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The Inner Elvis
Just why was Elvis all shook up? According to clinical psychologist Peter Whitmer, Ph.D., the King suffered as a "twinless twin," and was forever tormented by the death of his infant twin brother, Jesse Garon Presley. Some of the conclusions in this hefty psychological analysis of Elvis may raise eyebrows, as will some of the odd nuggets of information Dr. Whitmer offers, but even readers who take this book with a healthy dose of skepticism will have to admit that it's an interesting and offbeat look at a life that, 20 years after it ended, remains a perennial object of fascination.
765 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 1996
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 3, 2007
When I revealed some of the sordid details from Elvis' life as I read about them in this book, my mom commented, "Who gave this guy permission to write about Elvis's life? I wouldn't want anyone to write about me like that!"
I think the legacy of his fame and the spiraling trajectory that ultimately ended in Elvis's death only peaked the public's interest about the mysterious legendary performer. i know it did mine. after reading all those other elvis biographies, i felt i had more questions than i did answers. this book serves to clarify some of the more peculiar characteristics that elvis presented to the public, especially in his last few years of life when his performances became more and more delusional.
or maybe some people don't want to know. it's a pretty sad story. this book is meant for inquisitive minds who can withstand the harsh truths about a man turned demigod. i had read other customer reviews before reading this book myself, so i was prepared for some of the more outlandish-sounding theories that whitmer discussed.
the premise of elvis' psychopathology is based on the stillborn birth of his twin, jesse. throughout all 427 pages of the book, whitmer constantly refers back to elvis' desire to be reunited with his twin brother. it's a compelling theory, and whitmer is a vivid story-teller for a psychologist (this book is far from a dry read which i appreciate), but it's also fraught with limitations.
see, the problem with psychoanalysis is that a lot of it just sounds so farfetched. then again, i'm not an analyst. i admit, whitmer does incorporate a lot of theory such as the oedipus complex (which, in elvis' case, is so textbook it's freaky) and family systems into the case conceptualization of elvis presley, so i see a lot of legitimacy in that sense.
however --and this is where my critique of the book as a piece of psychological literature comes in-- whitmer's use of theory falls flat due to his lack of reliable references. for all we know, the literature he is drawing his claims from may be grossly outdated. and not only that, but he has never met elvis himself, yet the way he writes about elvis sounds as if he knew the star personally.
it is a very intriguing read, but begin the book with the above limitations in mind. even though whitmer tends to make absolute conclusions about elvis' psychological makeup, it can hardly be regarded as such. the first sentence in the book sums it up:
"Kafka once described the search for 'truth' as similar to the difficulties of a blind man in a room with no light looking for a black cat -- that is not there."
even if you were close to the guy, i don't think there is any way anyone could truly know him. but at least this book gives us some inkling as to what he goes on in the mind of a legend.
I think the legacy of his fame and the spiraling trajectory that ultimately ended in Elvis's death only peaked the public's interest about the mysterious legendary performer. i know it did mine. after reading all those other elvis biographies, i felt i had more questions than i did answers. this book serves to clarify some of the more peculiar characteristics that elvis presented to the public, especially in his last few years of life when his performances became more and more delusional.
or maybe some people don't want to know. it's a pretty sad story. this book is meant for inquisitive minds who can withstand the harsh truths about a man turned demigod. i had read other customer reviews before reading this book myself, so i was prepared for some of the more outlandish-sounding theories that whitmer discussed.
the premise of elvis' psychopathology is based on the stillborn birth of his twin, jesse. throughout all 427 pages of the book, whitmer constantly refers back to elvis' desire to be reunited with his twin brother. it's a compelling theory, and whitmer is a vivid story-teller for a psychologist (this book is far from a dry read which i appreciate), but it's also fraught with limitations.
see, the problem with psychoanalysis is that a lot of it just sounds so farfetched. then again, i'm not an analyst. i admit, whitmer does incorporate a lot of theory such as the oedipus complex (which, in elvis' case, is so textbook it's freaky) and family systems into the case conceptualization of elvis presley, so i see a lot of legitimacy in that sense.
however --and this is where my critique of the book as a piece of psychological literature comes in-- whitmer's use of theory falls flat due to his lack of reliable references. for all we know, the literature he is drawing his claims from may be grossly outdated. and not only that, but he has never met elvis himself, yet the way he writes about elvis sounds as if he knew the star personally.
it is a very intriguing read, but begin the book with the above limitations in mind. even though whitmer tends to make absolute conclusions about elvis' psychological makeup, it can hardly be regarded as such. the first sentence in the book sums it up:
"Kafka once described the search for 'truth' as similar to the difficulties of a blind man in a room with no light looking for a black cat -- that is not there."
even if you were close to the guy, i don't think there is any way anyone could truly know him. but at least this book gives us some inkling as to what he goes on in the mind of a legend.
May 22, 2020
Interesting Profile of the Psyche of Elvis
I have given this 5 stars as I have wanted since reading so many books on Elvis, one that deciphered the code or gets under what made his personality what it was, I think this book provides the answers.
It can be hard reading but very worthwhile all the same if you want to discover how Elvis early experiences shaped the man we know from the depths of losing a twin, enmeshment with Gladys to ultimate highs and lowest lows, its covered but not from a "fan" perspective but from a "profile".
I feel I understand more than at the start which was my objective on my search for knowledge of all things, good or bad , about Elvis.
One for the "hardcore" fans
I have given this 5 stars as I have wanted since reading so many books on Elvis, one that deciphered the code or gets under what made his personality what it was, I think this book provides the answers.
It can be hard reading but very worthwhile all the same if you want to discover how Elvis early experiences shaped the man we know from the depths of losing a twin, enmeshment with Gladys to ultimate highs and lowest lows, its covered but not from a "fan" perspective but from a "profile".
I feel I understand more than at the start which was my objective on my search for knowledge of all things, good or bad , about Elvis.
One for the "hardcore" fans
April 24, 2021
Intriguing and Bizarre
Read this years ago and wanted to go back to it again. Got more out of it thru a second reading. Twinless twins like Elvis are psychologically fascinating. They struggle with survivor’s guilt, dissociative thinking, and an extreme sense of loneliness. Elvis had so many talents and gifts yet could not find a sense of peace no matter how hard he tried. The drugs certainly didn’t help. (Tragic how many folks self-medicate in a hopeless quest to feel whole. Drugs take you nowhere and leave you there.)
Read this years ago and wanted to go back to it again. Got more out of it thru a second reading. Twinless twins like Elvis are psychologically fascinating. They struggle with survivor’s guilt, dissociative thinking, and an extreme sense of loneliness. Elvis had so many talents and gifts yet could not find a sense of peace no matter how hard he tried. The drugs certainly didn’t help. (Tragic how many folks self-medicate in a hopeless quest to feel whole. Drugs take you nowhere and leave you there.)
December 27, 2020
Interesting view on Elvis
Enjoyed the psychological examination on Elvis Presley. The book was well researched for factual information. Huge Elvis fan just enjoying a good read
Enjoyed the psychological examination on Elvis Presley. The book was well researched for factual information. Huge Elvis fan just enjoying a good read
December 11, 2022
Finally, the book on Elvis I've been looking for. There are so many interesting things anyone can observe about Elvis, I wanted a deeper dive on what really made him tick, and some of the seemingly idiosyncratic and contradictory parts of his character. I had no idea about the difficulties a surviving twin may contend with, so great background on that seminal fact re EP. Im rereading to pick up what I may have missed.
Fascinating psychological insights into Elvis and the rest of the Presley family. Explains so much. Along with Guralnick's 2 volume biography, this is the one essential Elvis book I've read, out of so many.
Fascinating psychological insights into Elvis and the rest of the Presley family. Explains so much. Along with Guralnick's 2 volume biography, this is the one essential Elvis book I've read, out of so many.
January 15, 2020
Not much different from the other biographies I've read about Elvis Presley. I've read plenty of books on Elvis, including Pricilla's "Elvis And Me". and "Life With Elvis" by David Stanley, his stepbrother. All of them boil down to the same story. Elvis' twin Jesse's death. His mother Glady's death. His facination with law enforcement. And his inner circle of friends whom were called "The Memphis Mafia."
March 14, 2011
Elvis was a twinless twin.
Interesting psychologically.
March 1, 2015
I found this book to be fascinating. It seemed rather far-fetched in some of the analyses, but the theories also seemed to explain Elvis's peculiarities quite convincingly.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews