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View Full Version : my piks for most essential ELVIS BOOKS



memphis 77
02-08-2007, 08:48 AM
over the past 40 years many[maybe to many ] books have bin published about ELVIS PRESLEY, so how do you choose between good and pap, well i guess it depends what interests you, for me it's his legacy-albums/cd's , film footage, and photos, so i'll give you my picks for most essential[ahain everyone is differn't. 1.all J.A.T. session books, 2. ernst jorgensens alife in music...3. ERIK SKAR's ELVIS PRESLEY IN CONCERT[very accurate book most all dates and suits are correct, much better than lichters copycat book E.P. in concert[alot of mistakes and incorrect info], an expensive book , but one that you will refer to time and time again. 3, the life of elvis presley[shavers first and best, well worth the price], all shaver books are fantastic. 4, all tunzi, and ger rijff books. 5, SIMON de witts , king of vegas and auld lang syne[both books chalked with great pics and accurate info].5. jailhouse rock -a graet old chestnut- book on all of the boots on album[very hard to find]/ 6. lee cottons , did ELVIS perform in your hometown 1, and 2[ eventhough 2 was a little more thin on details].7-CHRIS browns ON TOUR WITH ELVIS , 1 and 2, very informative read about a fan following and attending e=ELVIS tour performances[homade quality, but very well written and done],finally a zine that's one of the best around , always informative and well published-THE MAN AND HIS MUSIC, well these are some of my picks what are yours, again these are my opinons .(y) another great book that is quite significant is ADIOS , if not for a historical purpose of having a load of photo's from what would be E.P.'S last performance, it also came with a cd of the show in ok quality.

Jungleroom76
02-08-2007, 12:43 PM
GREAT CALL on the Stein-Erik Skar book ELVIS PRESLEY IN CONCERT!!! Definitely a great book, especially with the tour by tour synopsis and the press releases from the various newspapers on each tour!! The only downside to the book that I would make a note of is the low number of photos...perhaps more photos from each tour would have made this book even better....but still the DEFINITIVE Elvis concert information book, in my opinion!! (y)

I also have to agree on Chris Brown's ON TOUR WITH ELVIS book!! While obviously a "homemade" effort, this book is chock full of notes of what it was like to follow Elvis on a complete tour...and given the fact that it was one of the great spring/summer '75 tours makes it that much better!! Just reading the book makes you feel like you are right there with Chris step by step from beginning to end! A FANTASTIC BOOK!!! (y)

Although I only have ELVIS SESSIONS III from Joe Tunzi, I have to agree that this is another MUST HAVE book for any Elvis fan!! Personally, while I enjoyed reading Ernst Jorgensen's book A LIFE IN MUSIC, I just have to give the nod to Tunzi's book instead!! :D

As for the other Tunzi books...while they are certainly enjoyable (and I own several of them), my only complaint on them is the price of some of his books. In a couple of instances, I bought a Tunzi book and while enjoyable, I didn't think it was quite worth the price I paid for it. (n)

I also have to agree that THE MAN AND HIS MUSIC is a great Elvis magazine....but I also have to give props to ESSENTIAL ELVIS, which seems to always come up with some of the best interviews of the various people in Elvis' life!!

TCB!
Mike

memphis 77
02-08-2007, 05:09 PM
[QUOTE=Jungleroom76;97045]GREAT CALL on the Stein-Erik Skar book ELVIS PRESLEY IN CONCERT!!! Definitely a great book, especially with the tour by tour synopsis and the press releases from the various newspapers on each tour!! The only downside to the book that I would make a note of is the low number of photos...perhaps more photos from each tour would have made this book even better....but still the DEFINITIVE Elvis concert information book, in my opinion!! (y)

I also have to agree on Chris Brown's ON TOUR WITH ELVIS book!! While obviously a "homemade" effort, this book is chock full of notes of what it was like to follow Elvis on a complete tour...and given the fact that it was one of the great spring/summer '75 tours makes it that much better!! Just reading the book makes you feel like you are right there with Chris step by step from beginning to end! A FANTASTIC BOOK!!! (y)

Although I only have ELVIS SESSIONS III from Joe Tunzi, I have to agree that this is another MUST HAVE book for any Elvis fan!! Personally, while I enjoyed reading Ernst Jorgensen's book A LIFE IN MUSIC, I just have to give the nod to Tunzi's book instead!! :D

As for the other Tunzi books...while they are certainly enjoyable (and I own several of them), my only complaint on them is the price of some of his books. In a couple of instances, I bought a Tunzi book and while enjoyable, I didn't think it was quite worth the price I paid for it. (n)

I also have to agree that THE MAN AND HIS MUSIC is a great Elvis magazine....but I also have to give props to ESSENTIAL ELVIS, which seems to always come up with some of the best interviews of the various people in Elvis' life!! i have always questioned why wasn't the ERIK SKAR book made with more photos , or have a miscellanious section chock full of pics as did LICHTERS E.P. IN CONCERT, but my guess is the book would have to be more expensive, and GOD knows this book had already came out at a great price-i have seen this book go for 200.00, but i believe it's a book that you will keep comming back to[at least i do- even the dudt cover is staring to give up. tunzi books- expensive- well yeah, but he always manages, to cull , unpublished photos and at least has 100 pages[even though not every page has a photo, sometime necesary documents etc, and i think he should at least publish a couple in colur, and my dream would be for him to publish them in hardback, but pet peaves aside, i'm happy with all of them, but that's just my opinion.

Lisarose
02-26-2007, 09:53 PM
over the past 40 years many[maybe to many ] books have bin published about ELVIS PRESLEY, so how do you choose between good and pap, well i guess it depends what interests you, for me it's his legacy-albums/cd's , film footage, and photos, so i'll give you my picks for most essential[ahain everyone is differn't. 1.all J.A.T. session books, 2. ernst jorgensens alife in music....

Have been wanting the book by Jorgensen/Guralnick. What do you like about it in particular? I've read reviews, but would like your opinion. Also, do you know if any of these books also have the lyrics to the songs Elvis sang? Thanks in advance for your feedback.