ELVIS STRAIGHT UP excerpt

[ajr]

ELVIS & "THE BOOK"

Weeks prior to Elvis's death in August of 1977, a paperback book titled Elvis: What Happened? was released by Random House publishers. It was authored by a tabloid journalist named Steve Dunleavy based on interviews with former fellow "Memphis Mafia" members Red West, his younger cousin Sonny West and one of Elvis's karate instructors, Dave Hebler. The three bodyguards were unceremoniously fired in mid-1976, but instead of lying low until the situation resolved itself, they made a terrible, drastic decision that shattered Elvis's world and created the greatest devastating upheaval in his personal life since the passing of his beloved mother.

The book would become a blockbuster, one of the best-selling paperbacks of all time. It's timing couldn't have been better, or worse, depending on which end of the gun barrel you were on......

READ MORE
http://www.elvisinfonet.com/bookexcerpt_straightup.html

[srj1967]

"Although I never voiced my fears to a soul at the time, inside I had a terrible feeling this might be that mountain ..."

Yeah, sure Joe. The why didn't you say something right then and there? Joe loved the gravy train as much as everyone else in the MM and the other assorted hangers-on and lackies.

From what I've read of the excerpts so far from Joe's book, I'd take a lot of it with a grain of salt. Joe's always placed himself above the other members of the MM (not the least of which "intellectually"). I'd place more stock in Sonny latest tome (which I haven't read yet) or Jerry's book (so much of a whitewash, I couldn't get through it).

Joe continues to exploit Elvis and make money ... just like most of the others.

[ajr]

I've never liked Esposito either.....but, if I'm to believe the Wests, why not Joe too ?? I wasn't going to read this book. Now I might have to.

We'll see.