Elvis is Dead And I Don't Feel So Good Myself

by Lewis Grizzard

The 1950s were simple times to grow up. For Lewis Grizzard, gallivanting meant hanging out at the store eating Zagnut bars -- the worst thing a kid ever did was slick back his hair in a ducktail and try gyrating like Elvis.But the '60s exploded with assassinations, terrorism, free love, Vietnam and drugs. In place of Elvis, the Pied Piper of his generation, scuzzy Liverpudlians performed half-naked or in costumes straight from Zasu Pitts.ELVIS IS DEAD AND I DON'T FEEL SO GOOD MYSELF is Grizzard's account of coping with a changing world. We may not feel so good ourselves, but Grizzard's commentary and humor help make us feel better." (Publishers Source)

Genres: Humor, Nonfiction, Comedy, Southern, Essays, Short Stories, Biography

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

American writer and humorist, known for his Southern demeanor and commentary on the American South. Although he spent his early career as a newspaper sports writer and editor, becoming the sports editor of the Atlanta Journal at age 23, he is much better known for his humorous newspaper columns in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a popular stand-up comedian & lecturer.

Grizzard also published a total of twenty-five books, including collections of his columns (e.g. Chili Dawgs Always Bark at Night), expanded versions of his stand-up comedy routines (I Haven't Understood Anything Since 1962), and the autobiographical If I Ever Get Back to Georgia, I'm Gonna Nail My Feet to the Ground. Although much of his comedy discussed the South and Grizzard’s personal and professional lives, it was also a commentary on issues prevalent throughout America, including relationships between men and women (e.g. If Love Were Oil, I'd Be About a Quart Low), politics, and health, especially heart health.

He made us laugh and think at the same time. Indeed, during his lifetime, Lewis Grizzard heard himself described as "this generation's Mark Twain," "one of the foremost humorists in the country" and "a Faulkner for plain folks" by the national press. What he was, without a doubt, was a masterful storyteller, stand-up comedian, syndicated columnist and best selling author.

Lewis Grizzard Museum: http://newnan.com/lg/

New Georgia Encyclopedia entry:
http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/ng...

Reviews

[Théo d'Or]

It's now or never, said the fish to the sea.

It's now or never, said the bird to the sky.

It's now or never, said the bee to the flower.

It's now or never, said the cow to the grass.

It's now or never, said the sun to the moon.

It's now or never, said the clock to the Time.

It's now or never, said the book to the shelf, as it opened up, all by itself.

It's now or never, said the pen to the paper.

It's now or never, said the rhyme to the verse.

It's now or never, said the tale to the reader.

It's now or never, said Elvis once more, stepping into the abyss,
slamming the life's door.

[Sara Beth Wade · Rating 1 out of 5]

Maybe in the 80s-90s I would have been more patient with this book, but geez--reading it now it just seems like a man who can't move past his high school glory days. I know it's tongue-in-cheek, but I got pretty mad by the time he explained how women physically can't understand baseball. *BASEBALL* of all sports! It's exactly this kind of humor that gives a pass to belittling anyone not male, straight, and white. It's appalling. All the same, I never quit reading it (more to "get through it" than anything else) and there were parts that made me laugh. But it's humor that does NOT age well.

[Fin · Rating 3 out of 5]

this summer i was talking to my first boyfriend on facebook and he remembered that i'd long been a fan of lewis grizzard. i was amazed that josh recalled such a minute detail from when we were in junior high, but then again, grizzard is hard to forget. i think of him as the southern traditionalist's answer to erma bombeck in some ways. he started out as a sports editor but eventually switched to humor columnist, and the latter is what made him famous.

his south - small-town georgia in the fifties and sixties - is not my south - suburban tennessee in the eighties and nineties, with all the accompanying conveniences and inconveniences of modern-ish life. and yet the two still have much in common. his book is about those conveniences and inconveniences, how the world changed and left him behind. he was a curmudgeon even in his thirties, and i am now in my thirties, and i am trying to keep my own premature old-person grumping at bay. but his world (elvis is dead was published in 1984) still had sweet tea and krystal burgers, and so does mine, and i think both worlds are better for it.

i'm not sure grizzard would understand much about me; i'm a feminist, proficient with computers, a member of the queer community, and not given to making my own fries (although i share his opinion of crinkle-cut). on the other hand, i had season tickets to my town's minor-league ball club this summer, and if grizzard were still around, i'd have offered him a ticket. i'd even have bought the beer and crackerjack.

[Daniel Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a bestseller?
it started off good due to the title and his Dave Barry-ish style, but after a while, it became evident that this was a Boomer who was just sad and bitter that his world had changed.

[Josh Hitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haven't thought about Grizzard for 25 years or better, but I read them all in my teen years. I saw this in a free bin, and I had to give it a reread, and I did enjoy it. Basically, he is talking about growing older and the changing world in a humorous way. Even though it was written 40 years ago, it still rings fairly accurate for today as well.

I recommend it. Yes, it's fairly corny in parts, but it had me chuckling throughout.

[Phillip · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was one of Grizzard's first "narrative" books, i.e., not just a collection of his columns. It more or less tracks through his Baby Boomer experience of life and the changing culture. He talks music, culture, hair, women, food, and everything in between. Reading this as a young Gen X-er in the 21st Century, I'm afraid many of his views seem terribly out-dated, if not bordering on sexist, racist, and homophobic. He is on his third divorce this book, and his view on life in the early 80s just seems backward. He looks toward the mythical yesteryear of "better days" when he grew up in a rural tiny Georgia town and life was "simpler." I can appreciate his experience, but obviously this leaves out the many people for whom life was worse. So while I enjoyed re-visiting this book, I think it's too outdated to enjoy much any more.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't often rate pure humor books very high but I enjoyed this one.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picture Andy Rooney from the South and you'll have an idea what Lewis Grizzard is like. Or was like, since he died in 1994 at the age of 47. He had a pretty good run as a regional author of humor, something like Rooney, or perhaps like Dave Barry: glib, somewhat curmudgeonly, but not usually offensive about it, and actually pretty funny most of the time. Often the purpose of humor is to enlighten, not to make fun or ridicule, which is just mean and purposeless.

This particular Grizzard book was written in 1984, and so is somewhat dated. The author comments on his personal life history against the backdrop of the social and cultural conditions of the time as he experienced them, especially in the southeast United States, which has always been more conservative than most of the rest of the nation. This book is not difficult to understand, although to appreciate his comments about then current technology (for instance) and his predictions for the future may be difficult for some people born after that time. Since I'm four years older than Grizzard, I lived through all the same things and was able to grasp his perspective easily.

This is not a book you'll enjoy if you take it too seriously. It's more for entertainment than anything else, but if you read it as that, you'll definitely get some good laughs out of it.

[Elliott · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a bit unfair to read this book about how confusing the "modern" world is in 1984, and compare the language and values to 2021, when I read this. However, I still think Grizzard's content and values are still a little off for the time. I definitely believe that the vast majority of this book is satire, and that he doesn't actually think the way he showcases in the book. It seems that by the end, he's very honest with himself and the reader and goes into his actual feelings and struggles, but until then, I found myself scoffing at him and getting fairly annoyed with his backwards ways of thinking and explaining. It was very interesting for someone who is now the age he discusses in the book, but living in a completely different era to examine how a baby boomer grew up and viewed the world. Still, this book had its moments with some nostalgic and endearing stories.

[Robin Riley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this because it was on a list of books every Southerner should read. It was the only one available at my library without a hold, so I checked it out. It had funny parts, but also parts that made me cringe. It was a quick skim-through. I cannot say I really READ it past the first few chapters.

[Babs M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always found Lewis very funny. His humor is a bit dated (meaning SWJ would have a fit) in this because it was written in 1984. But for any Baby Boomer or older this book is a lot of fun. He was a funny guy who we lost too soon. He is always a fun read to lift your spirits although you may long for the good old days while reading it.

[Cynthia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes you just need a light, funny read. This fit the bill.
I miss Lewis Grizzard's column from the Rocky Mountain News-heck,I miss the Rocky Mountain News!
This book was written in 1984, so there are some politically incorrect statements made, but it made me laugh out loud more than once. A good, fun read!

[Ilena Holder · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt so sad for Grizzard when he had his heart problems and later died. Like Peter Sellers, if he had been born in a different decade they might have done corrective surgery on him. Grizzard was so original and funny.

[Charles Lovelace, III]

I read this for the second time, though it's not as good as I remembered. Still there are some very funny stories. The line "she'd have to make two trips" is one of the all-time classics. It's in the early part of the book just before he hears about the death of Elvis, the king.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

The biggest problem with reading old humor books is that so much of the material has either become outdated by following events or trite through subsequent repetition.
At least Grizzard's voice is strong enough to overcome this on the personal side of his writing.

[Michael Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lewis was hilarious.

[EuroHackie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book really has not aged well, unfortunately.

[KP · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just did not like this book.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

have not actually laughed out loud for a very long time until this book!

[Victoria · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sometimes comedy becomes dated and stale. That would be a good description of this book.

As a child of the 50's Lewis is befuddled and confused by the 80's and the new music on the radio. I read this book back in the 80's but I didn't realize how much of a grump/curmudgeon he could be.

None of the stories really resignated with me since the music he was putting down was from my generation. Now the 80's are playing on the oldies stations and people are saying they wished music was more like that now. If he hated Boy George so much, wonder what he would have thought about Marilyn Manson or gangster rap?

This is book for the 50's generation only (are they still around?) so my suggestion is to skip it. You won't be missing anything.

[Ken · Rating 3 out of 5]

Buku ini menceritakan kegalauan penulis dalam menghadapi perubahan jaman. Dia lahir di tahun 50an dan menyebut masa remajanya adalah masa keemasan, di mana semua masih sederhana dan relatif 'lurus'. Ia gamang menghadapi setelah periode Elvis meninggal (tahun 80an). Ia menyoroti perubahan ini dalam hal musik, pakaian, makanan, sampai teknologi. Lumayan enak dibaca dan menimbulkan pertanyaan kritis, apakah semua kemoderanan memang menuju arah yg lebih baik. Kelucuannya buku ini dituangkan dalam bentuk kesinisan yg ringan sekaligus menohok.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I miss Lewis Grizzard. Since there is no longer a bench warrant out for my arrest and my driving privilege has been re-instated, I have listened to Mr. Grizzard's audio book, EIDAIDFSGM, as I drive. He was a proud southerner who wrote about the same South that I love. He wrote a syndicated column that I read regularly in a Memphis, TN, newspaper, but I do not know if he was popular outside the south. I would hope that humor transcends all boundaries and that everyone would sit back, pop a cold one and enjoy the 'mavalous' voice of Mr. Lewis Grizzard.

[David Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

Elvis Is Dead and I Don't Feel So Good Myself by Lewis Grizzard (Peachtree Publishers 1984)(081). Lewis howls at the moon over changing times; he was a fifties rather than a sixties guy. My rating; 7/10, finished 1985.

[Amy the book-bat · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had trouble getting through this one. Grizzard came off as a crotchity old man and his humor got lost in all the griping about how times had changed since he was a kid. I much prefer his books that are collections of his newspaper columns.

[Marty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it - funny - don't have to concentrate real hard so it's relaxing to read his work.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elvis is dead and, sadly, so is Lewis Grizzard. And, now, so is UGA VII. All the good ones die young. On a brighter side, I may live forever.

[Todd · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cranky.

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lewis Grizzard is just plain old fun! Life from a small town Southern perspective. I wish he was still alive to continue to entertain me.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cassettes.

[Kenneth Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite authors in that he can write about normal life in the most descriptive ways. It was just like him to take a life event such as this and weave it into his own life. Great read!