Elvis Presley, Reluctant Rebel - by Glen Jeansonne & David Luhrssen & Dan Sokolovic (Hardcover)

About the Book

This fresh interpretation explains how an untutored musician changed music while at the same time playing an inadvertent role in the youth rebellion that has shaped the Baby Boomer generation into the 21st century.
Elvis Aaron Presley was born in a two-room house in Tupelo, MS, on January 8, 1935. He died at his Memphis home, Graceland, on August 16, 1977. In those 42 years, Elvis made an indelible impression on pop culture the world over. Elvis Presley, Reluctant Rebel: His Life and Our Times probes both the man and his influence, delving deeply into the personality of its protagonist, his needs and motivations, and the social and musical forces that shaped his career.

Elvis's musical talents and liabilities are explored, as are his records, films, and live performances and his relationship with his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, whom he allowed to manipulate him as a money-making machine. Readers will learn about Elvis's personal life, his devotion to conventional religious and political beliefs, and his decline into self-destruction and death. Finally, the book explores Elvis's impact on the musical and racial revolutions of the 1950s and 1960s, his legacy, and his importance in shaping a generation of Baby Boomers.

• Photographs
• A bibliography

Book Synopsis

This fresh interpretation explains how an untutored musician changed music while at the same time playing an inadvertent role in the youth rebellion that has shaped the Baby Boomer generation into the 21st century.

Elvis Aaron Presley was born in a two-room house in Tupelo, MS, on January 8, 1935. He died at his Memphis home, Graceland, on August 16, 1977. In those 42 years, Elvis made an indelible impression on pop culture the world over. Elvis Presley, Reluctant Rebel: His Life and Our Times probes both the man and his influence, delving deeply into the personality of its protagonist, his needs and motivations, and the social and musical forces that shaped his career.

Elvis's musical talents and liabilities are explored, as are his records, films, and live performances and his relationship with his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, whom he allowed to manipulate him as a money-making machine. Readers will learn about Elvis's personal life, his devotion to conventional religious and political beliefs, and his decline into self-destruction and death. Finally, the book explores Elvis's impact on the musical and racial revolutions of the 1950s and 1960s, his legacy, and his importance in shaping a generation of Baby Boomers.

Review Quotes

"Considering how much has been written about Elvis Presley, is another book about him really necessary? In this case, the answer is an emphatic yes. Presenting a subject dear to their hearts, Jeansonne, Luhrssen, and Sokolovic offer a well-researched, entertaining volume that provides fascinating insights into Presley's life, his accomplishments, and the culture that formed him. . . . Because it is both engaging and carefully documented, the volume will serve a broad audience." --Choice

About the Author

Glen Jeansonne, PhD, is professor at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, and holds a PhD in history from Florida State University.

David Luhrssen is arts and entertainment editor at the Shepherd Express.

Dan Sokolovic is a writer, editor, and magazine owner interested in cultural influences and their relationship to American popular culture and music.