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Softly, As I Leave You: Life After Elvis
"A heartfelt record of stepping into one’s own." —Publishers Weekly
The long-awaited memoir by Priscilla Presley chronicling her difficult, inspiring journey beyond the walls of Graceland and behind the elegant image the world sees.
Priscilla Presley’s divorce from Elvis left his fans incredulous. How could she leave the man every woman wanted? From the outside, life in Elvis’s mansion looked glamorous and enviable, and in many respects, it was. But inside the mansion, her husband was constantly surrounded by a male entourage while at the gates, lines of beautiful women waited hopefully for an audience with the King. From the time she was seventeen years-old, that life was all Priscilla had known. During her ten years with Elvis, it became painfully apparent that she had no idea who she was outside Elvis’s world. The only way to find herself was to leave that world and seek a new life of her own, because leaving was the only way to survive, for herself and for her daughter.
Softly, As I Leave You, is the deeply personal story of what Priscilla lost and what she found when she walked away from the man she loved. Despite the legal separation, their love for one another transformed into a touching and tender dynamic that endured until Elvis’s untimely death four years later. Shattered by Elvis’s passing, she had to reinvent herself a second time as the single mother of a talented, often headstrong daughter who never really recovered from her father’s death. Priscilla’s dedication to motherhood was enriched by the birth of her second child, and she gradually found her footing as a businesswoman, actress, designer, and legislative advocate. She transformed Graceland into an international destination and helped guide the development of Elvis Presley Enterprises. But the unexpected, shattering loss of three immediate family members years later brought Priscilla to her knees. She shares her journey with a quiet dignity that will comfort and reassure anyone who has suffered – and survived – seemingly unbearable loss.
A passionate, compassionate, and inspiring story of finding your place in the world, Softly, As I Leave You, is a sweet Southern melody that will take the reader with Priscilla on her long road home.
The long-awaited memoir by Priscilla Presley chronicling her difficult, inspiring journey beyond the walls of Graceland and behind the elegant image the world sees.
Priscilla Presley’s divorce from Elvis left his fans incredulous. How could she leave the man every woman wanted? From the outside, life in Elvis’s mansion looked glamorous and enviable, and in many respects, it was. But inside the mansion, her husband was constantly surrounded by a male entourage while at the gates, lines of beautiful women waited hopefully for an audience with the King. From the time she was seventeen years-old, that life was all Priscilla had known. During her ten years with Elvis, it became painfully apparent that she had no idea who she was outside Elvis’s world. The only way to find herself was to leave that world and seek a new life of her own, because leaving was the only way to survive, for herself and for her daughter.
Softly, As I Leave You, is the deeply personal story of what Priscilla lost and what she found when she walked away from the man she loved. Despite the legal separation, their love for one another transformed into a touching and tender dynamic that endured until Elvis’s untimely death four years later. Shattered by Elvis’s passing, she had to reinvent herself a second time as the single mother of a talented, often headstrong daughter who never really recovered from her father’s death. Priscilla’s dedication to motherhood was enriched by the birth of her second child, and she gradually found her footing as a businesswoman, actress, designer, and legislative advocate. She transformed Graceland into an international destination and helped guide the development of Elvis Presley Enterprises. But the unexpected, shattering loss of three immediate family members years later brought Priscilla to her knees. She shares her journey with a quiet dignity that will comfort and reassure anyone who has suffered – and survived – seemingly unbearable loss.
A passionate, compassionate, and inspiring story of finding your place in the world, Softly, As I Leave You, is a sweet Southern melody that will take the reader with Priscilla on her long road home.
400 pages, Paperback
Published September 23, 2025
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10758 people want to read
About the author
Priscilla Beaulieu Presley
16 books308 followersPriscilla Ann Beaulieu Presley is an American model, actress and author. She is the rock 'n' roll singer and musician Elvis Presley's ex-wife and the mother of singer Lisa Marie Presley.
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September 23, 2025
EXCERPT: When I left Elvis Presley, I was twenty-seven years old. I had spent half my life as his wife or girlfriend, going straight from my parents' home to his. I knew almost nothing about the world outside his orbit. My choice to leave was terrifying for me and unfathomable to his millions of fans. What they didn't understand was that I did not leave Elvis because I no longer loved him. I loved him as much on the day I left as on the day we married. I left Elvis because I needed a life of my own. I was living his life. Just as Elvis was searching for the meaning of his life, I was searching for mine.
ABOUT 'SOFTLY, AS I LEAVE YOU': Priscilla Presley’s divorce from Elvis left his fans incredulous. How could she leave the man every woman wanted? From the outside, life in Elvis’s mansion looked glamorous and enviable, and in many respects, it was. But inside the mansion, her husband was constantly surrounded by a male entourage while at the gates, lines of beautiful women waited hopefully for an audience with the King. From the time she was seventeen years-old, that life was all Priscilla had known. During her ten years with Elvis, it became painfully apparent that she had no idea who she was outside Elvis’s world. The only way to find herself was to leave that world and seek a new life of her own, because leaving was the only way to survive, for herself and for her daughter.
Softly, As I Leave You, is the deeply personal story of what Priscilla lost and what she found when she walked away from the man she loved. Despite the legal separation, their love for one another transformed into a touching and tender dynamic that endured until Elvis’s untimely death four years later. Shattered by Elvis’s passing, she had to reinvent herself a second time as the single mother of a talented, often headstrong daughter who never really recovered from her father’s death. Priscilla’s dedication to motherhood was enriched by the birth of her second child, and she gradually found her footing as a businesswoman, actress, designer, and legislative advocate. She transformed Graceland into an international destination and helped guide the development of Elvis Presley Enterprises. But the unexpected, shattering loss of three immediate family members years later brought Priscilla to her knees. She shares her journey with a quiet dignity that will comfort and reassure anyone who has suffered–and survived–seemingly unbearable loss.
MY THOUGHTS: For a book purporting to be about Priscilla's life after Elvis, there is an awful lot of content about her life WITH Elvis. In fact, this book seems to be MORE about Elvis than anything else.
Priscilla repeats herself and also contradicts herself.
After listening to the audiobook, narrated by Priscilla, I don't really feel that I know her any better than before I started. There were a lot of things I would have liked to have known more about that were merely glossed over and other things that were ignored altogether.
While I feel for Priscilla and the great losses she has endured in her life, I don't really believe that she has ever moved on from her relationship with Elvis. Perhaps if she had been more honest, both with herself and Lisa Marie, about his faults and shortcomings their lives could have had a very different outcome.
I read all the way to the end because I was curious. I can't say my curiosity was satisfied and nor can I say I truly enjoyed this read. I found it very dry and orchestrated.
⭐⭐.5
#SoftlyAsILeaveYou #NetGalley
MEET THE AUTHOR: PRISCILLA ANN BEAULIEU PRESLEY is an American model, actress and author. She is the rock 'n' roll singer and musician Elvis Presley's ex-wife and the mother of singer Lisa Marie Presley.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Hachette Audio, Grand Central Publishing, via NetGalley for providing me with a review copy of the audiobook of Softly, As I Leave You written by Priscilla Beaulieu Presley with Mary Jane Ross and narrated by Priscilla Beaulieu Presley. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
ABOUT 'SOFTLY, AS I LEAVE YOU': Priscilla Presley’s divorce from Elvis left his fans incredulous. How could she leave the man every woman wanted? From the outside, life in Elvis’s mansion looked glamorous and enviable, and in many respects, it was. But inside the mansion, her husband was constantly surrounded by a male entourage while at the gates, lines of beautiful women waited hopefully for an audience with the King. From the time she was seventeen years-old, that life was all Priscilla had known. During her ten years with Elvis, it became painfully apparent that she had no idea who she was outside Elvis’s world. The only way to find herself was to leave that world and seek a new life of her own, because leaving was the only way to survive, for herself and for her daughter.
Softly, As I Leave You, is the deeply personal story of what Priscilla lost and what she found when she walked away from the man she loved. Despite the legal separation, their love for one another transformed into a touching and tender dynamic that endured until Elvis’s untimely death four years later. Shattered by Elvis’s passing, she had to reinvent herself a second time as the single mother of a talented, often headstrong daughter who never really recovered from her father’s death. Priscilla’s dedication to motherhood was enriched by the birth of her second child, and she gradually found her footing as a businesswoman, actress, designer, and legislative advocate. She transformed Graceland into an international destination and helped guide the development of Elvis Presley Enterprises. But the unexpected, shattering loss of three immediate family members years later brought Priscilla to her knees. She shares her journey with a quiet dignity that will comfort and reassure anyone who has suffered–and survived–seemingly unbearable loss.
MY THOUGHTS: For a book purporting to be about Priscilla's life after Elvis, there is an awful lot of content about her life WITH Elvis. In fact, this book seems to be MORE about Elvis than anything else.
Priscilla repeats herself and also contradicts herself.
After listening to the audiobook, narrated by Priscilla, I don't really feel that I know her any better than before I started. There were a lot of things I would have liked to have known more about that were merely glossed over and other things that were ignored altogether.
While I feel for Priscilla and the great losses she has endured in her life, I don't really believe that she has ever moved on from her relationship with Elvis. Perhaps if she had been more honest, both with herself and Lisa Marie, about his faults and shortcomings their lives could have had a very different outcome.
I read all the way to the end because I was curious. I can't say my curiosity was satisfied and nor can I say I truly enjoyed this read. I found it very dry and orchestrated.
⭐⭐.5
#SoftlyAsILeaveYou #NetGalley
MEET THE AUTHOR: PRISCILLA ANN BEAULIEU PRESLEY is an American model, actress and author. She is the rock 'n' roll singer and musician Elvis Presley's ex-wife and the mother of singer Lisa Marie Presley.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Hachette Audio, Grand Central Publishing, via NetGalley for providing me with a review copy of the audiobook of Softly, As I Leave You written by Priscilla Beaulieu Presley with Mary Jane Ross and narrated by Priscilla Beaulieu Presley. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
September 22, 2025
One of my favorite celebrity biographies of all time was Elvis and Me: The True Story of the Love Between Priscilla Presley and the King of Rock N' Roll written by Priscilla Presley back in the early 80s. In 2022 it was re-issued in ebook and audio formats prior to the movie "Priscilla" being released (directed by Sofia Coppola). I experienced the audiobook narrated by Priscilla and was really wowed by the authenticity and personal touch of her narration. So, I expected nothing less with this offering...but wondered what more she would have to share in a new autobiography. The answer is: A LOT!
I was amazed at the breadth of information she shared such as her romantic interests after Elvis, drug addictions of daughter Lisa Marie and son Navarone, embracing and then distancing herself from Scientology, businesses she dabbled in such as a clothing store, perfume, bedsheets, and of course Elvis/Graceland related events and releases. She talks about her acting career starring in "Dallas", "Those Amazing Animals", the "Naked Gun" movies and her stint as a contestant on "Dancing with the Stars". I was astounded at her honesty as she touched on sensitive topics like the suicide of her grandson Ben, which seemed to contribute to the later loss of her daughter Lisa Marie. She was particularly frank about her disdain for Lisa's marriage to Michael Jackson (with good reason), and discussed Lisa's other marriages to Danny Keough, actor Nicholas Cage, and final husband Michael Lockwood with their extremely acrimonious divorce. She takes us intimately through Lisa Marie's funeral as the book comes to a close.
I don't listen to many audiobooks, but if it's a memoir I want to hear it from the actual subject. Priscilla is one of those people who take their narration very seriously because you can hear the honesty, emotion, and caring in her voice. I wonder if it has to do with her acting career? I truly marvel at the sheer breadth of personal family information she shared and her delivery of this was a very worthwhile listening experience. Highly recommended!
Thank you to Hachette Audio / Grand Central Publishing who provided advance access to the audiobook and ebook versions via NetGalley.
*Note: I also read the ebook version in tandem with listening to the audiobook. It's the same content and both are excellent.
I was amazed at the breadth of information she shared such as her romantic interests after Elvis, drug addictions of daughter Lisa Marie and son Navarone, embracing and then distancing herself from Scientology, businesses she dabbled in such as a clothing store, perfume, bedsheets, and of course Elvis/Graceland related events and releases. She talks about her acting career starring in "Dallas", "Those Amazing Animals", the "Naked Gun" movies and her stint as a contestant on "Dancing with the Stars". I was astounded at her honesty as she touched on sensitive topics like the suicide of her grandson Ben, which seemed to contribute to the later loss of her daughter Lisa Marie. She was particularly frank about her disdain for Lisa's marriage to Michael Jackson (with good reason), and discussed Lisa's other marriages to Danny Keough, actor Nicholas Cage, and final husband Michael Lockwood with their extremely acrimonious divorce. She takes us intimately through Lisa Marie's funeral as the book comes to a close.
I don't listen to many audiobooks, but if it's a memoir I want to hear it from the actual subject. Priscilla is one of those people who take their narration very seriously because you can hear the honesty, emotion, and caring in her voice. I wonder if it has to do with her acting career? I truly marvel at the sheer breadth of personal family information she shared and her delivery of this was a very worthwhile listening experience. Highly recommended!
Thank you to Hachette Audio / Grand Central Publishing who provided advance access to the audiobook and ebook versions via NetGalley.
*Note: I also read the ebook version in tandem with listening to the audiobook. It's the same content and both are excellent.
September 22, 2025
I read this on a plane coming back from Paris. It held my attention from the first page!
Mention Elvis Presley to anyone who grew up in the 1950’s, 60’s, or 70’s, and they will most likely be able to share things they remember about “The King.” The man was, and is still, such a legend that it’s difficult to discern which stories about his life are factual.
The woman who knew him from the time she was 14, and was his first wife, does an excellent job of describing her life of being forever linked with Elvis. She tells of the highs and lows of their courtship and marriage, and delves into the reasons why she divorced him and shocked the world. At times heartbreakingly, Priscilla also reveals what life was like for her and Lisa Marie after the deaths of Elvis, his father, and his grandmother Minnie Mae within a short period of time. This most famous of children forever had demons to fight after experiencing such loss before she was even a teenager, and even the deep love and protectiveness of her mother was not enough to overcome them…
*I received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.*
Mention Elvis Presley to anyone who grew up in the 1950’s, 60’s, or 70’s, and they will most likely be able to share things they remember about “The King.” The man was, and is still, such a legend that it’s difficult to discern which stories about his life are factual.
The woman who knew him from the time she was 14, and was his first wife, does an excellent job of describing her life of being forever linked with Elvis. She tells of the highs and lows of their courtship and marriage, and delves into the reasons why she divorced him and shocked the world. At times heartbreakingly, Priscilla also reveals what life was like for her and Lisa Marie after the deaths of Elvis, his father, and his grandmother Minnie Mae within a short period of time. This most famous of children forever had demons to fight after experiencing such loss before she was even a teenager, and even the deep love and protectiveness of her mother was not enough to overcome them…
*I received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.*
September 23, 2025
At 80 years old, Priscilla Beaulieu still hasn't realized that almost everything out of her mouth since 1973 is complete projection, deflection, contradiction, and hypocrisy. If I didn't know she was actually a real person, I would think she was AI. I learned one thing from reading this book. Lisa Marie Presley deserved so much better. May she rest in peace. Blessings to Lisa's daughters and grandchildren.
December 29, 2025
Softly, As I Leave You chronicles Priscilla's life after Elvis, but a decent chunk of it covers life with Elvis too. I didn't mind, but maybe don't read this while her first memoir is still fresh in your brain, because a few things are repeated.
What I think would be interesting though, is reading this closely after From Here to the Great Unknown because Priscilla's account of certain events (and people) seems to differ from Lisa's.
For some reason, Priscilla puts her two children against each other continuously throughout the book, so much so that it got tiring. It seemed like she had so much compassion for her son, who was going through the same issues as her daughter, but Lisa got the short end of the stick time and time again.
I can totally see where some of the reviews calling this "damage control" are coming from, and I might even agree, but I did genuinely enjoy the non damage control parts, where she was just telling us about finding herself, joining and leaving Scientology, all the animals, her acting career, the Elvis and Priscilla movies (plus the Austin Butler cameo that came with the former), the nice family stories she shared, the grief discussion after losing so many people close to her...
And yet, I think more attention should've been given to Lisa's assault, because in her own book we learned how long it really took to get that weirdo out of their lives, but in this one it seemed like Priscilla kicked him out promptly.
So I'm conflicted, I'm settling on a four for now, might change as I reflect.
What I think would be interesting though, is reading this closely after From Here to the Great Unknown because Priscilla's account of certain events (and people) seems to differ from Lisa's.
For some reason, Priscilla puts her two children against each other continuously throughout the book, so much so that it got tiring. It seemed like she had so much compassion for her son, who was going through the same issues as her daughter, but Lisa got the short end of the stick time and time again.
I can totally see where some of the reviews calling this "damage control" are coming from, and I might even agree, but I did genuinely enjoy the non damage control parts, where she was just telling us about finding herself, joining and leaving Scientology, all the animals, her acting career, the Elvis and Priscilla movies (plus the Austin Butler cameo that came with the former), the nice family stories she shared, the grief discussion after losing so many people close to her...
And yet, I think more attention should've been given to Lisa's assault, because in her own book we learned how long it really took to get that weirdo out of their lives, but in this one it seemed like Priscilla kicked him out promptly.
So I'm conflicted, I'm settling on a four for now, might change as I reflect.
October 10, 2025
Elegant and inspiring—much like the woman herself—Softly As I Leave You picks up where Elvis and Me left off, following Priscilla Presley’s life after the loss of Elvis. It’s hard to believe it’s been nearly fifty years since the King of Rock ’n’ Roll passed, yet the world’s fascination with him—and with Priscilla—hasn’t faded one bit.
If you haven’t read Elvis and Me, I highly recommend it. It’s her heartfelt account of their complicated love story, and the 2023 film Priscilla brought those chapters beautifully to life. This new memoir, though, feels more intimate. The audiobook, narrated by Priscilla herself, is definitely worth a listen. Her calm, graceful voice brings genuine warmth and emotion to her words.
Here, she reflects on the journey of discovering who she was beyond the shadow of Elvis. Raised in an era where girls were taught to “take care of their man,” Priscilla admits it took time—and a few missteps to discover independence, confidence, and her own identity. She writes openly about love affairs, her ventures into film and television, Scientology, and her deep commitment to animal activism. Yet through it all, the most defining role of her life remains that of mother—to Lisa Marie and Navarone—and now, grandmother. Her love for her family radiates through every page, even as she recounts unimaginable loss with strength and grace. She shares so much more about her life decades after Elvis, especially the tragic death of her grandson Ben to suicide, and how it directly contributed to the death of her daughter Lisa Marie only 2 years later. Priscilla says, “for generations, we Presleys have had to bury our children.”
What stands out most is her resilience. Priscilla has reinvented herself time and again—actress, businesswoman, devoted mother, and the driving force who saved Graceland and turned it into a living legacy. Now in a place of peace and fulfillment, she writes with the wisdom of someone who has truly lived, loved, and endured.
I admire her for her growth, perseverance, and her gentle but unbreakable spirit.
Elvis and Me: The True Story of the Love Between Priscilla Presley and the King of Rock N' Roll
If you haven’t read Elvis and Me, I highly recommend it. It’s her heartfelt account of their complicated love story, and the 2023 film Priscilla brought those chapters beautifully to life. This new memoir, though, feels more intimate. The audiobook, narrated by Priscilla herself, is definitely worth a listen. Her calm, graceful voice brings genuine warmth and emotion to her words.
Here, she reflects on the journey of discovering who she was beyond the shadow of Elvis. Raised in an era where girls were taught to “take care of their man,” Priscilla admits it took time—and a few missteps to discover independence, confidence, and her own identity. She writes openly about love affairs, her ventures into film and television, Scientology, and her deep commitment to animal activism. Yet through it all, the most defining role of her life remains that of mother—to Lisa Marie and Navarone—and now, grandmother. Her love for her family radiates through every page, even as she recounts unimaginable loss with strength and grace. She shares so much more about her life decades after Elvis, especially the tragic death of her grandson Ben to suicide, and how it directly contributed to the death of her daughter Lisa Marie only 2 years later. Priscilla says, “for generations, we Presleys have had to bury our children.”
What stands out most is her resilience. Priscilla has reinvented herself time and again—actress, businesswoman, devoted mother, and the driving force who saved Graceland and turned it into a living legacy. Now in a place of peace and fulfillment, she writes with the wisdom of someone who has truly lived, loved, and endured.
I admire her for her growth, perseverance, and her gentle but unbreakable spirit.
Elvis and Me: The True Story of the Love Between Priscilla Presley and the King of Rock N' Roll
September 29, 2025
I was provided an advanced copy for an honest review. Thank you, netgalley and Grand Central.
I'll start with the positive first. Many of the stories were amusing and I enjoyed the conversational angle of the writing. It was nice to get observations from another party after reading Lisa Marie Presley’s memoir From Here to the Great Unknown, particularly those on Lisa Marie’s husbands Danny Keough, Michael Jackson, Nicolas Cage and Michael Lockwood. And it was interesting to hear the division between the heart and common sense regarding Elvis, as well as her introspection of the appeal of Scientology and leaving it.
However, it was certainly interesting to read this book after reading Lisa Marie’s. As I got deeper into Priscilla’s book, it became apparent that a purpose of the book was to do damage control, to revise Lisa Marie’s truth (which wasn't particularly kind to Priscilla), and to get the final word. Lisa Marie is often described critically and almost like a villain at times with Priscilla being the long-suffering and patient mother of the century- this angle is interesting considering Lisa Marie’s own recollections of her mother as cold and neglectful. Whereas I could feel Lisa Marie and daughter Riley Keough begging the reader for understanding and compassion and to simply *hear* Lisa Marie in From Here to the Great Unknown, Priscilla’s version of events in Softly As I Leave You felt like she was saying "don't listen to them and their lies, listen to ME." She even suggests to the reader that Lisa Marie’s book and memoir tapes are inaccurate and what Lisa Marie "believed had happened." It feels almost malicious to do so.
This tendency to talk over and demean Lisa Marie’s experiences is no more apparent than it is when Priscilla recounts Lisa Marie's molestation as a child by Priscilla’s boyfriend. Priscilla seems to understand it would be wrong to outright call Lisa Marie a liar and bizarrely opts to talk about Lisa Marie's crush on the boyfriend and letters Lisa Marie wrote defending the man. There's something almost calculating in how Priscilla plants these seeds of doubt into Lisa Marie’s memories while placing herself as the clueless but strong mother who removed the problem swiftly (Lisa Marie herself states it took years). Gone is Lisa Marie’s tales of Priscilla’s drug use and neglect, now Priscilla’s life revolved around Lisa Marie and not her boyfriends or shipping Lisa Marie to different schools. Lisa Marie’s pain of being misunderstood and shoved into schools away from her mother is replaced with a doting mother having to deal with such a difficult and wild child who exaggerated the facts. She wraps these tales in "love" and a perceived good-natured shake of the head (kids, right??) and it actually did the opposite of what was intended for me- instead of questioning Lisa Marie’s memories, I instead started to see the unfortunate manipulation and gaslighting Lisa Marie felt she had gone through (another example? Lisa Marie and Riley describe Priscilla as disliking and trying to separate first husband and best friend Danny from Lisa Marie, but here? Danny is loved and respected and a great guy, which is probably the best thing to say about the guy loyal to her daughter for decades and whom tried to save her life on her final day). Complimentary and kind observations about Lisa Marie at times felt like an afterthought since she is no longer here to defend herself. So many loving observations felt almost insincere, which was a shame to feel because Lisa Marie seemed to need love and compassion. While it is obvious Priscilla loved and loves Lisa Marie, I didn't feel as if Priscilla particularly *liked* her, especially when she couldn't control her.
Also an afterthought? Lisa Marie’s children, who are strangely excluded for most of the book except for Riley, who now runs the Elvis estate and holds the purse strings.
It is also made abundantly clear who was the golden child in Priscilla’s life- her son Navarone. A ridiculous amount of ink is reserved for tedious stories of how kind, smart, handsome, perfect Navarone is and the contrast of those with the descriptions of Lisa Marie is at times shocking. Even the bulk of family photos in the book are of Navarone! There is a lack of awareness when Priscilla describes the obsessively close relationships between Elvis and his mother and Lisa Marie and her equally troubled son Benjamin, since Priscilla absolutely has that same thing going on with Navarone. She treats Navarone's drug addiction with care and compassion, as one should, while describing Lisa Marie as disheveled and trying to get Priscilla to help her lie during a custody battle in the middle of her addiction. Navarone is given all her help and care, while Lisa Marie is critically observed to be resistant to a therapy she desperately needs since childhood, however Priscilla makes no mention of ever getting Lisa Marie therapy after her father died or as a troubled teen (additionally, another revision by Priscilla- both Lisa Marie and Riley Keough discuss Lisa Marie attending therapy in their memoir). No one is perfect, but it's telling Lisa Marie’s flaws are front and center while Navarone and Priscilla are just victims and heroes who make oopsies (the same compassion and rush to defense is given to Lisa Marie’s third and fourth husbands). Navarone's struggles are given chapters while Lisa Marie’s final days and death is somewhat and bizarrely rushed.
There is also a healthy spoonful of narcissism in Softly As I Leave You. Priscilla thinks VERY highly of herself! She is the most beautiful, the best mother, the most understanding and patient, the business prodigy, the talented actress, the responsible and strong matriarch and the true love of Elvis. Any self reflection or criticism of her own behavior is superficial at best. A high self-esteem is necessary in this life but Priscilla takes it to the next level, centering herself as the victim and hero of every story, whether her own or her children's or her extended family. In Priscilla’s world, Lisa Marie’s death is about her. Danny Keough's open grief in the hospital at the reality of losing his soulmate (as daughter Riley referred to her parents) is only to support Priscilla’s spotty version of events (what medical staff tells people "you better catch her because she's going to fall" regarding the delicate issue of life support?). Priscilla is front and center and it's no more apparent in how she centers herself during Lisa Marie’s final hours- Riley is an afterthought, for Priscilla chooses to remove support from Lisa Marie before all her children can say goodbye.
Like I said earlier, I do appreciate some of Priscilla’s observations. Whereas Riley Keough seemed to omit things for privacy or family relationships or whatever, Priscilla gives the little details which were interesting to compare and add to the recollections from the other book. We get a fuller picture for certain events, such as Lisa Marie’s music career, which was bizarrely mostly ignored in her own book- this was perhaps the most endearing moments of the book to me, we see Priscilla have genuine pride in Lisa Marie’s music, and I certainly hope Lisa Marie knew her mother loved it. We get more details of her marriage to Elvis and her own parents; as well as the deterioration of Lisa Marie's marriages. Lisa Marie’s book felt rushed, like the publisher just had to get its profits, and the book suffers for it- whole decades and events are missing, no photos, and incredibly and disappointingly short although very well-written and a great book. Priscilla’s isn't as well-written or engaging but it's at least detailed. The reflections of Priscilla’s life with Elvis and stories of the people she worked with were interesting if over-long. But unfortunately, for me, the bad outweighed the good.
Softly As I Leave You unfortunately feels as though Priscilla needed to have the final word over being honest of her own shortcomings or mistakes. Priscilla's ghostwriter looks to have scoured interviews and tabloids to pad the book with dialogues or recollections straight from Diane Sawyer interviews, and went one by one to counter claims made in Lisa Marie’s book. Instead of an end of life tome dedicated to self reflection and within loss and grief discovering what was done and what had been, as Lisa Marie’s book excellently accomplished, Priscilla’s seems incredibly focused on making sure she gets the hero edit, even at the expense of her own daughter (an example? She claims it was Lisa Marie’s idea to sell 85% of the family business, however, it was apparently Priscilla’s and her business manager’s idea). She revises history to make sure everyone knows how wonderful she is and how flawed Lisa Marie was, and it's somewhat disturbing and troubling to read as the book goes further along.
After reading Lisa Marie’s book, I suppose I expected something more honest and self-critical from Priscilla, especially after the whole mess of Priscilla questioning Lisa Marie’s estate going to her eldest daughter, and Lisa's own memories of a less-than-maternal presence in Priscilla (not to mention a recently released letter from Riley to Priscilla questioning why Priscilla was saying she was so close to Lisa Marie despite being estranged for almost a decade and why Priscilla was hurting her by questioning Lisa Marie’s final wishes). Instead, we get a polished, superficial and self-indulgent tribute and celebration of Priscilla (and Navarone), from Priscilla. Just don’t look underneath at the rot on the family tree. Very disappointing.
I'll start with the positive first. Many of the stories were amusing and I enjoyed the conversational angle of the writing. It was nice to get observations from another party after reading Lisa Marie Presley’s memoir From Here to the Great Unknown, particularly those on Lisa Marie’s husbands Danny Keough, Michael Jackson, Nicolas Cage and Michael Lockwood. And it was interesting to hear the division between the heart and common sense regarding Elvis, as well as her introspection of the appeal of Scientology and leaving it.
However, it was certainly interesting to read this book after reading Lisa Marie’s. As I got deeper into Priscilla’s book, it became apparent that a purpose of the book was to do damage control, to revise Lisa Marie’s truth (which wasn't particularly kind to Priscilla), and to get the final word. Lisa Marie is often described critically and almost like a villain at times with Priscilla being the long-suffering and patient mother of the century- this angle is interesting considering Lisa Marie’s own recollections of her mother as cold and neglectful. Whereas I could feel Lisa Marie and daughter Riley Keough begging the reader for understanding and compassion and to simply *hear* Lisa Marie in From Here to the Great Unknown, Priscilla’s version of events in Softly As I Leave You felt like she was saying "don't listen to them and their lies, listen to ME." She even suggests to the reader that Lisa Marie’s book and memoir tapes are inaccurate and what Lisa Marie "believed had happened." It feels almost malicious to do so.
This tendency to talk over and demean Lisa Marie’s experiences is no more apparent than it is when Priscilla recounts Lisa Marie's molestation as a child by Priscilla’s boyfriend. Priscilla seems to understand it would be wrong to outright call Lisa Marie a liar and bizarrely opts to talk about Lisa Marie's crush on the boyfriend and letters Lisa Marie wrote defending the man. There's something almost calculating in how Priscilla plants these seeds of doubt into Lisa Marie’s memories while placing herself as the clueless but strong mother who removed the problem swiftly (Lisa Marie herself states it took years). Gone is Lisa Marie’s tales of Priscilla’s drug use and neglect, now Priscilla’s life revolved around Lisa Marie and not her boyfriends or shipping Lisa Marie to different schools. Lisa Marie’s pain of being misunderstood and shoved into schools away from her mother is replaced with a doting mother having to deal with such a difficult and wild child who exaggerated the facts. She wraps these tales in "love" and a perceived good-natured shake of the head (kids, right??) and it actually did the opposite of what was intended for me- instead of questioning Lisa Marie’s memories, I instead started to see the unfortunate manipulation and gaslighting Lisa Marie felt she had gone through (another example? Lisa Marie and Riley describe Priscilla as disliking and trying to separate first husband and best friend Danny from Lisa Marie, but here? Danny is loved and respected and a great guy, which is probably the best thing to say about the guy loyal to her daughter for decades and whom tried to save her life on her final day). Complimentary and kind observations about Lisa Marie at times felt like an afterthought since she is no longer here to defend herself. So many loving observations felt almost insincere, which was a shame to feel because Lisa Marie seemed to need love and compassion. While it is obvious Priscilla loved and loves Lisa Marie, I didn't feel as if Priscilla particularly *liked* her, especially when she couldn't control her.
Also an afterthought? Lisa Marie’s children, who are strangely excluded for most of the book except for Riley, who now runs the Elvis estate and holds the purse strings.
It is also made abundantly clear who was the golden child in Priscilla’s life- her son Navarone. A ridiculous amount of ink is reserved for tedious stories of how kind, smart, handsome, perfect Navarone is and the contrast of those with the descriptions of Lisa Marie is at times shocking. Even the bulk of family photos in the book are of Navarone! There is a lack of awareness when Priscilla describes the obsessively close relationships between Elvis and his mother and Lisa Marie and her equally troubled son Benjamin, since Priscilla absolutely has that same thing going on with Navarone. She treats Navarone's drug addiction with care and compassion, as one should, while describing Lisa Marie as disheveled and trying to get Priscilla to help her lie during a custody battle in the middle of her addiction. Navarone is given all her help and care, while Lisa Marie is critically observed to be resistant to a therapy she desperately needs since childhood, however Priscilla makes no mention of ever getting Lisa Marie therapy after her father died or as a troubled teen (additionally, another revision by Priscilla- both Lisa Marie and Riley Keough discuss Lisa Marie attending therapy in their memoir). No one is perfect, but it's telling Lisa Marie’s flaws are front and center while Navarone and Priscilla are just victims and heroes who make oopsies (the same compassion and rush to defense is given to Lisa Marie’s third and fourth husbands). Navarone's struggles are given chapters while Lisa Marie’s final days and death is somewhat and bizarrely rushed.
There is also a healthy spoonful of narcissism in Softly As I Leave You. Priscilla thinks VERY highly of herself! She is the most beautiful, the best mother, the most understanding and patient, the business prodigy, the talented actress, the responsible and strong matriarch and the true love of Elvis. Any self reflection or criticism of her own behavior is superficial at best. A high self-esteem is necessary in this life but Priscilla takes it to the next level, centering herself as the victim and hero of every story, whether her own or her children's or her extended family. In Priscilla’s world, Lisa Marie’s death is about her. Danny Keough's open grief in the hospital at the reality of losing his soulmate (as daughter Riley referred to her parents) is only to support Priscilla’s spotty version of events (what medical staff tells people "you better catch her because she's going to fall" regarding the delicate issue of life support?). Priscilla is front and center and it's no more apparent in how she centers herself during Lisa Marie’s final hours- Riley is an afterthought, for Priscilla chooses to remove support from Lisa Marie before all her children can say goodbye.
Like I said earlier, I do appreciate some of Priscilla’s observations. Whereas Riley Keough seemed to omit things for privacy or family relationships or whatever, Priscilla gives the little details which were interesting to compare and add to the recollections from the other book. We get a fuller picture for certain events, such as Lisa Marie’s music career, which was bizarrely mostly ignored in her own book- this was perhaps the most endearing moments of the book to me, we see Priscilla have genuine pride in Lisa Marie’s music, and I certainly hope Lisa Marie knew her mother loved it. We get more details of her marriage to Elvis and her own parents; as well as the deterioration of Lisa Marie's marriages. Lisa Marie’s book felt rushed, like the publisher just had to get its profits, and the book suffers for it- whole decades and events are missing, no photos, and incredibly and disappointingly short although very well-written and a great book. Priscilla’s isn't as well-written or engaging but it's at least detailed. The reflections of Priscilla’s life with Elvis and stories of the people she worked with were interesting if over-long. But unfortunately, for me, the bad outweighed the good.
Softly As I Leave You unfortunately feels as though Priscilla needed to have the final word over being honest of her own shortcomings or mistakes. Priscilla's ghostwriter looks to have scoured interviews and tabloids to pad the book with dialogues or recollections straight from Diane Sawyer interviews, and went one by one to counter claims made in Lisa Marie’s book. Instead of an end of life tome dedicated to self reflection and within loss and grief discovering what was done and what had been, as Lisa Marie’s book excellently accomplished, Priscilla’s seems incredibly focused on making sure she gets the hero edit, even at the expense of her own daughter (an example? She claims it was Lisa Marie’s idea to sell 85% of the family business, however, it was apparently Priscilla’s and her business manager’s idea). She revises history to make sure everyone knows how wonderful she is and how flawed Lisa Marie was, and it's somewhat disturbing and troubling to read as the book goes further along.
After reading Lisa Marie’s book, I suppose I expected something more honest and self-critical from Priscilla, especially after the whole mess of Priscilla questioning Lisa Marie’s estate going to her eldest daughter, and Lisa's own memories of a less-than-maternal presence in Priscilla (not to mention a recently released letter from Riley to Priscilla questioning why Priscilla was saying she was so close to Lisa Marie despite being estranged for almost a decade and why Priscilla was hurting her by questioning Lisa Marie’s final wishes). Instead, we get a polished, superficial and self-indulgent tribute and celebration of Priscilla (and Navarone), from Priscilla. Just don’t look underneath at the rot on the family tree. Very disappointing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 21, 2025
I have a lot of thoughts about this book especially after reading Lisa Marie and Riley’s book. I think the book was well written and covered a lot of difficult topics. I truly feel for this family and everything they have gone through. But Priscilla really skimms over a lot of the more stupid allegations and she REALLY centers herself and doesn’t seem to do much introspection. But again she was 14 when she met Elvis and that’s not ok no matter what she says about it being a different time. You can acknowledge that was more the norm at that time and also be but it wasn’t all right. I do wonder if people truly do idolize Elvis as much as they all claim to in their books. Or they are afraid to speak their truths.
I was provided an advanced copy of this book which has not affected my review.
I was provided an advanced copy of this book which has not affected my review.
April 26, 2025
I'm still processing some of the fascinating content of Priscilla's memoir and will write a more thorough review later. For now, I'll say that I couldn't put this down.
Thanks to the publisher for the advanced digital review copy. To be published on September 23, 2025.
Thanks to the publisher for the advanced digital review copy. To be published on September 23, 2025.
September 9, 2025
I sat with my thoughts overnight to try to be fair and diplomatic. When I reread Elvis and Me prior to the release of the biopic I remember asking would the story have changed if Priscilla had released it after the death of Lisa Marie. So of course I had to know what was in the pages this time, from the outset the story hasn’t changed, Priscilla has just added a list of other men who were in relationships with children and rolled out the “times were different” trope, and I am still not having it!
On one hand I really do not want to trash an 80 year old woman who has lost her daughter, her grandson, and of course Elvis himself all of those years ago. On the other hand, From Here To The Great Unknown by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough was one of the most heartfelt and moving autobiography’s I’ve ever read, moreover it felt authentic. This title not only paled in comparison but it lacked that authenticity it felt very much like reputation damage control when it came to reflecting on Lisa Marie’s life, her addictions, her marriages and certainly sends out a big old recollections may vary message and made me feel icky. Of course it seems their relationship was repaired by the end, which is wonderful.
There were of course several really interesting parts, a lot that I didn’t know, and I’m glad that I took the time to read, I suppose these are the answers she wants us to have to the questions she must face all the time, and obviously I was right there at the front of the queue to hear it, I mean, what a life what loss. I certainly don’t want to make her the villain of the piece, there are three sides to every story after all but I just wonder, was a lot of this content necessary.
The positive is, this is the first time in months that I’ve finished a book in a day.
Huge thanks to Hachette Publishing via NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC read by Priscilla Presley, in return for an honest review.
On one hand I really do not want to trash an 80 year old woman who has lost her daughter, her grandson, and of course Elvis himself all of those years ago. On the other hand, From Here To The Great Unknown by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough was one of the most heartfelt and moving autobiography’s I’ve ever read, moreover it felt authentic. This title not only paled in comparison but it lacked that authenticity it felt very much like reputation damage control when it came to reflecting on Lisa Marie’s life, her addictions, her marriages and certainly sends out a big old recollections may vary message and made me feel icky. Of course it seems their relationship was repaired by the end, which is wonderful.
There were of course several really interesting parts, a lot that I didn’t know, and I’m glad that I took the time to read, I suppose these are the answers she wants us to have to the questions she must face all the time, and obviously I was right there at the front of the queue to hear it, I mean, what a life what loss. I certainly don’t want to make her the villain of the piece, there are three sides to every story after all but I just wonder, was a lot of this content necessary.
The positive is, this is the first time in months that I’ve finished a book in a day.
Huge thanks to Hachette Publishing via NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC read by Priscilla Presley, in return for an honest review.
September 24, 2025
I have to ask why Priscilla wrote this book. To negate her daughter’s recollections? It didn’t even feel like her story, just someone narrating on the sidelines as she recounted things already told. The first thing that jumped out at me is she denied her last time with Elvis was an assault. That’s not what she implied in her first book in 1987, a book I read thoroughly.
I didn’t know Lisa Marie had sold Graceland so I don’t understand how Riley has control over it.
Presley spends much of the book defending her actions but she doesn’t really discuss her relationship with her grandchildren, Riley and Ben, when they were young.
She also kept comparing her son and her daughter unfairly.
Yes, she had dealt with a ton of grief, but I think this book was written as a salve to her ego.
Thanks to Edelweiss and Grand Central Publishing for the advance read.
I didn’t know Lisa Marie had sold Graceland so I don’t understand how Riley has control over it.
Presley spends much of the book defending her actions but she doesn’t really discuss her relationship with her grandchildren, Riley and Ben, when they were young.
She also kept comparing her son and her daughter unfairly.
Yes, she had dealt with a ton of grief, but I think this book was written as a salve to her ego.
Thanks to Edelweiss and Grand Central Publishing for the advance read.
October 7, 2025
Imagine writing a whole book shit talking your dead daughter
October 21, 2025
Reads more like damage control than memoir. A mother attempting to have the last word after her daughter’s memoir is published posthumously is the very definition of petty.
November 16, 2025
Priscilla Presley was only famous for being groomed by Elvis.
She had been with Elvis since she was a 14 year old child and I have to question how stupid her parents were to have allowed this. She moved into Graceland with him when she was around 16 or 17. Elvis lied to her parents telling them she would be living with his relatives, but almost as soon as she got to Memphis Elvis moved her into Graceland buying her expensive jewelry and furs and just about anything else that would dazzle her. To him she was this perfect little china doll that he wanted to remain pure.
Priscilla may claim they never had intercourse until their wedding night and she got pregnant that night. It’s her word against a dead man’s so we will never know. I think they got carried away one night and did have sex and she was already pregnant when Elvis finally married her. She said he lost interest in her after having Lisa Marie.
He was done with her as soon as she had Lisa Marie. No more meaningful sex for her. So she starts an affair with her karate instructor. Oh…. But Elvis was messing around with any woman he wanted, so I can’t really blame Priscilla for seeking someone else.
They weren’t married that long. Maybe about 6 years. She moved on. But she clung to that Presley name and still does. I have to give her credit for pulling Graceland from ruins. But Lisa Marie all but destroyed that after she inherited the estate when she turned 25. Selling 85% of her share of the Presley estate and only keeping the mansion and the grounds it sat on and items belonging to Elvis. A truly bad decision. Thankfully her daughter Riley is level headed and is doing a better job with it.
I know this is a book about Priscilla, and it was not a total waste, but in my opinion she was a crap Mom to Lisa Marie and also to her son Navarone. For some reason she wants you to believe that Navarone has Presley blood in him. Nope, sorry. Not a drop. Yes, he is Lisa’s half brother, but no half of him has ANY of Elvis’s blood. Priscilla has no Presley blood, so why does she say stuff when she is talking about Lisa and Navarone like…..Oh they are so much alike…it must be the Presley blood.
The only thing they had in common was a drug addiction. And that may have been part of Lisa’s genetics, but it did not come from Priscilla’s side because she never messed with drugs, nor did she mention it running in her side of the family. Trying a bit too hard to link them together. The two half siblings barely had a relationship at all. Poor Navarone was only known for being Lisa Marie’s half brother. I’m surprised Priscilla didn’t give him the Presley last name instead of his blood father’s last name. She never married that man and had always told Lisa she would never change her name from Presley if she ever remarried. Sure, a lot of famous people keep their maiden or better known names, but honestly, Priscilla knew without the name Presley attached to her no one would even know who she was. Except for the fact that she was Lisa Marie Presley Mother. But then Lisa was married 4 times and kept the Presley name, but she was born into it.
I just found Priscilla to be quite full of herself and the movies and shows she acted in were not exactly academy award caliber shows and The Naked Gun was funny, but not because of her. She could have been anyone. I never watched Dallas, so I have no clue who she was in that.
Why she feels like she deserves to be buried at Graceland is beyond me. I know her Grandson is there and now Lisa Marie is there, but to hear Priscilla talk she wants to be buried next to the Love of Her Life. She divorced him after 6 years! Graceland was her home for so many years?? Ummm…. Maybe about 12 years?? 12 years that Elvis was on the road and she was waiting home for him.
I can’t help but wonder what her son Navarone must feel. His Mother has chosen to be buried with her ex husband and her her grandson and her daughter and the rest of the Presley family. I would think Navarone would only attend the funeral of his Mom and never set foot back on Graceland. A huge slap in his face. Priscilla just wants to be immortalized at Graceland forever.
She craves that Presley fame. Even after her death.
Far too much of the book is repetitive and just boring. Too much time spent on Navarone, but you still don’t know him and her failing movie career. Not much written about other relationships. It was mostly just more about Elvis.
She tries to gloss over the fact that she left Lisa Marie at home with her pedophile boyfriend. She said Lisa told her he came into her room at night and pulled the sheets back and stared at her. That…. Would have been enough for a normal mother to
call the police and report him to the authorities and make sure he moved as far away from my child as he could. But she let him live there for six years!
Read Lisa’s book her daughter Riley finished writing for her posthumously using tapes that Lisa made herself. Lisa asked her to help her finish the book.
You want to read a book that rings true. Read that one. It’s called From Here to the Great Unknown.
Not this self indulging book that was nothing more that Presley trying to make herself look less like a terrible mother than she was.
She had been with Elvis since she was a 14 year old child and I have to question how stupid her parents were to have allowed this. She moved into Graceland with him when she was around 16 or 17. Elvis lied to her parents telling them she would be living with his relatives, but almost as soon as she got to Memphis Elvis moved her into Graceland buying her expensive jewelry and furs and just about anything else that would dazzle her. To him she was this perfect little china doll that he wanted to remain pure.
Priscilla may claim they never had intercourse until their wedding night and she got pregnant that night. It’s her word against a dead man’s so we will never know. I think they got carried away one night and did have sex and she was already pregnant when Elvis finally married her. She said he lost interest in her after having Lisa Marie.
He was done with her as soon as she had Lisa Marie. No more meaningful sex for her. So she starts an affair with her karate instructor. Oh…. But Elvis was messing around with any woman he wanted, so I can’t really blame Priscilla for seeking someone else.
They weren’t married that long. Maybe about 6 years. She moved on. But she clung to that Presley name and still does. I have to give her credit for pulling Graceland from ruins. But Lisa Marie all but destroyed that after she inherited the estate when she turned 25. Selling 85% of her share of the Presley estate and only keeping the mansion and the grounds it sat on and items belonging to Elvis. A truly bad decision. Thankfully her daughter Riley is level headed and is doing a better job with it.
I know this is a book about Priscilla, and it was not a total waste, but in my opinion she was a crap Mom to Lisa Marie and also to her son Navarone. For some reason she wants you to believe that Navarone has Presley blood in him. Nope, sorry. Not a drop. Yes, he is Lisa’s half brother, but no half of him has ANY of Elvis’s blood. Priscilla has no Presley blood, so why does she say stuff when she is talking about Lisa and Navarone like…..Oh they are so much alike…it must be the Presley blood.
The only thing they had in common was a drug addiction. And that may have been part of Lisa’s genetics, but it did not come from Priscilla’s side because she never messed with drugs, nor did she mention it running in her side of the family. Trying a bit too hard to link them together. The two half siblings barely had a relationship at all. Poor Navarone was only known for being Lisa Marie’s half brother. I’m surprised Priscilla didn’t give him the Presley last name instead of his blood father’s last name. She never married that man and had always told Lisa she would never change her name from Presley if she ever remarried. Sure, a lot of famous people keep their maiden or better known names, but honestly, Priscilla knew without the name Presley attached to her no one would even know who she was. Except for the fact that she was Lisa Marie Presley Mother. But then Lisa was married 4 times and kept the Presley name, but she was born into it.
I just found Priscilla to be quite full of herself and the movies and shows she acted in were not exactly academy award caliber shows and The Naked Gun was funny, but not because of her. She could have been anyone. I never watched Dallas, so I have no clue who she was in that.
Why she feels like she deserves to be buried at Graceland is beyond me. I know her Grandson is there and now Lisa Marie is there, but to hear Priscilla talk she wants to be buried next to the Love of Her Life. She divorced him after 6 years! Graceland was her home for so many years?? Ummm…. Maybe about 12 years?? 12 years that Elvis was on the road and she was waiting home for him.
I can’t help but wonder what her son Navarone must feel. His Mother has chosen to be buried with her ex husband and her her grandson and her daughter and the rest of the Presley family. I would think Navarone would only attend the funeral of his Mom and never set foot back on Graceland. A huge slap in his face. Priscilla just wants to be immortalized at Graceland forever.
She craves that Presley fame. Even after her death.
Far too much of the book is repetitive and just boring. Too much time spent on Navarone, but you still don’t know him and her failing movie career. Not much written about other relationships. It was mostly just more about Elvis.
She tries to gloss over the fact that she left Lisa Marie at home with her pedophile boyfriend. She said Lisa told her he came into her room at night and pulled the sheets back and stared at her. That…. Would have been enough for a normal mother to
call the police and report him to the authorities and make sure he moved as far away from my child as he could. But she let him live there for six years!
Read Lisa’s book her daughter Riley finished writing for her posthumously using tapes that Lisa made herself. Lisa asked her to help her finish the book.
You want to read a book that rings true. Read that one. It’s called From Here to the Great Unknown.
Not this self indulging book that was nothing more that Presley trying to make herself look less like a terrible mother than she was.
October 5, 2025
I feel like Priscilla wrote this book in retaliation to Lisa Marie and Riley's memoir. There was a lot of sympathy to be had for Lisa Marie throughout her storytelling about her life. In this version, Priscilla acts very defensive and deflects a lot. She basically claims her son is a perfect human and her daughter is a big mess. She also has a very high opinion of herself and is not afraid to brag. Her first memoir felt more authentic compared to this one. And to comment on the audiobook specifically, I liked the fact that Priscilla did the recording, but it was pretty quiet on my copy. I had the volume turned up to the max on my phone and could still barely hear it at times.
Thanks to NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing, and Hachette Audio for allowing me to listen to an advanced audio recorded copy of Softly, As I Leave You: Life After Elvis in the return of an honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing, and Hachette Audio for allowing me to listen to an advanced audio recorded copy of Softly, As I Leave You: Life After Elvis in the return of an honest review.
January 16, 2026
When you have no expectations, at least they aren't disappointed! I think the sole purpose of this book was to question what Lisa said in hers. Timing explained. A book we certainly didn't need, with old stories about Elvis, from whom she divorced a life ago. And about her life "after Elvis", I can find only a partial narrative, convenient to a specific image she wants to show us and that doesn't reflect the public behaviour we have seen in these recent years. I can't found a truthful narration so I confess it left me nothing. A forgettable book.
October 23, 2025
2.5/5 ✨ I try really hard to not criticize people’s life stories but this one was not great. The sentence structure/writing was not great. There were areas that felt as if they were written back in primary school not from an 80 year old lady who also had the help of a ghostwriter. Most of the book was her describing her accolades, her love for Elvis, and trying to do damage control. Her daughter had begun to write a memoir before her passing detailing the grief she carried her whole life and how that affected each decision she made until the end. You could feel the emotions when reading it because it was raw. This memoir, did not contain that. I wished she would have been honest about how her actions had affected her daughter but instead painted her daughter as the problem and her young son as the prodigy even though he too also struggled with addiction. The praise for her certain individuals in this story felt forced and lacked any kind of true feelings. How do you praise your granddaughter for her strength but stay silent on the fact that you sued her before the dirt settled on her mom’s grave because you felt entitled to have Graceland?
January 3, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced audio copy of this book! It was a beautiful tribute to Elvis and his legacy and Priscilla’s strength in carrying on after her husband’s death. She has lost so many loved ones in her life but still continues to honor them through self-love, keeping up the Presley estate, advocacy, and through caring for her son, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
August 31, 2025
This was an interesting listen. In part a love letter to Priscilla’s kids, family, Elvis and more and in part, a bit of clearing up or getting Priscilla’s take on Lisa Marie and Riley’s book from 2024. I think it was well done and a relatively fair take on people and events.
October 23, 2025
Blah. It feels like Priscilla put this book out just to contradict the things Lisa Marie said about her in her book (which I believe). This no-talent woman has lived off the Presley name for decades. I wish she would just own up to the fact that it’s the only interesting thing about her.
November 21, 2025
I love Presley lore and cannot stop!!! Priscilla is really something - a woman of another time. A lot of this felt like damage control from Lisa’s book and it’s hard to know who to believe.
As an aside I hate when memoirs have chapters dedicated to the subject’s work with rescue animals. Uninteresting drivel as far as I’m concerned.
As an aside I hate when memoirs have chapters dedicated to the subject’s work with rescue animals. Uninteresting drivel as far as I’m concerned.
September 13, 2025
I have mixed feelings on this book. I empathize with her and all the loved ones she has lost in traumatic ways. A mother should never have to bury a child or a grandchild. However, listening to tell her story it became apparent she has some narcissistic tendencies. She talks about how classy she is, how great of an actress, and never really admits her own faults. The best memoirs are the ones that are vulnerable and admit mistakes. I also was appalled at how young she was when she started dating Elvis (she was 14 and he was 24). He very obviously groomed her, having her take classes on how to be a subservient woman and wife. Ewwwww. The weird thing is, she tells all of this like there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. She also was naive when getting sucked into the church of Scientology, but somehow looks back on it with fondness despite admitting later in the book all the shady practices.
Although I can’t claim to be a fan of Priscilla, I have to admit this book and her delusions were super fascinating to read. My impression is that Riley Keough is this only sane one to come out this family. Sorry to be so blunt!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced release copy in exchange for a honest review.
Although I can’t claim to be a fan of Priscilla, I have to admit this book and her delusions were super fascinating to read. My impression is that Riley Keough is this only sane one to come out this family. Sorry to be so blunt!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced release copy in exchange for a honest review.
November 19, 2025
Well written. The chapter near the end referencing Lisa Marie's death brought me to tears.
October 28, 2025
Utterly pointless and uninteresting.
October 6, 2025
Life after Elvis? For the most part this is about Elvis, Elvis, Elvis. She gives pages to Elvis whom was a primary in her life for about 10 years and a couple of lines to her relationship with Marco Garcia the father of her son.
Seems to me this woman has milked her relationship with Elvis to keep herself in the public eye and money in her bank account.
Even the photo on the back doesn't reflect what this woman actually looks like. Didn't have the courage to address the elephant in the room regarding her botched plastic surgery. She did however mention that Lisa Marie had had a few tweaks.
Only good thing I can say thanks to Mary Jane Ross the read is an easy one.
Seems to me this woman has milked her relationship with Elvis to keep herself in the public eye and money in her bank account.
Even the photo on the back doesn't reflect what this woman actually looks like. Didn't have the courage to address the elephant in the room regarding her botched plastic surgery. She did however mention that Lisa Marie had had a few tweaks.
Only good thing I can say thanks to Mary Jane Ross the read is an easy one.
May 12, 2025
Priscilla Presley lays her heart out for the world to read in her beautifully told memoir SOFTLY AS I LEAVE YOU: LIFE AFTER ELVIS... coming out this fall. Thanks to Grand Central for giving me an early look; I must say this is one of the most moving celebrity memoirs I've read in ages.
I found myself in a literal puddle of tears as I processed Priscilla's grief over the loss of her beloved daughter Lisa Marie in the book's final act. But fear not; this story does not just make you cry as it spans 8 decades of the life of the glamorous Priscilla Beaulieu Presley- we see the beginning and end of her relationship with the King of Rock and Roll; but then we see the incredible career as a businesswoman and actress and speaker that she has created for herself with humorous vignettes about her time on TV shows like Dallas and Melrose Place and her work in films like The Naked Gun; and even a memorable story about her stint on Dancing with the Stars. And, yes, there are incredibly personal stories about Elvis as well- though this book is *Priscilla's* story, not his. It is heartbreaking and emotional and truly beautiful.
I leave this book with such a deeper admiration and respect for Ms. Presley; she rose above all of the gossip and rumors that spread about her and her divorce from the most famous man in the world and turned out one hell of a career and a lasting legacy for her daughter, son, and grandchildren. SOFTLY AS I LEAVE YOU will be one of the most talked about memoirs of the fall.
I found myself in a literal puddle of tears as I processed Priscilla's grief over the loss of her beloved daughter Lisa Marie in the book's final act. But fear not; this story does not just make you cry as it spans 8 decades of the life of the glamorous Priscilla Beaulieu Presley- we see the beginning and end of her relationship with the King of Rock and Roll; but then we see the incredible career as a businesswoman and actress and speaker that she has created for herself with humorous vignettes about her time on TV shows like Dallas and Melrose Place and her work in films like The Naked Gun; and even a memorable story about her stint on Dancing with the Stars. And, yes, there are incredibly personal stories about Elvis as well- though this book is *Priscilla's* story, not his. It is heartbreaking and emotional and truly beautiful.
I leave this book with such a deeper admiration and respect for Ms. Presley; she rose above all of the gossip and rumors that spread about her and her divorce from the most famous man in the world and turned out one hell of a career and a lasting legacy for her daughter, son, and grandchildren. SOFTLY AS I LEAVE YOU will be one of the most talked about memoirs of the fall.
September 6, 2025
Any opportunity to get a glimpse into the life of Elvis, Priscilla & Lisa Marie Presley feels like an absolute treat.
I have always been fascinated by Priscilla. So beautiful, the epitome of feminine glamour, she is still a fashion icon even now. This book follows her life from her days with Elvis, while focusing more on her life after. It was absolutely fascinating. She so beautifully captured losing both her husband, and then her daughter. Filled with emotion, this is the perfect follow-up read to Lisa Marie's autobiography if you want another perspective on the bubble of idolatry and obsession and tragedy that follows their family.
Priscilla narrates the audiobook herself, and her beautiful, elegant voice makes the experience so much more authentic. I could have listened to hours and hours of Priscilla telling us her story.
I had previously preordered a signed copy, but would like to thank Hachette Audio for an advanced copy of the audiobook. I don't think the experience would have been the same as words on paper.
I have always been fascinated by Priscilla. So beautiful, the epitome of feminine glamour, she is still a fashion icon even now. This book follows her life from her days with Elvis, while focusing more on her life after. It was absolutely fascinating. She so beautifully captured losing both her husband, and then her daughter. Filled with emotion, this is the perfect follow-up read to Lisa Marie's autobiography if you want another perspective on the bubble of idolatry and obsession and tragedy that follows their family.
Priscilla narrates the audiobook herself, and her beautiful, elegant voice makes the experience so much more authentic. I could have listened to hours and hours of Priscilla telling us her story.
I had previously preordered a signed copy, but would like to thank Hachette Audio for an advanced copy of the audiobook. I don't think the experience would have been the same as words on paper.
December 26, 2025
Softly, As I Leave You by Priscilla Presley is a reflective, bittersweet memoir about love, identity, and learning how to live outside someone else’s shadow—especially when that someone is Elvis Presley.
Beyond the marriage, Priscilla writes candidly about motherhood, including her daughter Lisa Marie’s struggles, and the quiet heartbreak of watching your child suffer while trying to hold a family together. The tone is restrained but sincere, making the moments of vulnerability feel earned rather than sensational.
Beyond the marriage, Priscilla writes candidly about motherhood, including her daughter Lisa Marie’s struggles, and the quiet heartbreak of watching your child suffer while trying to hold a family together. The tone is restrained but sincere, making the moments of vulnerability feel earned rather than sensational.
September 11, 2025
This is Priscilla’s memoir from a young 14 year old girl who met a man named Elvis and how her life changed forever. She left him at 27 years old even though she will always have love for him. This shows her life during and after the singing legend. He may of been a singing & movie star sensation but he was not what most call a great husband, “grooming” her in a way to be what he wanted as a house wife. Through good and bad times she found the strength to find her own life & happiness. This also delves into her children’s ups and downs to her daughter’s tragic end. I’ve seen a few of the biographical movies/shows telling their story knowing they don’t always show it all how it truly happened so it was an enlightening read for me from Priscilla’s POV. This story behind the headlines recalls not only the happy moments in her life but the emotional and life changing ones that you can never forget.
September 24, 2025
I was so excited to read this. Honestly the book could have been written in less than half the words the author used. It became a mental game to guess how many times I’d read “extraordinary” or “reflected” or “cultivate” on each page. I love biographies but honestly this one really fell flat. So many repetitive themes throughout the book. I ended up skimming a lot of the pages because it was the same thing (and same words) over and over.
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