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Child Bride : Priscilla Presley - from Elvis's Teen Lover to Michael Jackson's Mother-In-Law
The myth-shattering account of the most famous—and most taboo—marriage in rock-and-roll history“Fascinating . . . Finstad’s research and her analysis of Priscilla’s complex character make for a riveting read.”— New York Post The real story [of Elvis and Priscilla] is infinitely more powerful than the myth and, ultimately, tragic; the true Priscilla more complex. Priscilla Beaulieu Presley is not, and never was, the fragile, demure child-woman she has come to personify; she is, in a word, a survivor, a woman of indomitable will and almost frightening determination. —from the Author’s Note Child Bride reveals the hidden story of rock icon Elvis Presley’s affair with fourteen-year-old Priscilla Beaulieu, the ninth-grader he wooed as a G.I. in Germany and cloistered at Graceland before marrying her to fulfill a promise to her starstruck parents. But who is Priscilla—and what was her role in their infamous relationship? Award-winning biographer Suzanne Finstad perceptively pieces together the clues from candid interviews with all the Presley intimates—including Priscilla herself, along with hundreds of sources who have never before spoken publicly—to uncover the truth behind the legend of Elvis and Priscilla, a tumultuous tale of sexual attraction and obsession, heartbreak and loss.Child Bride , the definitive biography of Priscilla Beaulieu Presley, unveils the controversial woman who evolved from a lonely teenager bound to the King of Rock and Roll into a shrewd businesswoman in control of the multimillion-dollar Elvis Presley empire—a rags-to-riches saga of secrets, lies and betrayal.
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First published August 12, 1997
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August 30, 2019
My favorite genre of reading is biographies, and I've read too many to count about Elvis and Priscilla Presley. I think my interest was piqued back in the mid 1980's when Priscilla Presley released her memoir entitled "Elvis and Me". That book was was one of my favorite autobiographies I had ever read, and it was even made into a television mini-series...equally fascinating. I may have even watched the mini-series before reading the book, but it's been so long I can't remember. That spawned the purchasing of any biography about Elvis that came on the market from former friends, "Memphis Mafia" buddies, extended family members, employees, girlfriends, etc. It's been at least a decade since I've read a book about Elvis, but my recent interest in reading a book about him was sparked by a trip to Elvis Presley's home Graceland a week ago, a high school graduation gift requested by my son. When a biographical figure makes it to the forefront of my mind, it usually triggers a reading frenzy about that person. I already have kindle books waiting in my library sitting there unread for years from Presley's former girlfiend Linda Hamilton, former fiance Ginger Alden, Graceland cook, and former physician...but I made an impulse kindle buy of this one while installed at The Guest House at Graceland.
After reading the dog-eared paperback of "Elvis and Me" by Priscilla Presley on multiple occasions, I was very intrigued by the premise of this book which disputes many of Priscilla's claims over the years. Well! It certainly shatters them! One of the major claims in Priscilla's memoir was the fact that she was a virgin when she married Elvis. In fact, she gave birth to Elvis's only child Lisa Marie nine months to the day after their wedding. However, this book purports that the man who would drive Priscilla to her visits to Elvis's house in Germany (while stationed there during Elvis's military service) had intercourse with her prior to him agreeing to introduce her to Elvis. This is when Priscilla was 14! In addition, this book details that she slept with several other boyfriends while in Germany, and was in fact reluctant to leave Germany to move to Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee where Elvis lived. While Priscilla's autobiography depicts strict parents frowning upon their young daughter's relationship with an older famous rock star, this book tells a story exactly the opposite- that they pushed their daughter toward the ultimate goal of marrying Elvis Presley.
The book begins first with a history of Priscilla's mother Ann, formerly shrouded in secrecy. As told in Priscilla's memoir, she grew up believing that her stepfather Paul Beaulieu was her biological father, until stumbling upon a box in her mother's closet with photos and other mementoes from her actual father, James Wagner, a US Navy pilot who died in a plane crash when Priscilla was a baby. Apparently, when Priscilla's mother remarried, Paul Beaulieu wanted no references to her beloved (and very handsome) former husband, and Priscilla was kept from seeing her fraternal grandparents. The main thrust of this book is that Priscilla and her family are all about keeping secrets and projecting their desired image to the public. While I so enjoyed the fairy tale story of Elvis and Priscilla served up in her memoir, this book shattered those illusions on many fronts. Still, I found this book quite riveting to read. This is a very well researched book with interviews from close friends, family and former lovers clocking in at just under 500 pages. I loved every minute of reading this book. It is chock full of so many details, which I scavenged up greedily. It is one of the best books I've read on the subject, if not THE best. Under normal conditions, this would be the first domino to fall in me reading all those other Elvis biographies sitting in my kindle library. I have a tendency to go off on biography tangents with certain subjects. But, my NetGalley and Edelweiss arcs are calling, so I'll just have to keep them all waiting a little longer!
After reading the dog-eared paperback of "Elvis and Me" by Priscilla Presley on multiple occasions, I was very intrigued by the premise of this book which disputes many of Priscilla's claims over the years. Well! It certainly shatters them! One of the major claims in Priscilla's memoir was the fact that she was a virgin when she married Elvis. In fact, she gave birth to Elvis's only child Lisa Marie nine months to the day after their wedding. However, this book purports that the man who would drive Priscilla to her visits to Elvis's house in Germany (while stationed there during Elvis's military service) had intercourse with her prior to him agreeing to introduce her to Elvis. This is when Priscilla was 14! In addition, this book details that she slept with several other boyfriends while in Germany, and was in fact reluctant to leave Germany to move to Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee where Elvis lived. While Priscilla's autobiography depicts strict parents frowning upon their young daughter's relationship with an older famous rock star, this book tells a story exactly the opposite- that they pushed their daughter toward the ultimate goal of marrying Elvis Presley.
The book begins first with a history of Priscilla's mother Ann, formerly shrouded in secrecy. As told in Priscilla's memoir, she grew up believing that her stepfather Paul Beaulieu was her biological father, until stumbling upon a box in her mother's closet with photos and other mementoes from her actual father, James Wagner, a US Navy pilot who died in a plane crash when Priscilla was a baby. Apparently, when Priscilla's mother remarried, Paul Beaulieu wanted no references to her beloved (and very handsome) former husband, and Priscilla was kept from seeing her fraternal grandparents. The main thrust of this book is that Priscilla and her family are all about keeping secrets and projecting their desired image to the public. While I so enjoyed the fairy tale story of Elvis and Priscilla served up in her memoir, this book shattered those illusions on many fronts. Still, I found this book quite riveting to read. This is a very well researched book with interviews from close friends, family and former lovers clocking in at just under 500 pages. I loved every minute of reading this book. It is chock full of so many details, which I scavenged up greedily. It is one of the best books I've read on the subject, if not THE best. Under normal conditions, this would be the first domino to fall in me reading all those other Elvis biographies sitting in my kindle library. I have a tendency to go off on biography tangents with certain subjects. But, my NetGalley and Edelweiss arcs are calling, so I'll just have to keep them all waiting a little longer!
June 18, 2013
This book was the literary equivalent of a train wreck you can't help but stare at as you go by. As many times as I wanted to throw the book down and stop reading it altogether, I couldn't. I could get past the anger this author seemed to feel against Priscilla for whatever reason and I could even get past how she made Elvis seem easily manipulated to do things he didn't want to do, because I honestly believed almost everything in this book was severely embellished. But what I couldn't get past was the fact that no matter what Priscilla did or didn't do according to this book, she was always in the wrong or had a hidden agenda.
All the conflicting speculations drove me crazy and I found myself not sure what to believe and ended up not believing anything. To start off by saying Elvis didn't want to marry Priscilla, to then say he never loved her and vise versa, to then say Priscilla should never have divorced him because of his constant cheating and then quoting his ex-girlfriends stating they would never have divorced Elvis Presley for cheating because that was part of the package (one of these quotes was actually from a girlfriend who left Elvis specifically because he was cheating on her with Priscilla) and then to blame his untimely death on Priscilla because he was so in love with her and wanted to be with her so much that he let himself go due to depression after their divorce are just some of the many conflicting theories in this book.
I read this book only because I read Priscilla's memoir "Elvis and Me" and kept hearing that this book filled in the blanks to certain facts Priscilla omitted in her book, but I got nothing of substance here. At the end of the day do I believe either book is 100% true? No. But I don't regret reading Priscilla's book and I do regret reading this one.
All the conflicting speculations drove me crazy and I found myself not sure what to believe and ended up not believing anything. To start off by saying Elvis didn't want to marry Priscilla, to then say he never loved her and vise versa, to then say Priscilla should never have divorced him because of his constant cheating and then quoting his ex-girlfriends stating they would never have divorced Elvis Presley for cheating because that was part of the package (one of these quotes was actually from a girlfriend who left Elvis specifically because he was cheating on her with Priscilla) and then to blame his untimely death on Priscilla because he was so in love with her and wanted to be with her so much that he let himself go due to depression after their divorce are just some of the many conflicting theories in this book.
I read this book only because I read Priscilla's memoir "Elvis and Me" and kept hearing that this book filled in the blanks to certain facts Priscilla omitted in her book, but I got nothing of substance here. At the end of the day do I believe either book is 100% true? No. But I don't regret reading Priscilla's book and I do regret reading this one.
April 30, 2009
I found the author's treatment of the ex-Mrs. Presley's life to be thorough, but oddly mean-spirited. Finstad seems to feel that Priscilla Presley is a vain, self-serving charlatan who grew up with lies, based her relationship with Elvis on lies, and has lied about pretty much everything ever since.
Although it's hard to take the fairy tale of Priscilla's Elvis and Me at face value, it's equally as hard to accept as truth Finstad's portrait of Priscilla as a cold, heartless harpy. Instead, I recommend Child Bride as a double feature with Elvis and Me. Taken together, Priscilla emerges as a multi-faceted individual, who did what she felt she had to, both for her own sanity, and what she considered the best interests of her daughter. I'm not saying I'd want to be friends with her, but I certainly admire her courage and discipline.
Although it's hard to take the fairy tale of Priscilla's Elvis and Me at face value, it's equally as hard to accept as truth Finstad's portrait of Priscilla as a cold, heartless harpy. Instead, I recommend Child Bride as a double feature with Elvis and Me. Taken together, Priscilla emerges as a multi-faceted individual, who did what she felt she had to, both for her own sanity, and what she considered the best interests of her daughter. I'm not saying I'd want to be friends with her, but I certainly admire her courage and discipline.
March 29, 2015
This author hates Priscilla Presley. I don't know why but her vendetta against her is absolutely absurd. There's so much speculation, little facts, with quotes from Priscilla's book which I probably should have just read in the first place. It feels like it was written by Regina George from Mean Girls. I could overlook all of that bc I generally like gossipy trash BUT she lost me when she sided with Priscilla's rapist. I stopped reading after she told the rapist's story and used it to call Priscilla a liar for a whole chapter. It was sickening. Even by the rapist's accounts he was a rapist and that isn't acknowledged once. She just blamed a 14 year old Priscilla for getting attacked by a 28 year old man. Don't read this book.
June 15, 2010
The writing is pretty corny, but I am still giving it 5 stars because without this jewel of semi-solid investigative journalism, the world would not know the real Priscilla. And she is totally fascinating and it's totally our business. Plus, later Elvis bios site the bejeezus out of this.
Yes, the point of this book is to discredit her autobiography "Elvis and Me." But I disagree with other reviewers that the author was mean spirited towards Priscilla, I felt a sympathetic vibe.
Yes, the point of this book is to discredit her autobiography "Elvis and Me." But I disagree with other reviewers that the author was mean spirited towards Priscilla, I felt a sympathetic vibe.
July 7, 2016
Misogyny-filled agenda. This author clearly hates Priscilla Presley. The book was written with a complete vendetta towards her. I wanted to understand things from Priscilla's side, but that was impossible here as she was painted out to be Cruella de Vil. I am a huge Elvis fan and love his music, but think it would be really hard for anyone to be married to the man. I look forward to visiting Graceland and thank Priscilla for making this possible.
January 13, 2008
I hate biographies where the author has a personal grudge with their subject. The author kept on attacking Priscilla Presley, and it started to get annoying after awhile.
It wasn't a bad book, it was just annoying at times.
This book mostly talked about how Priscilla wasn't the most innocent teenager/girlfriend/wife in the world.
It wasn't a bad book, it was just annoying at times.
This book mostly talked about how Priscilla wasn't the most innocent teenager/girlfriend/wife in the world.
February 3, 2025
Well that was WILD!
There's a sort of joke among Lana Del Rey stans which says "Are we just not going to talk about the time when Lana went around dressed up and looking like a young Priscilla Presley?" which she did kind of early on in her career. As a huge Lana fan (yeah, big whoop, wanna fight about it?) I've accumulated pretty much all of her music and read a ton of her interviews over the years. And like everyone else I noticed that her lyrics contained a tonne of references to Elvis (and a scutch of other old Hollywood/music icons) but it was a music-video made by a fan for the song 'Black Beauty' which really got me interested in the whole Elvis/Priscilla story. The video features a montage of videos and photographs of the couple in the early days of their marriage and the song just fits so perfectly, I found myself wanting to know more.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_quCrIiWgs&ab_channel=LanaDelReyLovers
And that's where this book by Suzanne Finstad comes in. I'd never been all that interested in Elvis or his music before, but it was that old-school fairy-tale picture, depicted in that music video that had me a little captivated. And when I saw the title of this book 'Child Bride' I was kinda intrigued. I had no idea what had gone on between Elvis & Priscilla, just that they'd divorced and she'd gone on to appear in some soap operas and 'The Naked Gun' series.
Boy was I in for some surprises. This book goes into incredible detail, explaining not only the formative years of a young Priscilla (and the events that shaped her enduring stand-offish personality) but the bizarre way in which the relationship between she and Elvis both began and continued to evolve. What looked to the outside world like a real fairy-tale romance, really isn't the case. Of course, all this took place in a time before the internet and before the public had much idea what was going on with any celebrity, other than whatever was printed in the press or broadcast on incredibly controlled interviews.
This book took Suzanne Finstad 3 years to research and it really shows. She has solicited interviews with about a hundred people involved in the lives of Elvis, Priscilla, Lisa and the other women involved in the lives of The King. Finstad isn't trying to write a damning thesis of the woman who became the most hated figure in the minds of Elvis fans, nor has she set out to write some fluff piece that ignores Priscilla's faults. It comes across as a very honest, warts 'n all portrayal of a woman who was put into a very strange situation at a very young age, and who over the years has tried to establish herself as something other than 'the ex-wife of Elvis Presley'. Finstad pulls no punches when it comes to discussing events that Priscilla has been demonstrably lying about over the years, but she also reminds readers that this isn't just any ordinary person. Priscilla's experiences over the years have all contributed to the person she is today and the persona she's been desperate to portray over the years.
I found this entire book fascinating. It really helps to understand who Priscilla is, her motivations for doing things, her subsequent relationships after her divorce and her involvement with Scientology. It also touches on the marriage between Lisa Marie and Michael Jackson, shedding a little light on what seemed to the outside world to be a bizarre pairing from the outset. All of this is done in a way that is both searingly honest, and yet sympathetic to all involved.
I came away from this book wanting to read more by Finstead. I see she's written a book on Howard Hughes which I'll definitely be checking out (she even references the similarities between Hughes and Elvis in this book) and a book on Natalie Wood - again someone I've never really had any interest in, or know anything about, but if she's tackled the subject matter as competently as she did in 'Child Bride' then I know I'm probably going to find it equally as engaging.
Who would I recommend this book to? Well, anyone who likes a well researched biography. You don't have to be a fan of Elvis or know anything about him or Priscilla to find yourself absolutely fascinated by this insane story of two people who were fated to both be together and not be able to be with one another. I'm not a huge celebrity fan, but the insight and the detail in this book were so utterly compelling, you'd be hard pressed not to find yourself completely immersed in it from the first chapter.
--------------------------------
Update: I've since read both Priscilla's own autobiographical version of events and the brilliant dual-titled biography of Elvis by Peter Guralnick, and have probably gained a better overall picture of the insane lives of these two star-crossed lovers, but still love this one by Suzanne Finstad and will probably return to it in future...probably after I get around to watching Sofia Coppola's film 'Priscilla' which looks stunningly beautiful.
There's a sort of joke among Lana Del Rey stans which says "Are we just not going to talk about the time when Lana went around dressed up and looking like a young Priscilla Presley?" which she did kind of early on in her career. As a huge Lana fan (yeah, big whoop, wanna fight about it?) I've accumulated pretty much all of her music and read a ton of her interviews over the years. And like everyone else I noticed that her lyrics contained a tonne of references to Elvis (and a scutch of other old Hollywood/music icons) but it was a music-video made by a fan for the song 'Black Beauty' which really got me interested in the whole Elvis/Priscilla story. The video features a montage of videos and photographs of the couple in the early days of their marriage and the song just fits so perfectly, I found myself wanting to know more.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_quCrIiWgs&ab_channel=LanaDelReyLovers
And that's where this book by Suzanne Finstad comes in. I'd never been all that interested in Elvis or his music before, but it was that old-school fairy-tale picture, depicted in that music video that had me a little captivated. And when I saw the title of this book 'Child Bride' I was kinda intrigued. I had no idea what had gone on between Elvis & Priscilla, just that they'd divorced and she'd gone on to appear in some soap operas and 'The Naked Gun' series.
Boy was I in for some surprises. This book goes into incredible detail, explaining not only the formative years of a young Priscilla (and the events that shaped her enduring stand-offish personality) but the bizarre way in which the relationship between she and Elvis both began and continued to evolve. What looked to the outside world like a real fairy-tale romance, really isn't the case. Of course, all this took place in a time before the internet and before the public had much idea what was going on with any celebrity, other than whatever was printed in the press or broadcast on incredibly controlled interviews.
This book took Suzanne Finstad 3 years to research and it really shows. She has solicited interviews with about a hundred people involved in the lives of Elvis, Priscilla, Lisa and the other women involved in the lives of The King. Finstad isn't trying to write a damning thesis of the woman who became the most hated figure in the minds of Elvis fans, nor has she set out to write some fluff piece that ignores Priscilla's faults. It comes across as a very honest, warts 'n all portrayal of a woman who was put into a very strange situation at a very young age, and who over the years has tried to establish herself as something other than 'the ex-wife of Elvis Presley'. Finstad pulls no punches when it comes to discussing events that Priscilla has been demonstrably lying about over the years, but she also reminds readers that this isn't just any ordinary person. Priscilla's experiences over the years have all contributed to the person she is today and the persona she's been desperate to portray over the years.
I found this entire book fascinating. It really helps to understand who Priscilla is, her motivations for doing things, her subsequent relationships after her divorce and her involvement with Scientology. It also touches on the marriage between Lisa Marie and Michael Jackson, shedding a little light on what seemed to the outside world to be a bizarre pairing from the outset. All of this is done in a way that is both searingly honest, and yet sympathetic to all involved.
I came away from this book wanting to read more by Finstead. I see she's written a book on Howard Hughes which I'll definitely be checking out (she even references the similarities between Hughes and Elvis in this book) and a book on Natalie Wood - again someone I've never really had any interest in, or know anything about, but if she's tackled the subject matter as competently as she did in 'Child Bride' then I know I'm probably going to find it equally as engaging.
Who would I recommend this book to? Well, anyone who likes a well researched biography. You don't have to be a fan of Elvis or know anything about him or Priscilla to find yourself absolutely fascinated by this insane story of two people who were fated to both be together and not be able to be with one another. I'm not a huge celebrity fan, but the insight and the detail in this book were so utterly compelling, you'd be hard pressed not to find yourself completely immersed in it from the first chapter.
--------------------------------
Update: I've since read both Priscilla's own autobiographical version of events and the brilliant dual-titled biography of Elvis by Peter Guralnick, and have probably gained a better overall picture of the insane lives of these two star-crossed lovers, but still love this one by Suzanne Finstad and will probably return to it in future...probably after I get around to watching Sofia Coppola's film 'Priscilla' which looks stunningly beautiful.
May 22, 2021
This was better than I thought it would be. It's clearly written by a researcher, and I now understand why it's cited by so many other Elvis books (including Peter Guralnick's "definitive" biographies).
Cons: It was repetitive at times, particularly about Priscilla's teenage love life, which I really didn't care about.
Pros: what I found interesting was:
1. I don't think Currie Grant was out to get Priscilla with this. I think he was just appalled at the fraudulent image she created and wanted her to be truthful about who she was.
2. Suzanne Finstad spoke with Priscilla for the book, and even held a meeting with Priscilla and Currie Grant. I'm guessing Priscilla snapped into action when she learned Currie was going to expose her as a liar.
3. At its simplest level, the book revealed that there wasn't an Elvis and Priscilla. Priscilla was a mature 14 and Elvis was an immature 24 when they connected. But years later, when Elvis sent for her, he had matured and she hadn't (not her fault because she was so young), and they never connected again. They likely tried to recreate the initial connection, but too much had happened in between and then he got too far in when he brought her to Graceland to back out.
I thought Child Bride was going to be trash and Elvis and Me would be the book I keep, but now I think I'll end up donating Elvis and Me after I read it and keeping Child Bride.
Cons: It was repetitive at times, particularly about Priscilla's teenage love life, which I really didn't care about.
Pros: what I found interesting was:
1. I don't think Currie Grant was out to get Priscilla with this. I think he was just appalled at the fraudulent image she created and wanted her to be truthful about who she was.
2. Suzanne Finstad spoke with Priscilla for the book, and even held a meeting with Priscilla and Currie Grant. I'm guessing Priscilla snapped into action when she learned Currie was going to expose her as a liar.
3. At its simplest level, the book revealed that there wasn't an Elvis and Priscilla. Priscilla was a mature 14 and Elvis was an immature 24 when they connected. But years later, when Elvis sent for her, he had matured and she hadn't (not her fault because she was so young), and they never connected again. They likely tried to recreate the initial connection, but too much had happened in between and then he got too far in when he brought her to Graceland to back out.
I thought Child Bride was going to be trash and Elvis and Me would be the book I keep, but now I think I'll end up donating Elvis and Me after I read it and keeping Child Bride.
July 1, 2015
Agree with Dawn who said ' I found the author's treatment of the ex-Mrs. Presley's life to be thorough, but oddly mean-spirited. Finstad seems to feel that Priscilla Presley is a vain, self-serving charlatan who grew up with lies, based her relationship with Elvis on lies, and has lied about pretty much everything ever since.
Although it's hard to take the fairy tale of Priscilla's Elvis and Me at face value, it's equally as hard to accept as truth Finstad's portrait of Priscilla as a cold, heartless harpy. Instead, I recommend Child Bride as a double feature with Elvis and Me. Taken together, Priscilla emerges as a multi-faceted individual, who did what she felt she had to, both for her own sanity, and what she considered the best interests of her daughter. I'm not saying I'd want to be friends with her, but I certainly admire her courage and discipline.'
A few unsavoury facts in this book, which are on par with the equally unsavoury facts written in 'Elvis what happened ' ( published in 1977, just before Elvis died.
A good read but the author does seem to hate Ms Presley, which is odd.
Although it's hard to take the fairy tale of Priscilla's Elvis and Me at face value, it's equally as hard to accept as truth Finstad's portrait of Priscilla as a cold, heartless harpy. Instead, I recommend Child Bride as a double feature with Elvis and Me. Taken together, Priscilla emerges as a multi-faceted individual, who did what she felt she had to, both for her own sanity, and what she considered the best interests of her daughter. I'm not saying I'd want to be friends with her, but I certainly admire her courage and discipline.'
A few unsavoury facts in this book, which are on par with the equally unsavoury facts written in 'Elvis what happened ' ( published in 1977, just before Elvis died.
A good read but the author does seem to hate Ms Presley, which is odd.
October 31, 2019
It’s not very ethical to accuse one of wrong when you are doing much harm also. Many of the people interviewed for this book accused Priscilla of “killing” Elvis when they themselves lied, cheated and set him up with other women while Priscilla tried to keep her marriage intact.
And I find it awful for your parents to give you away to Elvis and no one questions this. There is no details of any further relationship with her mother later either.
You love Elvis and the author allows you to see good things about him but fame and fortune destroyed him totally. Very sad really.
A very telling tale of secrets, intrigue, guts and unbelievable behavior on all fronts. Worth your time.
And I find it awful for your parents to give you away to Elvis and no one questions this. There is no details of any further relationship with her mother later either.
You love Elvis and the author allows you to see good things about him but fame and fortune destroyed him totally. Very sad really.
A very telling tale of secrets, intrigue, guts and unbelievable behavior on all fronts. Worth your time.
May 15, 2015
This book made me more of a fan of Priscillas. It made her seem like more of a real person and I could relate to her more with this book than her own. Some of it is a little out there and the author does seem to have a grudge against her. It really seems like she's simply jealous. It's pretty easy to tell the true parts from the fake because the fake parts are wild conclusions drawn from nothing really. I would recommend it just don't let the authors attempt to bring Cilla down get too you.
Read
December 3, 2023IF YOU TAKE OUT THE SLUT-SHAMING OF A 14YO GIRL, THIS 1,000-PAGE BOOK COULD'VE BEEN A CRISP 200 PAGES!
November 24, 2016
Terribly Written Gossip
I bought and read this book out dozens of reviews on better ones that basically stated this was "the one" about her. I am so sorry I wasted my time. This book was written for haters. Where are the facts that she so much compiled? How was all this data properly collected, other than tidbits and hearsay? We have already read the true parts from well-researched books and authorized biographies. The rest is garbage and made up stuff. To state that "Priscilla killed Elvis because she broke his heart", is one of the most ridiculous statements I have ever read. If anything, she did the most sensible thing for both her child and herself, to get out of an unhealthy environment. Elvis was an addict, and he drugged himself to death. Yes, there were too many enablers and leeches on payroll. There was a combination of ignorance and selfishness around him, just like it happens around celebrities of his magnitude. References include 16 pages of magazine and newspaper articles, which should not be counted as accurate sources of information.
Priscilla had a little one to raise, and she has a life to live. She has done very well, and 2016 has proven this author wrong.
I bought and read this book out dozens of reviews on better ones that basically stated this was "the one" about her. I am so sorry I wasted my time. This book was written for haters. Where are the facts that she so much compiled? How was all this data properly collected, other than tidbits and hearsay? We have already read the true parts from well-researched books and authorized biographies. The rest is garbage and made up stuff. To state that "Priscilla killed Elvis because she broke his heart", is one of the most ridiculous statements I have ever read. If anything, she did the most sensible thing for both her child and herself, to get out of an unhealthy environment. Elvis was an addict, and he drugged himself to death. Yes, there were too many enablers and leeches on payroll. There was a combination of ignorance and selfishness around him, just like it happens around celebrities of his magnitude. References include 16 pages of magazine and newspaper articles, which should not be counted as accurate sources of information.
Priscilla had a little one to raise, and she has a life to live. She has done very well, and 2016 has proven this author wrong.
April 6, 2022
3.5/5 stars ⭐️
I have to admit, I was a fan of Priscilla before reading this. Afterwards, not so much… Priscilla wasn’t perfect (who is?). She was young & naive, but I feel like she (as well as others) just saw money signs when looking at Elvis. At times it felt like that author had a personal grudge against Priscilla for whatever reason and that’s why I didn’t rate it higher. I do still recommend this to others though (especially when they still see Priscilla as some sort of innocent angel). Definitely recommend picking this one up!
I have to admit, I was a fan of Priscilla before reading this. Afterwards, not so much… Priscilla wasn’t perfect (who is?). She was young & naive, but I feel like she (as well as others) just saw money signs when looking at Elvis. At times it felt like that author had a personal grudge against Priscilla for whatever reason and that’s why I didn’t rate it higher. I do still recommend this to others though (especially when they still see Priscilla as some sort of innocent angel). Definitely recommend picking this one up!
October 28, 2019
Good read
I didn't know much about Priscilla. I've seen the photos of her with Elvis, all hair and eye makeup! This book does a very good job on filling in the rest of the story. I was intrigued by her family dynamics, and how she continued them in her own life.
I would love to read an updated version of the book. So much has happened in the last 20 years in the lives of Priscilla and Lisa Marie.
I didn't know much about Priscilla. I've seen the photos of her with Elvis, all hair and eye makeup! This book does a very good job on filling in the rest of the story. I was intrigued by her family dynamics, and how she continued them in her own life.
I would love to read an updated version of the book. So much has happened in the last 20 years in the lives of Priscilla and Lisa Marie.
October 7, 2014
A helluva lot more believable than "Elvis and Me", which is just bs from start to finish. The author was scathing at times but did an excellent job of showing probable reasons why Priscilla did what she did and why she maintained so many lies. Guess what. She's human. She was so very young when she met Elvis. How any woman could stand that lifestyle with Elvis is beyond me.
July 12, 2018
Let me state firstly that Elvis wasn't my king, and I was never fond of Priscilla; never believed any myths about either of them whether told by them or by other people. Their whole relationship, in my opinion, is icky and how the media turned a blind eye on what was happening is beyond me (white privilege?).
Finstad raised some important questions about their relationship and its unacceptable nature that I don't think were properly discussed before, and she boldly challenges some of the myths. However, I see why many people would be bothered/offended by this book: 1- it's exhaustively long and repetitive to the point of dullness; 2- the author told the whole story from one limited narrative, and the sources she handpicked obviously supported that sole portrayal; 3- the tone, at times, got misogynistic and demeaning towards Priscilla.
The part in which Finstad told about Lisa Marie's marriage to Michael Jackson is partially impressive as she reveals the original story of how they get to meet and connect. Lisa Marie, just like Priscilla did with Elvis, reconstructed the history of her relationship with Jackson after his untimely death, in which she's the one who was pursued by him and the only love of his life..... and that's surely not the actual truth.* Lisa Marie relentlessly sought Jackson both before and even after their marriage; she regretted the divorce and sought to reconcile with him for years, however, he made up his mind and moved on from her but they still kept on seeing each other for a few years later on because she followed him around the world trying to get him back.
Finstad didn't thoroughly research Lisa and Michael's relationship nor did she attempt to present the bigger picture with two sides of the story (hers and his) but she chose to focus entirely and strictly on the limited narrative she initially wanted to present which is the non-existent parallelism between Elvis and Michael Jackson. Again, this made the book despite its lengthiness to be insufficient in terms of broader, unrestricted history.
Although it's informative but Child Bride is clearly not the complete picture, it's what Finstad chose to focus on to back up her own narrative and perspective of what she thinks happened, which means what's being told in here is what the author selectively chose to tell. Ironically, I became sympathetic towards Priscilla in spite of Finstad's agenda to embarrass her subject in a tabloidish method of disclosing information.
All in all, Child Bride is hard to read due to Finstad's overextended analysis of rather dull matters and gossip-like recounting of stories. However, I found a couple of enlightening parts that I personally didn't know before–I had to research independently to double check. Also, I appreciate how the author was not afraid to ask how Elvis got away with dating a teenager (14 years old) then later on take her alone to live with him in Graceland for years.
*more
Finstad raised some important questions about their relationship and its unacceptable nature that I don't think were properly discussed before, and she boldly challenges some of the myths. However, I see why many people would be bothered/offended by this book: 1- it's exhaustively long and repetitive to the point of dullness; 2- the author told the whole story from one limited narrative, and the sources she handpicked obviously supported that sole portrayal; 3- the tone, at times, got misogynistic and demeaning towards Priscilla.
The part in which Finstad told about Lisa Marie's marriage to Michael Jackson is partially impressive as she reveals the original story of how they get to meet and connect. Lisa Marie, just like Priscilla did with Elvis, reconstructed the history of her relationship with Jackson after his untimely death, in which she's the one who was pursued by him and the only love of his life..... and that's surely not the actual truth.* Lisa Marie relentlessly sought Jackson both before and even after their marriage; she regretted the divorce and sought to reconcile with him for years, however, he made up his mind and moved on from her but they still kept on seeing each other for a few years later on because she followed him around the world trying to get him back.
“It disappointed me that she wouldn’t keep her promise to me, you know? After we got divorced she would hang out with my mother all the time. I have all these letters saying, “I’ll give you nine children. I’ll do whatever you want,” and of course the press don’t know all these stories and she just tried for months and months and I just became too hard-hearted at that point. I closed my mind on the whole situation.” -Michael Jackson (The Michael Jackson Tapes)
“In the months that followed, I know that she reached out to Janet, Rebbie and Mother for their advice on how best to get through to Michael, to see if there was any way back.” -Jermaine Jackson (You Are not Alone)
Finstad didn't thoroughly research Lisa and Michael's relationship nor did she attempt to present the bigger picture with two sides of the story (hers and his) but she chose to focus entirely and strictly on the limited narrative she initially wanted to present which is the non-existent parallelism between Elvis and Michael Jackson. Again, this made the book despite its lengthiness to be insufficient in terms of broader, unrestricted history.
Although it's informative but Child Bride is clearly not the complete picture, it's what Finstad chose to focus on to back up her own narrative and perspective of what she thinks happened, which means what's being told in here is what the author selectively chose to tell. Ironically, I became sympathetic towards Priscilla in spite of Finstad's agenda to embarrass her subject in a tabloidish method of disclosing information.
All in all, Child Bride is hard to read due to Finstad's overextended analysis of rather dull matters and gossip-like recounting of stories. However, I found a couple of enlightening parts that I personally didn't know before–I had to research independently to double check. Also, I appreciate how the author was not afraid to ask how Elvis got away with dating a teenager (14 years old) then later on take her alone to live with him in Graceland for years.
*more
June 15, 2014
No one will ever know the real story what happened between Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley. This book is probably closest to the truth than the others written. I never believed that Priscilla's step dad and mother were not behind Priscilla's romance to Elvis especially when they "allowed" her to basically move into Graceland when she was just 17 when she was months away from graduating from high school. I could not help but feel sorry for Priscilla dedicating her youth to please Elvis. Those were certainly different times. I am glad she survived and had the strength to leave him. It had to be very sad to watch him self destruct. Restoring Graceland to share Elvis with the world was a wonderful testament of her love for him. I am sure she had many unpleasant memories there. She is often criticized but I have nothing but the highest respect for her. She had to find her soul and discover who she was.
March 4, 2015
I couldn't get past Chapter 7. The writing was corny and juvenile. If I had read this in the 8th grade I could've given it 5 stars. There was too much "commentary" from other people who had "known" Priscilla (memories always fade or embellish with age) and not enough meat and potatoes. Priscilla was portrayed as a major Elvis fan before she met him (which may or may not be true) and a bit of a harlot by the age of 12-13. Nothing rang true for me in this book. I had a hard time believing anything that was written. I haven't read Elvis and Me but I'm hoping there is a better book out there about Priscilla Beaulieu Presley than this one.
February 28, 2012
Found this in the library discard pile when bringing leftover book sale books to the salvation army. Picked it out for fun, and fun it was! All sorts of interesting dirt on life with Elvis and on Priscilla. I'mNot typically a gossip reader, but enjoyed the dirt in this book. If it oz true, it crushes the Elvis/Priscilla myth
January 5, 2017
Just a wildly inappropriate book. The author may have very well been onto something with a few topics (ex: the lack of compatibility between Elvis and Priscilla) but this is mostly a character assassination on Priscilla Presley. Finstad literally accused a 14 year child, at the time, of being a manipulative seductress. Ridiculous.
October 18, 2022
Was absolutely not expecting this book to blame Priscilla for her being raped by a 27 year old when she was 14 and to continually hold up said rapist’s account against Priscilla’s to pick apart her story.
Trash. Do not read.
Trash. Do not read.
January 31, 2025
I honestly don’t know how to rate this book or if I even want to. Child Bride is provocative, as expected, but the execution left me questioning its purpose. Some aspects feel wildly exaggerated, while others offer genuinely interesting insights. It’s a strange mix of sensationalism and half-hearted storytelling.
What baffles me most is the seething hatred directed at Priscilla Presley by the whole world. Apparently, you’re supposed to come away despising her, yet I can’t figure out why. If anything, the book makes it clear that she endured a difficult life from a young age. Is she flawless? Of course not. But who is? People make mistakes that’s just part of being human. It’s absurd to pin her as some malevolent force when so much of what happened to her was beyond her control or she was forced to.
And yet, throughout the book, there’s this odd narrative twist where Elvis is practically canonized as some angelic figure while Priscilla is framed as a villain. The irony? It’s laughable. If you step back for a moment, you see it for what it really is a classic tale of double standards. Women are often painted as temptresses or troublemakers, while men get away as misunderstood geniuses. I am not trying to paint this review with some new colors but the literal phrase from the book: “She cheated. He cheated. But honestly, what did you expect marrying the King? That he will give up his lifestyle for you.” Priscilla was the one at fault in the next sentence.
The pièce de résistance is the author’s transparent bitterness. The closing remarks toward Priscilla are downright hypocritical—full of faux moralizing that pretends to be insightful but just comes off as petty. You have to wonder if the book’s real aim was to share a story or to get some bizarre last word in a decades-old argument.
Given the state of the world today, this kind of vitriol feels outdated and unnecessary. It was 1996 when this was published, and now it all makes sense—a product of its time, much like the scandals it rehashes. We already have enough hate, we don’t need more poorly veiled takedowns masquerading as literature.
What baffles me most is the seething hatred directed at Priscilla Presley by the whole world. Apparently, you’re supposed to come away despising her, yet I can’t figure out why. If anything, the book makes it clear that she endured a difficult life from a young age. Is she flawless? Of course not. But who is? People make mistakes that’s just part of being human. It’s absurd to pin her as some malevolent force when so much of what happened to her was beyond her control or she was forced to.
And yet, throughout the book, there’s this odd narrative twist where Elvis is practically canonized as some angelic figure while Priscilla is framed as a villain. The irony? It’s laughable. If you step back for a moment, you see it for what it really is a classic tale of double standards. Women are often painted as temptresses or troublemakers, while men get away as misunderstood geniuses. I am not trying to paint this review with some new colors but the literal phrase from the book: “She cheated. He cheated. But honestly, what did you expect marrying the King? That he will give up his lifestyle for you.” Priscilla was the one at fault in the next sentence.
The pièce de résistance is the author’s transparent bitterness. The closing remarks toward Priscilla are downright hypocritical—full of faux moralizing that pretends to be insightful but just comes off as petty. You have to wonder if the book’s real aim was to share a story or to get some bizarre last word in a decades-old argument.
Given the state of the world today, this kind of vitriol feels outdated and unnecessary. It was 1996 when this was published, and now it all makes sense—a product of its time, much like the scandals it rehashes. We already have enough hate, we don’t need more poorly veiled takedowns masquerading as literature.
December 5, 2019
I thought reading this after "Elvis and Me" would give a 360 degree picture of the reality of Elivs and Priscilla's relationship and marriage, but it really acts as more of a expose on Priscilla's ambition and greedy family. That would have been fine had it been less of a suffer to get through. Here's the thing, for all the exaggerations and falsehoods, Priscilla wrote the BETTER book! Her fairy tale rendering of living with Elvis was a page turner and a riveting invitation into an inequitable relationship many could not imagine. Finstad's writing is like a fact sheet at the back of a text book and littered with quotes and interviews without much reflection or taste for flow.
March 13, 2024
So conflicting where do I even start😭 I rly appreciate that this author did so much research and got so many interviews for this, like she literally got all that she could for this book to try and figure out what was going on. I’ve read lots of reviews and basically everyone says that Suzanne has a bias against Priscilla and is mean spirited but I didn’t rly feel that? Like I’m not dumb when j was reading it I definitely looked out for any bias bc ofc it wouldn’t shock me if she was very against Priscilla coz I know how ppl dislike her, but I would compare the way she talked about elvis or something to the way she talked about cilla and it felt basically the same? It just felt quite unbiased to me. I think that the only time i felt bias of some sort was when she would talk about Priscilla’s childhood being a lie, and Priscilla keeping more lies in her relationship with Elvis? And I did think it was insane to act like Priscilla being 14 that she did anything she could to be with Elvis blah blah because what the fuck yes she did go up to Currie but any sane person should’ve just been like no obviously you can’t meet Elvis Presley. You’re a child like he should not have let anything happen. You know what I mean??? Like let’s put our self in her shoes she was 14 and clearly was very confident and obviously in any other sane world he should’ve said no. Simple as that. But he didn’t and that’s the thing about this entire story. He didn’t say no to her meeting Elvis and now Suzanne uses that basically against Priscilla and a way to say that Priscilla did anything she could to get what she wanted LIKE WHAT THE FUCK IT WAS JUST AN INSANE LIKE SAYING THAT CURRIE FUCKING SAID YES TO HER SEEING ELVIS ETC like whatttt!! And obviously when Priscilla was like 16 or whatever and she saw Elvis again after like two years she literally didn’t want to be with him?? anyways this book was still good like I literally just read it so I could know the facts and all the speculation and whatever I just wanted to know as much as I could and that’s exactly what this book gave me. It’s weird to me that so many people I guess just couldn’t look past the fact that Suzanne had some sort of bias against Priscilla like let’s be so real it really didn’t affect anything in this book? I really don’t know what people are talking about they say that she handpicked interviews to suit what she thought happened, but I literally just disagree like it’s literally interviews of people that knew Priscilla /were around her or like in Graceland like I just don’t get it and also just because something is presented in this book doesn’t mean that it’s fact it’s literally all speculation because you really can’t prove anything as fact in a situation like this you just have to be smart enough to look past Suzanne’s bias and just take not yourself on what you think is correct I’m so shocked that so many people don’t like this and say that it’s garbage and act like it was written as gossip. I feel like there’s so much more I could say but I would actually go on forever.
September 1, 2025
I highly recommend, especially if you needed things confirmed about Priscilla that really laid some things to rest for me!
August 4, 2022
Not sure I’ll get through this book but I feel I need to put why. Out of every book I’ve ever read, this is the worst book imaginable. The author is set out for some reason, to unmask the real Priscilla Presley and unmask the real relationship between her and Elvis. But she focuses on the worst, and most inappropriate things. The authors main source of information is a pedophile who sexually manipulated a 14-year-old at 27 years old. He claims “what would I have to gain from lying” and “why would I openly admit I did this” well you are a pedophile, so you’re not above lying. The same source apparently distinctly remembers how when allegedly having sex with Priscilla Presley, remember she didn’t bleed, which makes the author conclude that she wasn’t a virgin before she had intercourse with this man. Do you see how inappropriate that is? Why is it anyone’s business to talk about a 14 year olds virginity. Priscilla and the source go back to back on what Version of their story is true, and the author sides with the pedophile every time. It’s astonishing. She accuses Priscilla of giving up her body to meet Elvis, and that her and Currie Grant were using each other. The authors blames a 14-year-old for wanting to meet her idol and “doing whatever it takes” to achieve that, while ignoring the fact that grown men were taking advantage of her. her other sources are from people that barely knew Priscilla, for a example a third grade teacher… At the end of the day, if Priscilla Presley wants to write a book full of fake stories and lies, who are we to stop her, it’s her life and her marriage. Why this author feels like she needs to be a hero and reveal the truth is beyond me. But she did it wrong, and her goal of turning me against Priscilla Presley only made me feel more sorry for her, and hope that she heals from the trauma she has dealt with.
March 17, 2013
I don't really know what to make of reading this book. I own and have read twice (2nd time was last month) Priscilla's memoir Elvis and Me. So I have read what th lady herself had to say about ther relationship with Elvis and now what others say about it. I believe the truth must be somewhere in between the two. I don't believe every word of either, but think they both contain their own truths.
Back to this book. It does appear be author has done her home work. I felt at times the book was a little repetitive and maybe a bit harsh on Priscilla. With very few exceptions there is no right or wrong way to live your life. And every body has completely different ideas on it. It's very hard for anybody outside of a relationship to comment exactly on what goes on behind closed doors. And no body for sure ever knows what goes on inside anybody else's head (and yes, I know people can delude themselves), or their motivation for doing something.
This book has certainly out some interesting ideas out there. I do think it is obvious from what Priscilla has done to her (beautiful) face that there is major turmoil and unhappiness buried in there. I hope she makes peace with it and truly finds happiness.
Back to this book. It does appear be author has done her home work. I felt at times the book was a little repetitive and maybe a bit harsh on Priscilla. With very few exceptions there is no right or wrong way to live your life. And every body has completely different ideas on it. It's very hard for anybody outside of a relationship to comment exactly on what goes on behind closed doors. And no body for sure ever knows what goes on inside anybody else's head (and yes, I know people can delude themselves), or their motivation for doing something.
This book has certainly out some interesting ideas out there. I do think it is obvious from what Priscilla has done to her (beautiful) face that there is major turmoil and unhappiness buried in there. I hope she makes peace with it and truly finds happiness.
October 18, 2022
I finally managed to get through the whole of this book after reading Pricilla Presley's own take on her marriage to Elvis. I chose this as was looking for a more honest and realistic take on their story. This was definitely NOT it. In fact it was no more than one person's self gratifying and extremely repetitive slamming of Priscilla Presley. Now by no means am I a fan of her, but this was just so awful and uncomfortable to read that I needed to write a review. I will never understand something that takes great pleasure out of pulling someone apart like this author has, but then can almost gloss over the fact that a 28 year old guy blatantly admits that they persuaded a 14 year old child into sleeping with them by dangling invitations for her to meet Elvis in front of her. If your looking for an unbiased and realistic book about the Presleys then seriously do not waste your time with this. My one shining light after fighting my way through this travesty of a book was that I got it for free and so didn't waste my hard earned cash on it, although I can't get back the time I wasted on this utter waste of paper.
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