on the dangers of success. Maybe that's why we keep chewing on it.
I suppose there's so much written about Elvis that Mason had to pick and choose. I have no idea if she did a good job or not, or what, if any, are her particular insights - but since I don't intend to follow up and be an Elvis scholar, it all worked for me.
As Mason tell it, the Elvis story is basically a parable on the dangers of success. Maybe that's why we keep chewing on it.
A breezy and enjoyable little book that doesn't, in the end, manage to convey the enormity of Elvis's life. Understandable, considering how short it is. It's obviously a good starting point, though, and I can't wait to get my hands on Guralnick's two-volume bio of the King.
Great little book to read if you'd like to know more about Elvis before visiting Graceland. Fascinating stuff that adds depth and reality to the story behind the glitz. Well written - entertaining, informative, and honest.
Bobbie Ann Mason was the perfect person to write this small "Penguin Lives" biography of Elvis. She obviously is a fan but she didn't shy away from the foibles. A good book to read in celebration of his 75th birthday
I really like the Penguin Lives series - the pairings of authors and subjects are often interesting, plus they're short, which is great when you're interested in learning something about a famous person but not quite 900 pages worth of interested. This one is a good example; it fleshed out what I knew about Elvis and gave some insight into how his life took on the trajectory it did.
Wonderful examination of a woefully misunderstood life and a true American tragedy by a good novelist. References the Guralnick book heavily, which I've been told is just amazing. Very engaging read, if only to understand the phenomenon.
This was pretty good. I normally do not like musical bios, but this one was easy to read and fun.
i only read this b/c my sister was doing her senior thesis on elvis & i happened to be visiting her.
Read a book by this author already and enjoyed it so I'd like to read another.
I'm reading this FOR SCHOOL. Yeah, I think it's cool too. :)
A great little biography of Elvis.
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Bobbie Ann Mason has won the PEN/Hemingway Award and was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, the American Book Award, and the PEN/Faulkner Award. Her books include In Country and Feather Crowns. She lives in Kentucky.
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