Down at the End of Lonely Street: The Life and Death of Elvis Presley

by Peter Harry Brown, Pat H. Broeske

Reveals secrets about Elvis' marriage to Priscilla Beaulieu, his ties to Colonel Tom Parker, the source of his drug addiction, and his death and its aftermath

Genres: Biography, Music, Nonfiction, History

448 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 1997

Reviews

[Heidi Fernandez · Rating 3 out of 5]

After planning a trip to Graceland I was not very familiar with Elvis. I mean, I know his music but not so much the history and impact he made as well as his humble beginnings. This book, while it was a fascinating read, pivoted between somewhat factual and somewhat unreal. This made it feel gossipy and salacious (especially some of the sex details which really did not paint Elvis in any sort of a "normal" light). Seeing Graceland, and Sun Studios as well as Memphis itself was amazing and I'm glad I read this book so that I could have a deeper understanding of the life and times of this incredible performer. The world lost an amazing gift way too soon but at least this book provided better insight into his life, loves and heartbreak.

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

This bio of Elvis, written in 1997, rides the line between biography and gossip. So many books have been written about the King from many perspectives, it's hard to find the truth. The title fits into the general theme of the book; that as famous as he was, Elvis was a lonely man who lived in a bubble, and whose life was forever altered by the death of his mother. Much of the later chapters focus on his pharmaceutical drug use, while the lifestyle of constant women and partying in the 1960's was played up a great deal.

Elvis' affinity for his fans, his undeniable charisma and showmanship are clearly brought forth. His sudden rise to fame could have been portrayed better; it seems as if not much room was devoted to that. It seemed to have just happened. Yet his 1960's movie years are illustrated in great detail, and of course his relationship with Priscilla is a major part of the book.

For a general biography this book is more than adequate.

[Christine Mathieu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably the best biography on Elvis.
Being a German, I was particularly interested in his time at the army and in Germany where he met his future wife Priscilla Beaulieu.

[Dennis O'Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I put this book alongside the others- with a grain of salt. Elvis was talented and impacted a lot of lives. He was human and like us all wrestled with some things. He wasn't perfect - he was talented and I believe very unsophisticated. Thrown into temptations 99% of us will never face.
I do believe he felt lonely - I do believe in some ways he isolated himself from those who could have helped him grow on every level.
He was a great entertainer- but only a man- a idol set up and worshipped on a level no mortal man can handle on his own.

[Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating book of Elvis Presleys life that takes you through the highs and lows. He seemed like such a genuinely good guy that just got too famous even for his own good. The ending made me quite sad considering I never really knew the story of how he died besides the fact he was on the toilet. If you are interested in finding out about Evlis' life this big book will do just that!

[Casey De · Rating 5 out of 5]

Been a fan of Elvis since high school, read basically every book on the subject, and this one is the best. Easy to read, makes a lot more sense than Last Train to Memphis, which is hard to read and digest

[Rick · Rating 4 out of 5]

A definitive book,

[Vincenzo Ridente · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best biographies of Elvis highly recommended for the Elvis fan

[Ally Marov]

i’ve gone down a slight rabbit hole, i fear

[Bubba · Rating 1 out of 5]

From ancient times to the 21st century musicians and artists have shared one thing in common: they lack inhibitions. The average person does not feel compelled to jump up in front of crowds and impress them with their ability to entertain. Nor do they pour out their deepest feelings in print, paint, film etc. for all to see. Given that the creative person lacks the inhibitions common to the common man, it should not be surprising to find that this lack of inhibitions often leads to excesses of one stripe or another. Of all the creative types whose biographies I have read, Elvis Presley takes the cake for the most messed up.

He was a pervert, a glutton, a drug addict, a liar, an egoist, who was shy, generous, a pathological momma's-boy, a homophobe, extremly sensitive, a practical-joker, a shopaholic, a clotheshorse, a new age mystic, a book worm, a party animal, a fashion sophisticate, a capbale actor an musician who became satisfied with output he himself deemed "crap," very very image-savy, crazily dedicated to his fans...the dude was a complex mess.

However, I would not read this book, unless you like pseudo soft-core porn. The authors convey Elvis' story through a narrative that at times sounds like a Harlequin romance novel.

[Birdgirl stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love elvis so i know that i will love this book.

[Peggy Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I re-read this when I have nothing else to read. I really like it to say the least.

[Sarah D Bunting · Rating 2 out of 5]

http://tomatonation.com/culture-and-c...

[Sally Boocock · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent biography of Elvis's life .

[Kimberly]

I am a huge Elvis fan. I've read many books about him and I seem to 'learn' something different from each one, but this one really seemed to let me in on more of his personal life than the rest. Such a sad ending for an amazing talent.