Elvis Presley

School Library Journal

Gr 5-8 An enjoyable and well-balanced introduction to the life and career of Elvis Presley that neither glosses over nor over-emphasizes either Presley's accomplishments or his shortcomings. In a genre that often seems determined to prove either celebrities' virtual divinity or their total corruption, it is refreshing to come across a book that presents a rock and roll star as a musician who not only helped define a new style and exerted an immense influence on later performers, but who also produced some inferior work; and as a person with both strong and weak qualities. Presley's early life, his efforts to break into music, his records and movies, Army stint and Vegas career, Graceland, his drug addiction and death are all covered, as are his relationships with his mother, Tom Parker, and Priscilla Beaulieu. List of books to read, records to hear, and movies to see for a better understanding of Presley's achievements are included. Fans will enjoy the great variety of photographs spanning Presley's life in this sane and welcome book. Jeffrey A. French, Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library