Raised on Rock: Growing Up at Graceland
Stanley is the kind of Elvis person who holds that the King was a good, even beatific soul who was corrupted by a sleazy pop-music-godless-entertainment junta of sycophants, admirers, and money changers. Despite the occasional high-energy moral pronouncement, he offers an illuminating, beyond entertaining insider's perspective on the later kingdom (Stanley was among those who discovered the royal corpse in final repose on the throne). Thanks probably to Bego, the writing is crisp and well organized, and the little details explored are remarkably interesting, especially for those who find all things Elvoid interesting. For instance, "Elvis was fascinated with the SLA thing" in the 1970s, fearing for Lisa Marie's safety. (The Symbionese Liberation Army? You mean Elvis was paranoid?) Authoritative material on the King is always a pleasure, and on the irresistibility scale, this provider of it scores well into pop-cultural paradise territory. An excellent (maybe superior) companion to early girlfriend June Juanico'sElvisand another vital component of the cultural hologram of Elvis.Mike Tribby