My Way: How Elvis Presley Became Elvis

by Sherry L. Hoppe

If American Idol had been around in 1953 during mid-to-late summer and had stopped in Memphis to spot Tennessee talent, young Elvis Presley might have tried his luck on the Idol stage. More than five decades later, one wonders how Idol judges would have critiqued Elvis the Pelvis. Would they have praised or derided how he took others' music and restyled it with his own brand of intensity and delivery? Would they have condemned his quavering vibrato and disparaged his natural falsetto range-or would they have given him a standing ovation? And, what would they have made of his flashy clothes and "weird wiggles"? In the end, all of these elements (and others-including a fascination with black music and an accidental progression into the "rockabilly" style that melded rhythm/blues and country, blurring genre lines) came together to create Elvis' idiosyncratic style. My Way traces the evolution of this legendary style that holds the key to his prolonged popularity and identifies a wide range of influences contributing to his persona.

252 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

After almost 20 years as a college and university president, Sherry Lee Hoppe retired as president from Austin Peay State University (TN) in 2007. Today, she works fulltime writing. A MATTER OF CONSCIENCE: Redemption of a hometown hero, Bobby Hoppe, takes readers inside her husband's historic trial for first-degree murder, giving a glimpse of "the man behind the mask." Man's conscience runs the gamut in the book, from the self-inflicted torture of the protagonist to the twisted ethics of a Baptist preacher who reveals a sacred confidence. A subtle love story woven throughout the book reveals why Sherry and her husband pledged to love each other 'til the 12th of Never. And, a surprise ending will astound even people who attended the 1988 trial.

Hoppe's next book, SIPS OF SUSTENANCE released May 2011. Hoppe writes about the experience of losing her husband and she shares her wisdom. She explains the grieving process to help those struggling as well as setting up guideposts for the reader to better understand their climb from the abyss.

FACES OF GRIEF, is scheduled for release by Wakestone Press in June 2011.

http://www.wakestonepress.com

Reviews

[Cyndi Beane-Henry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written as though every person picking up the book will already know about everything there is to know about Elvis Presley, Hoppe vacillates between denigrating a legend and building it up.

Written for the young adult crowd, I felt it was almost childish at points, and I have the sense that young people will get the impression that they are being treated as imbeciles. Sensitive subjects are treated every which way but sensitively. And the long history of substance abuse, as well as food addiction is treated way too casually.

A legend, gone, who can no longer agree or disagree with the claims, is in essence made to look the schizophrenic maniac, who had little to anything to say in the way his life played out.

Hoppe makes Elvis appear to be a puppet on the end of a string, and thus doing it any way BUT his way!

If a young person is a true, die-hard Elvis fan, they might get a kick out of this book. Otherwise, I’d tell them to leave it on the shelf.

I give the book 3-Stars.

*** DISCLOSURE: This was book was provided through Library Thing Early Reviewers.

[Iris Mentus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun and fantastic reading!!!!

I have read many books on Elvis over the years, but this one held a few surprises and revealed some new information as well as insights into how Elvis changed and evolved right along with his music. The book is extremely well written and readable and you will not be able to put it down. I highly recommend it to all Elvis fans out there.