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Saturday, November 1, 2014

Elvis and Me by Priscilla Beaulieu Presley: A Book Review

I'm trying to mentally "digest" this book! I picked up Priscilla's Presley's book Elvis and Me (1985) from the hotel gift shop. It's her personal account of their 18 year relationship, that began when she was only 14. I read it in 2 nights and highly recommend it. She talks about what she experienced with Elvis in vivid detail. You can actually picture what she went through as you read it. Their love story had good times, but the bad times are disturbing and went on for so long. Elvis (according to her) was a philanderer, at times abusive, and controlling. A movie (Elvis and Me) was made in '88 (Part 1 and Part 2), but the movie softens what she wrote in the book.

She mentions in the book: A bruised arm and black eye, in return from hitting Elvis too hard during a pillow fight ... a chair hurled at her and records hitting her in the face, because she didn't like a song ... she was reprimanded for having chipped nail polish on one toe ... she was told what to wear, not to wear and sent upstairs if it was wrong ... she was criticized if dinner was not to his liking ... she nor anyone else said anything when Elvis entered a room, until his mood was revealed ... she was told a woman has her place ... she was given prescription drugs that caused her to pass out for 2 days ... she was nearly raped by one of his employees ... when she questioned him about looking at a woman, his reply was "look woman...no one tells me who I can look at and who I can't" ... when she questioned him about another woman, his response was "you're getting a little too aggressive and demanding...took all her clothes out the closet....threw them on the floor...said all right woman...start packing...and yelled out to one of his employees to get her on the next flight out. You need someone to take you right to this point AND PUT YOU IN YOUR PLACE (this was Elvis technique of keeping me (her) under control) Elvis detested aggressive women ... Elvis had her walking around the house with a book on her head, because he felt she had poor posture ... she was constantly informed of her shortcomings, and she would have to PROMISE that he'd never have to tell her of her shortcomings again. Are you exhausted yet? LOL Oh there's MORE! She couldn't talk to any man alone ... He yelled at her if he couldn't find a suit or if it wasn't picked up from the cleaners ...When she got pregnant, she ate only one meal a day and snacked on apples and hard-boiled eggs so she wouldn't gain much weight (she was worried about losing Elvis)...Elvis had the nerve to tell her he wanted a trial separation when she was seventh months pregnant. I'll just stop here. TRUST ME, I haven't told you NEARLY everything in this book. It's a page turner!






















Did Priscilla mention anything GOOD about Elvis? HaHaHa Yes! Elvis was amazingly good looking, charming and giving. He was very generous to his family, employees and charities (money and gifts). He was very spiritual! However sometimes he didn't always live a "spiritual" life. They took a lot of trips and went on vacation a lot. He didn't shy away from African-Americans, during a time of extreme racism. He was always for the underdog and was a man of his word.

My overall opinion, after reading the book! Elvis was a gorgeous package on the outside, but there were many problems within (suffered from depression, addicted to prescription drugs, abusive (remember abuse can be mental, physical and/or verbal), controlling, perfectionist to an extreme degree). It was a toxic mix for him and anyone around him to deal with!

"He {Elvis} taught me everything: how to dress, how to walk, how to apply makeup and wear my hair, how to behave, how to return love - HIS WAY. Over the years, he became my father, husband and very nearly God." Priscilla Presley

Sweet-Bittersweet-NotSweet
supersweet(run & buy it) sweet(really good,buy it) bittersweet(ok, issues)not sweet(not good,don't buy this stuff)  
Elvis and Me is Supersweet
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39 comments

  1. Wow what a crazy life she had with him! it sounds like it would be a really sad book to read actually! It just goes to show you, all those people who idolise celebrities and things, you never know what someone is really like until you live with them!

    Although there was some good, it just makes me sad there was so much bad, poor woman.

    Away From The Blue

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  2. Oh, poor Priscilla, actually I never realized they have such disturbed relationship and how bad he was with her. She seems to totally depend on him. Must be an interesting reading though would make me upset. Kim, with your posts I knew better Elvis and now I have a certain vision about him. Happy weekend! xo

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  3. I'm not such a huge fan of Elvis and his life, but I bet that this book is so interesting (and sad), thanks for sharing!


    http://crafty-zone.blogspot.com/

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  4. Interesting Post! She is a great Woman :)

    kisses

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  5. Wow, this book sounds like it really reveals a lot and I always remember hearing how she had met him so young and then he waited and got married to her. I'd definitely read this book, gonna order it now. :) Loving all the Elvis posts Kim and thanks for sharing because I never heard of this book and it sounds really juicy.

    xoDale

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  6. This sounds like a good read, Kim, not because of the horrendous things Elvis did, but because it is interesting to find out the man behind the myth. It's so sad what Priscilla had to go through. It's easy to say she should have just left, but because of how young she was when they met and how she enamoured she must have been, I can see why she stayed...still, so sad:(
    Great review, Kim.

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  7. Sure sounds like a great read/book. You never know a person's story until you get a glimpse of it. Thanks for sharing and have a lovely weekend, Kim. :)

    missymayification.blogspot.co.uk

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  8. Kim, I'm so glad that you reviewed this book. Oh my, my view of Elvis is becoming tainted. All the good about Elvis in my mind was what was mentioned in the book at the last part of your blog post but I didn't know what a jerk he was. I cringed when I read the long list of bad things he did to Pris. OMG... No woman should ever suffer the fate of Pris no matter how good-looking, charming, generous he is. That's no way to treat a woman at all. I wouldn't like my man ti be like this. Movies tend to always soften things. Is the book an easy read?

    RYC:
    I WAS a teacher. How I really miss teaching and my students. Their words and their antics really made my day back then. I think I should put a disclaimer on my post after seeing so many of you mistaking that I'm a teacher. Hehe... So glad to see so many ladies complimenting the hubz new hair cut.

    RYC:
    There were lots of failed blurry shots of the butterflies and moths so these are all the better ones for all of you to enjoy. It is always so difficult to capture animals in motion. We had to make do with the room. Anything more than a week and that room would be outta our list.

    Jo
    Jo's Jumbled Jardinière

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  9. Great artists are often such axholes in their private life. How so??
    Baci,
    Coco et La vie en rose by Valeria Arizzi

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  10. I remember reading about him being all these things behind closed doors, to deal with that was a great sign that not only he needed help, but she did as well. Very sad. It's like that though with people like him, they are very kind in the public but behind closed doors they can be monsters of a sort. Very sad. I think his own problems spilled over on other people. Am glad you enjoyed the book doll, will have to read it myself sometime :)) Happy weekend xx

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  11. I love reading books that reveal much more than the glamour and stardom about people we all put on a pedestal .
    Thanks for sharing, looks like something I want to grab and read!

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  12. Sounds like a good read.Will surely try to get it

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  13. My goodness, Kim, this book sounds fascinating - but what a terrible way to live! I feel for women in abusive relationships, I really do; it must be terrifying to see someone you care for so much behave in a monstrous way at times and try to reconcile that with the good in them.
    xox,
    Cee

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  14. Yes sounds very interesting!! May have to check it out!

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  15. Wow, what an eye opener...that's terrible! Definitely a page turner I'd imagine. I can't imagine being stuck in that life for so long :(

    The Dragonfruit Diaries

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  16. Kim, I want to read this book but I'm such a visual person so I would totally picture all the pain she endured! BUT of course, I will check it out. I love reading!

    xo Jo

    http://www.whiterosesandcoffee.com/

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  17. Oh my Gosh! This is pretty crazy, she was abused by him. Sad. Thanks for sharing and I will read it at some point. Sounds like a great read. It also explains all her plastic surgery. She was such a beautiful woman naturally.

    xx,
    Tania
    http://inspiremyfancy.blogspot.com/

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  18. Wow this book sounds really intetesting!! It's crazy to read stuff like this but it sounds like a great book!

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  19. It's so sad when a woman stays in an abusive relationship but it sounds like that was all Priscilla knew. I think it has been really difficult for their daughter too. Her life has been rocky but she seems to be really happy now. This book sounds like a really great read of a fascinating couple!

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  20. Elvis is very talented and troubled at the same time. Too bad he was not able to control his troubles.Priscilla is a survivor.

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  21. interesting book, i hate seeing people stay in controlling relationships, poor lady.

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  22. This sounds like a must read! I'm glad Priscilla freed herself from this abusive relationship. Unfortunately, like many women, she stayed longer than she should have. T. http://tickledpinkwoman.blogspot.com

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  23. Whaat? That sounds awful! No matter how good looking was Elvis, etc. this is unforgivable! But why did she stay with him? I can't believe! Totally changed my mind about him!

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  24. Wow, I had no idea he was that kind of person! No person - rock legend or not - should treat anyone else the way he treated Priscilla!

    xoxo,
    little luxury list formerly Chic 'n Cheap Living

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  25. Oh my! I didn't know their relationship was that bad. And is everything on this book true? I can't imagine the amount of love and patience she had to stay with him.
    (^^,)

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  26. oh I need this book, I'm such a huge fan of the king!!!

    http://ladyparisienne.fr/

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  27. Every once in awhile I pick up a book like this and just indulge. I read one called "Just Jackie" about Jackie Kennedy, and although it felt super gossipy at times, it was really good!

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  28. wow! it does sound like a page turner.

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  29. Wow, Priscilla's life sounds insane! But I've heard of a lot of celebrities behaving like this. I think a lot of the extreme, and often times abusive, behavior celebrities display comes from the power and pressure of being famous, coupled with their own human insecurities and mental and emotional problems.

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  30. This goes to show that it's often another story behind the glamorous lives we think celebrities lead. It's crazy to think of how Elvis had to exert control over every aspect of Priscilla life when they were married.

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  31. This sounds like an awesome read. I am reading Angelica Houston's book about her early life as a child and young adult. Wow did she and her family have interesting lives.

    Allie of ALLIE NYC
    allienyc.com

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  32. Awesome, did not know all these points about "The King"

    www.urbanikamoda.blogspot.com

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  33. I think I've read somewhere other women described him in the same way so that doesn't suprise me...

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  34. This sounds like a great book! It reminds me of childhood with the Elvis movies but in book form.

    http://ahleessa4realz.blogspot.com/

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  35. i can't say i'm surprised. fame changes people...especially these superstars who started their careers young - it's a lot of pressure on them and the people around them.

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  36. What an interesting read. How sad that he treated her so poorly. I don't care if he's famous or not because that's no way to behave.

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  37. I feel like I haven't read a good book in forever! So I shall be looking this book up on Amazon and ordering it! I love reading non-fiction books that accounts for peoples real life experiences.

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