Rating: 
Summary: A lack of balance in reviewing 1974-1977 performances
Review: Peter Guralnick is to be congratulated for his definitive works on Elvis, but the credibility of "Careless Love" has been undermined by his lack of balance in his account of the final three years of Presley's professional life. Taking "Careless Love" on face value, an impression is left that these final years were creatively disastrous, defined by hastily compiled, lacklustre records and less than committed performances to increasingly indifferent audiences."Careless Love" draws heavily upon negative critical analysis and impressions from jaded musicians, which are at odds with fans' memories and countless entusiastic press reviews of concerts throughout 1975-76-77, very few of which have featured in Mr Guralnick's account. Many of the records, tours and individual performances that "Careless Love" has discredited garnered good reviews and enthusastic reaction from fans. Very little of the vast amount of positive information, freely available through newspaper archives and fan websites, made it into "Careless Love." One example was the 1975 album release "Promised Land". Mr Guralnick's impression was based on one critic who dismissed the album and uninspiring and directionless, with the suggestion that it was about time for Elvis to retire. Billboard, meanwhile, said "Presley really hits home. This will score in many markets". Billboard's frequent positive reviews of Presley's work were not featured. There are countless examples of positive concert reviews that featured in prominent publications like the Baltimore Sun, New York Times, The Memphis Commercial Appeal, The Memphis Press Scimitar, The Indianapolis Star, The Pittsburgh Post Gazette, The Fresno Bee, Billboard etc..none of which featured in "Careless Love." It seemed that the information was selectively edited more to justify the author's own opinion than to project a balanced account. Anyone with a genuine interest in the final years of Elvis Presley's professional life should look further than Careless Love. A small amount of research will leave a very different impression.
Rating: 
Summary: What a wonderful sequel to Last Train to Memphis!
Review: Having read Last Train to Memphis, I was on a roll, wanting to know more and more about Elvis, the person, the perfomer, the man. My curiousity was aroused, and in that spirit, I purchased, "Careless Love", the downfall of Elvis. Having been raised on music, and not necessarily Elvis' music, I have heard alot of his songs, heard how he died, but knew basically nothing about the man. This book, as well as the first biography, gave me much insight into the life and times of Elvis. The personal aspects are fairly well done, as much as can be without being a "tell all", which is not what I had wanted. I just wanted some insight into the man, and that I got indeed! For anyone out there just curious about Elvis, and what he was about, as best we can know, I would say this is the book, or set of books to read. I DID read the first one, Last Train to Memphis first, and would suggest you do the same, but even if you don't? I would think you will like this one just as much. Thanks for letting me have a glimpse of Elvis' life!
Rating: 
Summary: I DEVOURED every page of this book!
Review: Let me say I am not a literary critic by any means. So this review is that of your average Elvis lover! I have read many many books abotu Elvis and his life and music, but this was by far the best. I have the first part of this set as well (Last Train to memphis), but have not started it. I thought I'd work my way backward! Anyway, this book was engrossing and very detailed (but not in a bad way!). This book gives you the improtant stuff and all of it! Very objective and well researched. What this book amounts to is extraordinary. The BEST Elvis book out there to date.
Rating:
Summary: Good Reading of a great book
Review: Thanks to Brilliance audio for bringing an unabridged version of this long book to audio. As usual, the reading--while not outstanding--is more than good enough. The reader provides different voices for the characters and does a passable Elvis impression for all but the longest quoted passages (Some of the more distinctive "voices" that the reader adopts made me wonder what basis he had for his characterization, though). The book is a complete look into Elvis' long, weird career. Once he became famous, Elvis lost the ability to have a life, though he continued to have a career. As a result, the book discusses much of the "business of Elvis". The author also recognizes how important music was to Elvis and discusses that thoroughly also. Still, the focus stays on the person at the center of it all. The author also explores the complex relationship between Elvis and his Mafia, where he was both controlling and controlled. Similarly, the gap between Elvis' commitment to music and his willingness to do what he was told by the Colonel, his mother, his directors, etc., etc. is revealed. On the Johnny Rivers controversy--go back and read the book. The author makes it clear that Elvis was continually thinking about releasing Memphis but wasn't able to focus enough to do it (much like the way Elvis talked about doing European tours during his comeback but never managed to make that happen, either). The comments about Rivers betraying Elvis are attributed to the Elvis Mafia not Elvis. The one exception is Elvis' comment (made to his Mafia) that he didn't want to see Rivers any more. I came away with the impression that we had two parties (Elvis and the Mafia) both toadying to each other in order to cover up another failure during the drought of the B-movie period. We're also talking about two paragraphs in a book of hundreds of pages.
Rating:
Summary: Despite literary excellence, fans will benefit most.
Review: The big question is: was the PERFORMER or the PERSON unmade? Ofcourse, the Elvis-was-supposed-to-be-different factor discussed soon after his passing suggests that the image and the man were closer than some might imagine. For this reader, the PERFORMER commentary was the most interesting - I have followed Presley's career since 1964 and naturally I have seen alot of inflated contributions on the literary side. This is the ultimate offering for those who enjoy studying record and movie lists - the author connects all the creative efforts and provides actual *sales* figures! Most biographies/discographies do not mention this crucial factor at all. In addition, his descriptions of various in-studio or on-stage activities, some very well-covered by other writers already, give the work another selling point. And he knows how to critique a piece of music. You might say that I missed the point of the real "story", and have not appreciated an author's extraordinary effort. I simply believe that his career did not fall as sugggested by the book title. That would mean his rise was seven years and his "fall" was 17 years! Ofcourse that "17" represented some of the most uninspired and embarrassing product ever dumped on the public. But to me the fact that Elvis *survived* that stuff and heroically returned in an eyeblink in '68 is the real story, not that he succumbed to the same monster that got those in the same establishment he seemed originally destined to conquer. I did enjoy the positive writing about Colonel Parker. Guralnick effectively communicates that he DID care about quality control.
Rating: 
Summary: Too expensive for stolen goods
Review: Well I can't put it anyway better. This book was all stolen material from past books/publications. The publisher LITTLE BROWN, should reevaluate who they deal with. From one of the best books on Elvis, UNSEEN ELVIS to this. What a drop! I can't imagine anyone getting paid to steal material, rewrite it and then package it into a large hardback book -- and have the nerve to sell it for this much money! Sorry about this review ... but I couldn't stand it. I liked his first volume better!
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Summary: Treat Me Like a Fool, Treat Me Mean and Cruel, But Love Me
Review: Peter Guralnick is, first and foremost, an excellent biographer. That he chose the most important rock 'n' roll icon of the Twentieth Century is fortuitous, as he avoids the tongue-on-the-floor, awe-struck superlatives usually reserved for rock star bios and gives us a genuinely affectionate look at the real Elvis, good and bad. I read both "Last Train to Memphis" and "Careless Love" back to back. What became fascinating to me is how closely Elvis mirrored in his lifetime the entire generation of Baby Boomers. His adolescence was full of 50s innocence, religion, respect for others and a genuine curiosity about his surrounding cultures. His pre-Army years were flat-out revolutionary, with a 60s bent to shockingly turn everyone's expectations upside down. His post-Army years were as vapid and self-absorbed as the 70s, which led him to seek spiritual counsel to find meaning to life. His two-movies-and-an-album per year years were as "greed is good" as the 80s. His "comeback" years, beginning with the famous TV show and into sold-out Vegas performances, were full of 90s success, prosperity and money beyond one's wildest dreams. As we enter the 00s, perhaps this biography gives us a needed pause to reflect on Elvis' life, which ended in an out-of-control and ultimately sad downward spiral of drugs and unreality. Hmmmm. Maybe Elvis is telling us something from beyond. If we don't listen, we could be looking at one big mess o' the blues. I recommend Guralnick's books as the proper medium.
Rating:
Summary: GREAT
Review: BOOK IS TREMENDOUS. AS HUMANS WE ARE USUALLY ON A COLLISION COURSE WITH SOMETHING....ELVIS ROCKED THE 60'S AND 70'S LIKE FEW COULD....HE HAD IT, HE KNEW IT, IT WAS A RIDE ALL OF US OF THE GENERATION TOOK TOO...MUCH THANKS TO THE AUTHOR, WISH MUCH GOOD LUCK TO THE ELVIS FAMILY.
Rating:
Summary: Insightful and Intelligent
Review: As a native of memphis, I grew up surrounded by Elvis and his music. While not a fanatic, I have always had an appreciation for the man's music-and the circumstances in which he found himself. So I found this book to be the best I've read so far-honest, revealing and smart. If you think the man was/is some sort of deity who could do no wrong-or if you stubbornly view Elvis as an overweight, vegas joke- then this book will make you rethink your opinions. It is straighforward AND sympathetic. Guralnick restores Elvis's humanity, for better or work, and slso exposes the syncophants -and true friends-who surrounded him. a very important book on a very important man.PS- why wont all the johnny rivers disciples get off amazon and take it to Guralnick?
Rating:
Summary: Charming little book
Review: There are a lot of bright spots in this book: the reader's Elvis impersonation is one of them. You also get a feel for Elvis's childlike enthusiasm and charm: I particularly liked the part where Elvis gets a horse and then decides that all his friends should have horses. He then goes out and buys a stable full of horses. Several little stories like that make this book worth reading. On the critical side, this book may not be well suited for audio format: the narrative overall is very choppy. But that isn't reason enough not to read it: thumbs up for this one!
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