Product Description

Every fan knows about Elvis Presley's beginnings, fabulous fame, and untimely death. Here, Presley's cousin, Greenwood, presents an intimate and affectionate account of the King's life. 2 cassettes.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2195722 in Books
• Published on: 1991-08-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 368 pages

From Publishers Weekly
This sensationalized, dull "portrait," written with freelancer Tracy, claims that Elvis's turbulent life and career resulted from his unstable youth. "Glossing over his cousin's professional accomplishments, Greenwood concentrates instead on the juicy details of his bizarre personal relationships, his drug abuse and his sexual encounters," said PW. Photos. Author tour.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Having literally grown up with Elvis Presley in Tupelo and Memphis, Greenwood also served his cousin for some years as his press agent, claiming a front-row seat for the best and the worst of rock music's late king. As with so much written about him, this book is simultaneously interesting and lurid and often the former because it is the latter. But its saving grace, in addition to being well written, is Greenwood's closeness to Presley, rendering this an eyewitness account (the first ever by a blood relative) to the formative childhood years and the inner workings of the Presley family that played such a large part in the musician's personality development. Revelatory and credible in these and other areas, but never descending to either blathering idolatry or merciless crucifixion (a la Albert Goldman), this fast-paced, no-white-wash look at the rock icon will surely find an audience among the millions for whom Elvis Presley still holds fascination. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 5/15/90.
- David M. Turkalo, Social Law Lib., Boston
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

Please don't consider wasting your time
Earl Greenwood was no relation to Elvis nor was he an employee or press agent - his account of himself is a fabrication from start to finish. I'm not sure what is more appalling - that Greenwood/Tracy invented this book, or that the Library Journal (and David M. Turkalo) would publicly laud such a blatantly false work.

Not what I had hoped for
I've read many books on Elvis as I'm always trying to gain new information to help me understand his complex personality. I had high expectations for this offering because of its focus on Elvis' early life and relationship with his mother. However, I found the general tone of the book to be sensational. The sex "revelations" don't seem to be anything more than lurid details the like of which can be found in any tabloid. Everyone knows Elvis was a wonton womanizer. It's hardly news at this point. I found there to be many mistakes and inconsistancies throughout the book. One is so careless as to describe Elvis' first girlfriend, Dixie Locke, as a blond then two pages later she is in picture showing a girl with black hair. The whole thing just read like a trashy novel to me.

The Worst Book I have even Read
If you are not a big Elvis fan this is not the book to read because there is so many untruths in it, you will get the wrong impression of the man Elvis was. I have read a great number of books on Elvis and this one has to be the worst one. No one that knew Elvis even knows who this guys is??? He made numerous errors in telling his story. Such as he said Gladys, Elvis's mom went to Germany with him and then died in 1960!! Untrue - she died in 1958 before he left for Germany. He dated Dixie Locke before he made it big but was still dating her when he was signed to Sun Records. She did not break up with him because he asked her to marry him. They had talked of marriage but unforuntaely it did not last long because he was gone so much. He dated Anita before going to the army and for a while after he was discharged. He did not play in Vegas while he was making movies in the 1960s!!! And so on and so on. There are to many to mention here but I can say that this was a BIG DISSAPPOINTMENT and a waste of my money. DO NOT WASTE YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY ON THE PIECE OF TRASH BELIEVE ME YOU WILL BE SORRY.