Being Elvis

A Lonely Life

By: Ray Connolly

Narrated by: Jonathan Yen

Elvis Presley is a giant figure in American popular culture, a man whose talent and fame were matched only by his later excesses and tragic end. A godlike entity in the history of rock and roll, this twentieth-century icon with a dazzling voice blended gospel and rhythm and blues with country to create a completely new kind of music and new way of expressing male sexuality, which blew the doors off a staid and repressed 1950s America.

In Being Elvis, veteran rock journalist Ray Connolly takes a fresh look at the career of the world's most loved singer, placing him, 40 years after his death, not exhaustively in the garish neon lights of Las Vegas but back in his mid-20th-century, distinctly southern world. For new and seasoned fans alike, Connolly, who interviewed Elvis in 1969, re-creates a man who sprang from poverty in Tupelo, Mississippi, to unprecedented overnight fame, eclipsing Frank Sinatra and then inspiring the Beatles along the way.

The creator of an American sound that resonates today, Elvis remains frozen in time, an enduring American icon who could capture an inner emotion, perhaps of eternal yearning, to which all of us can still relate.

©2016 Ray Connolly (P)2017 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Connolly carefully and sympathetically paints the many faces of Presley, faces eventually shrouded in despair." ( Kirkus)

Elvis Lives On

All in all a good book. Somewhat superficial compared to other Elvis books. Was getting the feeling some parts were the author putting himself in Elvis’s head and surmising what he may have been thinking. The best writing was his words after the death of Elvis. His description of his extremely unique voice singing from bass to baritone to tenor and into falsetto was beautifully done. His death and his height of popularity to this day was tried to explain why his life after death has grown and never stopped. Great quotes and tributes from other musicians was a real tear jerker. His death and afterwards was treated respectfully, poignantly and emotionally. A reading of his many hits and songs was wonderful. Especially this year (2022), after the blockbuster movie Elvis came out, there seems to be evidence of a new generation discovering him and his wonderful passion for being so emotive when he sings is inspiring and his popularity just keeps growing. He really is a legend & a musical and cultural icon. Thrust into a unfathomable world of fame at such a young age and fighting the establishment in the 50’s changed music, fashion and with that fame, for decades, I’m not sure many people could have dealt with it. As we’ve seen since in many cases. Whitney Houston once said” success is wonderful, it’s the fame that kills you”.

Great book fantastic read

Fantastic book, great read, good read through performance. A must read for every kind of Elvis fan.

Such a Great Story

I just bought this book & I am completely enthralled. I started listening to it last night & I couldn't stop & couldn't go to sleep. I ended up falling asleep to it & I need to rewind a couple chapters. I'm currently only on Chapter 12, but I just couldn't wait until after reading it to give a review. Ray's story telling is so detailed, that I feel like I'm literally watching Elvis grow up. Although he was born in a totally different time, I feel a lot of parallels to my own story, so that makes it even more addicting.
There's SO many Elvis books out there so it's hard to pick and choose which ones to buy. So far, I've only fully read "Elvis and Me" by Priscilla, and although I'm grateful of her telling her story, I was left feeling a little annoyed by Priscilla's story telling and I have certain opinions about it. I do want to know more about Elvis, but I'm not really interested in his intimate details. So this book is only my second, and I appreciate it so much more cause it tells his whole story, without adding anything dramatic or emotional to it. So, I'm not sure how the rest of it will be but I'm pretty confident it will be a great experience to the end. If you want to know Elvis's whole story, start with this one.

What a Life Story!

Elvis Presley, the man and the myth, is endlessly fascinating. Though some of the details presented in this book may be inaccurate, the overall picture of Presley’s life is accurate. Sadly, since this book was published in 2016, Lisa Marie died at age 54. Her only son Benjamin, preceded her in death. He died by suicide at age 27. Gunshot to the mouth. Presley’s daughter and grandson struggled with addiction just as Presley did. Presley was a great entertainer but also became a prisoner of his fame. He left the world hundreds of fabulous recordings, over 30 films and a huge warning about the perils of drug addiction. I’m sorry his life ended so tragically. But grateful that he lived. One of these days I hope to visit Graceland.

Not my first choice for Elvis biography

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Yes, but only after reading Careless Love by Guralnick. I wouldn't spend a credit otherwise.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

There is some new info here but a lot is just regurgitated. Incorrect info is repeated from other sources such as the meaning of the letter G in Circle G Ranch and Gladys, E's Mother, age at death.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Jonathan Yen?

No. The man reads in 30 second sound bites. It was like listening to a 30 min travel show voice over. I didn't enjoy his style at all.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Of course! Any documentary on Elvis is appreciated.

Any additional comments?

The author didn't do much research. Let's be honest, this is a lazy work. This is especially true since I had just listened to Careless Love. Now that's a serious biographer! Mr. Connolly is simply cashing in on his short acquaintance with Elvis and Colonel Parker.

Lies.

What I liked: The narrator did a good job.
What I disliked. All of it. It’s a shame people repeat the same old debunked lies after all these years. Don’t waste your time on this one. Read June Jaunico’s, and Anita Wood’s daughter’s book for early Elvis, and Ginger Alden’s book about his last year. Those tell a much more accurate and entertaining story. This one is full of the same old lies that have been proven false time and time again.

elvis

most i nteresting if really true as too much too realize since elvis seems to be still alive