Rating: 
Summary: A FASCINATING STORY OF A VERY FASCINATING MAN
Review: If you're interested in Colonel Thomas Andrew Parker, this is THE book for you. This story took years and many man-hours of exhaustive research to bring to fruition. By now, most Elvis fans are well aware that Parker was an illegal Dutch immigrant by the name of Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk. But until now, relatively little was known of his life in the 'old country.' We learn that a woman was brutally murdered in Parker's hometown in Holland on the very day of his disappearance. Did he commit the dastardly deed and abscond to America? Of course, we'll never know, but it's an interesting theory, nonetheless. It appears that the old boy may have been asexual. If so, this might explain his aversion to being touched. Though Parker earned mega-millions during his lifetime, he left behind a relatively modest estate. Of course, the same can be said of Elvis. Parker's addiction was gambling, while Elvis simply overspent on virtually everything.They were both masters at profligate spending. The Colonel seemed to possess a "Jekyll/Hyde" personality, displaying acts of kindness and generosity to loyalists and cruelty to others. The Eddy Arnold years are very interesting indeed. Parker and Eddy were opposites, and Parker's taste for ostentation sometimes clashed with Eddy's more conservative tastes. The story of Parker moving in with the Arnolds is hilarious. Alanna Nash is a very gifted writer and unless I'm mistaken, this is her third Elvis-related book. "Revelations" is still the best Elvis book I've ever read. I've never had the pleasure of reading the Alan Fortas book, which I believe she ghost-authored, though I hear it's excellent. Her latest book is an intriguing read which I finished in one day. I simply couldn't put it down. The phrasing, the meticulous research and the fascinating enigma that was Tom Parker all come together quite nicely. Buy this book. I promise you'll like it.
Rating:
Summary: A masterpiece!
Review: "THE COLONEL - The Extraordinary Story of Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis Presley" is very well written and intriguing from the first to the last page. The author manages to cite the story of the "First High Potentate Snower" in a both fair and balanced way. Attempts has been made by others before to force through the clouds surrounding the "man behind the man", but previous attemts does not even come close to Nash's accomplishment.
My high expectations of this book was well exceeded!
Rating:
Summary: A masterpiece!
Review: "THE COLONEL - The Extraordinary Story of Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis Presley" is very well written and intriguing from the first to the last page. The author manages to cite the story of the "First High Potentate Snower" in a both fair and balanced way. Attempts has been made by others before to force through the clouds surrounding the "man behind the man", but previous attemts does not even come close to Nash's accomplishment.
My high expectations of this book was well exceeded!
Rating: 
Summary: A bit far-fetched, but an interesting read......
Review: A biography on such a secretative person as Colonel Parker is interesting in and of itself. I found the first chapters of this book highly speculative, however, and not at all persuasive regarding the evil lurking in Col. Parker's past. However, the info within the book does shed some light on the Colonel's personality, his personal make-up and his mastery of promotion. I learned a lot about his approach, his philosophy and his perceptions of Elvis as he directed one of the most talented people ever. Anyone interested in Elvis would find this book entertaining, though troublesome, as the Colonel's practices are uncovered. The Colonel was always there pulling his magical strings and I now better understand how he played his part. Some of the information is disturbing and pretty cold hearted. At the same time, look at the great success he made of his client. One has to wonder what Elvis would have been without the Colonel .........after reading this I felt I was reading a Shakespearian tragedy.......as the main players self-destructed.........still I can make a little more sense of it all from reading this book. Elvis fans, beware, after reading this book I felt sad for him and not quite as sympathetic for the Colonel............
Rating: 
Summary: A Crushing Disappointment
Review: A disappointment on every level. If you didn't get enough of Elvis' colon problems in earlier books, then by all means, press your 'Buy Now' button! Nash made certain to include the most purient, tabloid-oriented quotes and stories from her earlier work; Elvis personal disintegration is dragged out for dozens upon dozens of pages. At one point I thought the printer had accidently inserted leftover Goldman material between the bindings of my copy.Personally, I was expecting the definitive unveiling of the curtain surrounding Parker and his machinations in Elvis' bizarre career trajectory. I've finished this book and am still, sadly, waiting. While much has been made of the '8 years of research' and the Parker army discharge letter, I can only conclude that most of those 8 years were spent filing and refiling FOIA forms to get that one letter because Nash seems to have missed the point. Nor do the endnotes support the claim of a vast amount of new research for this specific book. Why and how Parker was a con is only a piece of the story that is promised - the rest being how that played out in his relationship with Elvis and management of Elvis career. The author fails to get much beyond the 'Parker was a huckster' line, as though that is the big surprise. Oops, he gambled too - is that headline news? Many of Parker's manipulations were only attempted, and then largely successful, because Parker was constantly assisted by people very close to Elvis. The book alludes to this being the case in a handful of scattered, throw-away lines, then repeatedly and abruptly continues on with more carnival hat or sausage or colon stories. This substantial flaw largely accounts for some critical reviews of this book as mainly being a hatchet job. The material *mildly* illuminates only Parker's relationship with Vernon (Elvis' father), Vernon's motivations, and how this played into Parker's attitude and dealings. The other relationships Parker had with Elvis family/friends, how and why they came to be, how Parker's strategies most strongly effecting Elvis were able to be carried out, who benefited and how - all this is occasionally alluded to, then largely ignored.
Thus, in this end this work is little more than another hollow collection of tales that don't fit together well, and far too many of them the same old "and then Elvis took drugs" pieces that people - including Nash - have been dining off of since 1977.
Rating:
Summary: Finally, an insight into the life of the man who made Elvis
Review: Alanna has once again brilliantly given Elvis fans closure to another piece of the puzzle that when all the pieces fit, show the true man that Elvis was. Her previous book, "Revelations from the Memphis Mafia," was perhaps the most valuable resource for any Elvis fan to truly understand who Elvis the man was. However, the book did not (and was not intended to) fully address the man who made Elvis - Colonel Tom Parker. I have waited a number of years for Alanna to finish her book on the life of Colonel Tom Parker - and it was well worth the wait. Until reading this book, although I've followed the life of Elvis for a number of years, I never really understood the Colonel and thought of him as almost a mythical character. After reading Alanna's book on the Colonel, I was truly amazed at just how similar Elvis and the Colonel both were. They shared many of the same characteristics - both good and bad. Both individuals spent their childhood and early adulthood craving fame and fortune. However it happened, the destiny of these two men intertwined and they both achieved more fame than they could have ever imagined. Unfortunately for both men, the fame they achieved through Elvis also destroyed them both. It is true that Alanna does discuss health and other issues of Elvis in his later years, but that part of the story is vital for the reader to better understand why the Colonel managed Elvis like he did. It would be ridiculous to think that one could write a book about the Colonel without discussing the type of person that Elvis was, and the issues he went through - which had a direct impact on the way Colonel could act as a person and manager. You really do need to know both men before you can say that you know either one of them. When I put down the book, I came to the conclusion that I better understand the actions the Colonel took through the years and found myself actually liking him as a person. I also felt very sorry for him - no matter how much money he made from managing Elvis, he had a tough life. The Colonel erased his life in Holland from his outer shell, but I'm sure leaving his family and homeland behind haunted him every day of his life. As for Elvis, say what you want, but he would not have been the star he was if it weren't for the Colonel. I am hoping that Alanna gives her readers the final piece of the Elvis puzzle - the life of Priscilla after the death of Elvis. As the Colonel was so successful making Elvis a star while alive, Priscilla has brilliantly kept Elvis a world icon and entertainer well after his death. Thanks for another great book Alanna!
Rating:
Summary: Nash is back, and she's never been better!
Review: Alanna Nash is back. It's been too long, but THE COLONEL, THE EXTRAORDINARY STORY OF TOM PARKER AND ELVIS PRESLEY, turns out to be well worth the wait. Nash is first and foremost a journalist who does her homework. She is also a wonderful writer and a grand storyteller. She worked on this tale for years, traveled thousands of miles and conducted countless interviews to tell the Parker-Presley story, and she's never been better. Tom Parker was an illegal Dutch immigrant whose real name was Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk. He was a somewhat shadowy figure in his early years, first, in Holland, where his name came up during a homicide investigation, later, after he slipped into the US, as a carnival hustler and a dog-catcher in Florida before fate put him on a collision course with a teenager named Elvis Presley. The Parker-Presley relationship became legend. As Nash writes, " .. no figure in all of entertainment is more controversial, colorful or larger than life than Tom Parker." Until now, what really transpired during those tumultuous times was hidden largely in rumor, half-truths and outright falsehoods. Parker's behavior over the years was so controversial it took someone with Nash's journalistic skills to unravel and describe it. If it were fiction, you'd give it short shrift, it's that implausible. But it isn't fiction, (Parker really did take half, perhaps more, of the millions Presley earned,) and it won't let you go, even after you've nothing left to peruse but the Notes and Bibliography. Don't open THE COLONEL until you have some serious free time. You'll be soon hooked, and this is not a pick it up, put it down, 10-minutes-at-a-time read.
Rating:
Summary: Elvis and Tom Parker: Intertwined
Review: Alanna Nash's book about Colonel Parker and Elvis Presley is one that will serve as a scholarly resource for years to come for individuals who want to better understand the complex, often dark relationship between Presley and Parker. It will likely be cited in footnotes for years to come. However, in no way is that mean to imply that the book is not a fascinating read. It is very readable. The research that went into this book was substantial and exhaustive. And it sheds new light on a fascinating, yet somewhat bizarre, relationship. Many elements of the Presley story are very sad; this excellent book provides significant perspective on the entire range, not just the sordid aspects.
Rating:
Summary: A "must-read" for all Elvis Fans
Review: As with most Elvis fans, I consider the subject of Elvis and his relationship with the Colonel to be a sensitive one in that it customarily results in a study of the unfortunate "darker" side of the King of Rock and Roll and his career. Alanna Nash's book, however, "The Colonel", is an extraordinary and well thought out piece shedding new light and insight on the relationship between Elvis and The Colonel, without going down the unfortunate well-traveled path of negatively-focused bios seen time and again since August 16, 1977. The stories/facts in this book are much different than those stories found in other Elvis books available over the past years. In addition, "common" Elvis stories, well-known to his fans, are told from a different angle, that of a managment perspective. Furthermore, the personal facts surrounding the Colonel himself read something out of a mystery novel. This book addresses not only the actions of the Colonel and Elvis, but why those actions were taken. The ultimate question, of course, since the death of Elvis is why Elvis chose to stay with the Colonel for all those years. To me, after reading this book, it appears that the reason for the continued relationship may be that no one, including Elvis, wanted to find out the answer to an ever-lingering question -- what would Elvis be if the Colonel wasn't his manager? Over the years since the Colonel's offical business relationship with Elvis and his estate ended one can now see that the music and the persona of Elvis has not only survived, but has flourished since the close of the relationship. Neverthless, it cannot be highlighted enough that we will never know whether the spark that created Elvis' rise in the 1950's would have ignited without The Colonel, and all Elvis fans, including myself, do owe a cetain amount of gratitude for the fact that that question need never be answered. It was a pleasure to read those parts of Alanna's book relating to the rise of the King, which was well-balanced against the unfortunate incidents of later years. I thank Alanna for writing this book and for the meticulous research performed in that endeavor. I look forward to Alanna's future works which will hopefully include other aspects of the King of Rock and Roll . . .
Rating:
Summary: Suberb, Sexy & Scholarly!
Review: At last, a book on the Elvis history that is incredibly well written (fun to read)--enhanced with first time ever seen photos of Parker and Elvis--plus a photocopy of Parker's Discharge from the Army based on his "psychosis...psychopathic state".This startling revelation explains a lot about Parker! Nash provides absolutely exhaustive research on this work. Now, I'm wishing she would write the "real book" on the KING himself! Parker is a key piece of the Presley puzzle that is unraveled in this amazing, "must have" book. He took a long ride on the "Mystery Train" and found a life for himself. But I don't think Parker ever understood Elvis or Rock & Roll--only the $$$Money! I was a teenager in the 50s and founder and president of the Nation's First & Largest Elvis Presley Fan club (documented). I butted heads with Tom Parker on several occasions.He was ruthless.This book is extremely balanced and merciful to him, in my opinion.
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