Hailed as "a masterwork" by the Wall Street Journal, Careless
Loveis the full, true, and mesmerizing story of Elvis Presley's last
two decades, in the long-awaited second volume of Peter Guralnick's
masterful two-part biography.
Winner of the Ralph J. Gleason Music Book Award
Last Train to Memphis, the first part of Guralnick's two-volume life
of Elvis Presley, was acclaimed by the New York Times as "a triumph of
biographical art." This concluding volume recounts the second half of
Elvis' life in rich and previously unimagined detail, and confirms
Guralnick's status as one of the great biographers of our time.
Beginning with Presley's army service in Germany in 1958 and ending with
his death in Memphis in 1977, Careless Love chronicles the unravelling
of the dream that once shone so brightly, homing in on the complex
playing-out of Elvis' relationship with his Machiavellian manager,
Colonel Tom Parker. It's a breathtaking revelatory drama that for the
first time places the events of a too-often mistold tale in a fresh,
believable, and understandable context.
Elvis' changes during these years form a tragic mystery that Careless
Love unlocks for the first time. This is the quintessential American
story, encompassing elements of race, class, wealth, sex, music,
religion, and personal transformation. Written with grace, sensitivity,
and passion, Careless Love is a unique contribution to our
understanding of American popular culture and the nature of success,
giving us true insight at last into one of the most misunderstood public
figures of our times.
