Product Description

For fans of the king, the newest installment to the Up Close biography series!

Elvis Presley made a sound so different it ushered in a new kind of music: rock and roll. He was able to combine gospel, honky-tonk, country and rhythm and blues to create a unique sound that crossed racial and cultural divides. Though he was incredibly popular, at heart, Elvis was a shy and polite man, and the demands of fame began to take a toll. While his dependence on prescription drugs cut short his life, ElvisÂ’s influence on music and popular culture endures to this day.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #314911 in Books
• Published on: 2008-07-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 208 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780142411483
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From School Library Journal
Grade 7 Up—From the foreword, readers learn that Hampton has an admiration for Elvis that reaches back to his childhood. His enthusiasm and passion for his subject are evident throughout this appealing biography, yet he remains objective about the performer's virtues as well as his tragic flaws. The striking cover photograph complements the lively and accessible text that delves not only into Elvis's life but also his impact on music and American culture. The writing is casual yet authoritative, and includes occasional black-and-white photographs. Readers who can't imagine a world without rock and roll will find this to be an excellent introduction to the man about whom John Lennon once said, "Before there was Elvis, there was nothing."—Marcia Kochel, Olson Middle School, Bloomington, MN
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Elvis may have left the building, but interest in his life hasn't waned. This entry in the Up Close biography series records the familiar tracks in Elvis' life, giving slightly more attention to his assent to fame than the tragic descent into narcotics addiction and his extravagant lifestyle in the final years. The strained relationships with wife Priscilla and the controlling Colonel Parker are included, but daughter Lisa Marie is barely mentioned. Hampton provides plentiful examples to back up first girlfriend Dixie's assertion: "Elvis was just a nice boy who desperately wanted to please people." The language dealing with Elvis' exploits with girls is genteel as well--"The relationship became passionate very quickly, but both Elvis and Dixie agreed they would not go all the way until they were married." This didn't hold true for women he met on the road, but subtlety reigns there too, suiting this biography to a younger audience than most Presley picks. Source notes and bibliography are appended. Cindy Dobrez
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
“Elvis may have left the building, but interest in his life hasn’t waned.’” —Booklist

Customer Reviews

Great Book
This was a really good book. I had previously purchased the "Johnny Cash Up Close" book. And although this book did not have any reviews when I purchased it, I liked the Johnny Cash Upclose. So I figured I would most likely enjoy this upclose book. I was so right. The main reason I wanted this book was because, I was going to Graceland a week before I ordered this book, and I wanted to read a book that would help me refresh my memory on Elvis's history. And boy did this book do its job. I recommend this book to anyone who is intrested in Elvis. And from only owning two Upclose books so far, I would recommend all Upclose books. This was a GREAT Book!!!