Product Description

It's a little-known fact that Elvis Presley—the most Christian icon of American pop culture—was Jewish. This book provides a behind-the-scenes account of the authors' search, from Israel to Graceland, to find the true roots of the King. With the help of a Hasidic Jewish Elvis impersonator, Dan Hartel, who performs at senior citizens' homes under the stage name "Schmelvis," and an eccentric Orthodox rabbi named Reuben Poupko, the authors trace Elvis's Jewish roots all the way to Israel.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #292167 in Books
• Published on: 2002-04-02
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 208 pages

From the Publisher
Jonathan Goldstein is a producer with This American Life on WBEZ Radio in Chicago. His first novel, Lenny Bruce is Dead, was published in March 2001 by Coach House Books. Last summer he traveled across Canada for a CBC radio show, road.com. He has written for Saturday Night, broken pencil, Exile, and blood and aphorisms.

About the Author
Jonathan Goldstein is a producer with This American Life on WBEZ radio in Chicago. He is the author of Lenny Bruce is Dead. He lives in Chicago. Max Wallace is a veteran journalist and filmmaker. He is the author of Who Killed Kurt Cobain? and Muhammed Ali's Greatest Fight. He lives in Montreal, Quebec.

Customer Reviews

who would have guessed it?
I just finished reading Schmelvis, and, it really is a funny, clever little book. It's totally not your run-in-the-mill novel-- it reads like a travel log, with little tidbits from all the characters, and you really get to know them. It's sort of an anti-novel-- a story in search of a story. The characters are so hilariously believable, that you totally believe they have no idea what they're doing or thinking. It's got dialogues from the film, and the director's notes, and random other stuff, like an appendix called "who's who of famous jews." The book totally takes on this distinct personality-- like it's not about elvis presley at all, and not about a static answer, but more about the journey, the getting there. most of all, it made me laugh. i didn't really know what to expect when i picked it up, but this book is totally cool. haven't seen the film yet, but i totally want to now.

Hilarious!
This books is really, really funny. Not really about Elvis' Jewish roots but more of a quest for identity. Composed of script bits from the film's (of the same name) production, entries in journals, and little anecdotes about the cast and crew, this book is really the funniest book I've ever read. I highly recommend it.

Disappointing
I expected more from the author, as he has proven himself to be an excellent essayist on This American Life. Maybe I would have liked it more if I hadn't already heard some of his better material.