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Last Train to Memphis
The Rise of Elvis Presley
by Peter Guralnick
ISBN: 0316332208
ISBN-13: 9780316332200
Format: Hardcover
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Summary
Exhaustively researched and rich in small yet telling details, LAST TRAIN TO MEMPHIS, the first volume of Peter Guralnick's two-volume biography of the first rock & roll star, Elvis Presley, is an impressive feat of detective work. Guralnick takes us from Presley's birth in Tupelo, Mississippi in 1935 to the death of his mother, Gladys, in 1958. The intervening years are a cornucopia of information: Elvis's father is imprisoned for passing bad checks when the child is three; an older Elvis cuts a faltering yet promising demo for Sam Phillips, finishing one song by simply saying, "That's the end"; and, years later, Colonel Tom Parker tries to use Gladys Presley's death for publicity. The gradual development of Presley's talent is set against his small-town Southern background, and Guralnick's contrast of the sudden onset of the singer's fame with his previous quiet, almost laid-back existence is almost shocking. The compellingly told story of the early years of a cultural icon, LAST TRAIN TO MEMPHIS is a superlative examination of the roots of Elvis Presley's fame.
Customer Reviews
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Media Reviews
"...[A] meticulous marshaling of the facts....There is hardly a dull moment in the trip....Even the minor revelations are positively spellbinding." -- Stephen Wright
-- New York Times Book Review
"Unrivaled account of Elvis as he walks the path between heaven and nature...the incendiary atomic musical firebrand loner who conquered the western world, he steps from the pages, you can feel him breathe, this book cancels out all others." -- Bob Dylan
"An amazing story...a kind of Present at the Creation for the popular culture that now dominates and links most of our world." -- Nocholas Lemann
"A poignant and loving portrait....There were many parts of it that broke my heart." -- Bobbie Ann Mason
Bibliographic Details
Publisher: Little Brown & Co
Published date: 1994
Size: 6.5 x 9.5 inches
Weight: 2.15 pounds
Publisher's Notes
From the moment that he first shook up the world in the mid 1950s, Elvis Presley has been one of the most vivid and enduring myths of American culture. Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley is the first biography to go past that myth and present an Elvis beyond the legend. Based on hundreds of interviews and nearly a decade of research, it traces the evolution not just of the man but of the music and of the culture he left utterly transformed, creating a completely fresh portrait of Elvis and his world. This volume tracks the first twenty-four years of Elvis' life, covering his childhood, the stunning first recordings at Sun Records ("That's All Right", "Mystery Train"), and the early RCA hits ("Heartbreak Hotel", "Hound Dog", "Don't Be Cruel"). These were the years of his improbable self-invention and unprecedented triumphs, when it seemed that everything that Elvis tried succeeded wildly. There was scarcely a cloud in sight through this period until, in 1958, he was drafted into the army and his mother died shortly thereafter. The book closes on that somber and poignant note. Last Train to Memphis takes us deep inside Elvis' life, exploring his lifelong passion for music of every sort (from blues and gospel to Bing Crosby and Mario Lanza), his compelling affection for his family, and his intimate relationships with girlfriends, mentors, band members, professional associates, and friends. It shows us the loneliness, the trustfulness, the voracious appetite for experience, and above all the unshakable, almost mystical faith that Elvis had in himself and his music. Drawing frequently on Elvis' own words and on the recollections of those closest to him, the book offers anemotional, complex portrait of young Elvis Presley with a depth and dimension that for the first time allow his extraordinary accomplishments to ring true.
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Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley
Peter Guralnick
Little, Brown and Company. Used - Acceptable. Former Library book. Binding is slightly damaged and/or book has some loose pages. No missing pages. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! ( more information) Offered by Better World Books (United States)
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2)
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Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley
Peter Guralnick
Little, Brown and Company. Used - Good. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! ( more information) Offered by Better World Books (United States)
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3)
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Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley
Guralnick, Peter
New York: Little, Brown, and Company, 1994 G/VG. Ex-library with markings as follows: Sticker on bottom of spine, library card holder, stamp, and writing on very back page (does not interfere with map printed on front or back cover), stamp on the bottom of book (not seeable when shelved or reading), tape on inside cover under dust jacket. DJ in pristine condition other than stamp, no rips or tears, no writing in book.. First Edition. Hard Cover. Good/Very Good. Ex-Library. ( more information) Offered by Redd's Read Books (United States)
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4)
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Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley
Guralnick, Peter
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.: Little Brown & Co, 1994 Light water stain to rear of dj, crease to rear free endpaper, else tight and clean.. 1st. Near Fine/Very Good. ( more information) Offered by Burke's Book Store (United States)
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6)
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Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley
Guralnick, Peter
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.: Little Brown & Co, 1994 Crisp and clean copy.. 1st Edition Stated. Hard Cover. Fine/Fine. ( more information) Offered by Raritan River Books (United States)
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7)
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Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley
Guralnick, Peter
Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1994. Quarter bound in black cloth. Front endpapers have small patch of tearing and rucking as a binder's flaw. Otherwise a clean, tight and unmarked copy. xiv, 560 pp. Notes, bibliography, index. Dust jacket, very slightly rubbed, under new mylar cover.. Third Printing. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. 8vo - 8" - 9" Tall. ( more information) Offered by Turn-The-Page Books (United States)
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9)
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Last Train to Memphis; The Rise of Elvis Presley
Guralnick, Peter
Boston:: Little Brown & Co.,, 1994. First Edition. HC. A lightly used near fine copy in a near fine dustjacket. Protected in a mylar cover. ( more information) Offered by Books Again, Inc. (United States)
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10)
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Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley (Qty: 3)
Guralnick, Peter
Little, Brown and Company. Hardcover. 0316332208 New - Has remainder mark. Fast shipping from trusted wholesaler with many exclusive publisher contracts. . New. ( more information) Offered by Sort Floor Books (United States)
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11)
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Last Train to Memphis The Rise of Elvis Presley
Guralnick, Peter
Little, Brown and Company. Fine. 1994. Advance Reader's Copy. Softcover. Advance reader's copy in softcover, pages are tight, text clean, book in FINE condition! ; . ( more information) Offered by Cornerstone Used Books, Inc. (United States)
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12)
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Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley
Guralnick, Peter
Little Brown and Company, 1994. Hard cover. Fine in fine dust jacket. tight clean copy, price scrawled on first page. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. 576 p. Audience: General/trade. ( more information) Offered by teepee (United States)
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13)
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LAST TRAIN TO MEMPHIS: The Rise of Elvis Presley
Guralnick, Peter
New York, NY, U.S.A.: Little, Brown & Company, 1994. Fine (bottom edge shows an area of shelf soil, else as new, unread copy), in fine, mylar-protected dust jacket.. ISBN: 0316332208. First Edition, First Printing. Hard Cover. Fine/Fine. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. PRESLEY ELVIS 1935 1977 ROCK. ( more information) Offered by Joe Staats, Bookseller (United States)
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14)
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Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley,Vol 1
Guralnick,Peter
As New in As New DJ.Not price clipped (24.95). photos. Elvis Little,Brown 1994 1st edition. hardcover. 560 pages., 1st edition,1st printing.Not clipped,no markings.Not remaindered. Yes,1st.Yes,as NEW. ( more information) Offered by Enterprise Books (United States)
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15)
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Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley (Qty: 4)
Guralnick, Peter
Little, Brown and Company, 03-Oct-1994. Hardcover. NEW. Brand new item. Over 4 million customers served. Order now. Selling online since 1995. Few left in stock - order soon. Code: U20081002092012G ( more information) Offered by A1Books (United States)
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16)
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LAST TRAIN TO MEMPHIS: The Rise of Elvis Presley
Guralnick, Peter
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.: Little, Brown & Company, 1994. As new, unread copy, in fine, mylar-protected dust jacket.. ISBN: 0316332208. First Edition, First Printing. Hard Cover. As New/Fine. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. PRESLEY ELVIS 1935 1977 ROCK. ( more information) Offered by Joe Staats, Bookseller (United States)
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17)
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LAST TRAIN TO MEMPHIS
Guralnick, Peter
Boston: Little, Brown & Company, 1994. Grey and black cloth boards with gilt title, dust jacket protected in mylar, previous owners notation in very light pencil on half title page. This is the first of a two volume biography touted to be one of the best ever written concerning Elvis Presely. in which the author details the first twenty-four (24) years of Elvis' life - his childhood, rise to stardom at 19 and the death of his mother shortly after his induction into the Army. . First Edition. Hard Cover. Fine/Fine +. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. (more information)
Offered by Bookshelf Classics (United States)
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18)
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Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley
Guralnick, Peter
Little, Brown and Company. Hardcover. 0316332208 We sell only brand new merchandise! . New. ( more information) Offered by Robin Pugh's Nest of Treasures (United States)
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19)
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Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley [Hardcover] by Guralnick
Peter Guralnick
Little, Brown and Company, 1994-10-03. Hardcover. Like New. Collectible stated 1st Edition (1994 HC), 1st printing with 10 full numberline. Excellent condition. Appears unread. No writings/underlines/highlights. Pages are very nice and clean. Minor shelfwear. Free deliver confirmation! Satisfaction guaranteed! Shipping within 24 hours! ( more information) Offered by XYZBOOK (United States)
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20)
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Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley
Peter Guralnick
Little, Brown , 1994-10-03. First Edition. Hardcover. VG/VG. First Edition First Print, original d/w, unclipped. Some minimal fading in one or two places on d/w, virtually no shelf wear. Boards are very clean, quarter cloth binding with gilt lettering. Main book is spotless, unread, tanning to block edges. A fascinating insight into Elvis Presley and his rise. Full refund policy, Buy with confidence. ( more information) Offered by dracobooksuk (United Kingdom)
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22)
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Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley
Guralnick, Peter
Little, Brown and Company. Hardcover. 0316332208 New with very slight shelf wear from time on shelf (like you'd see at a major chain). We ship daily, provide personalized customer service and want you to have a great experience purchasing from us. Thank you for your consideration. . New. ( more information) Offered by BennettBooksLtd (United States)
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