Graceland

by Laura Kalpakian

"Sacred to the Memory of Elvis," proclaims a homely, front porch memorial in a shabby neighborhood. Even years after his death, Joyce Jackson keeps the Christmas lights twinkling, and the flowers fresh. She keeps the faith as she builds a life for her two daughters, Priscilla and Lisa Marie. Joyce's benevolence is inspired by Elvis, but her vision is entirely her own. Her generosity of spirit resonates among a cast of memorable holy rollers, rock and rollers, cops and robbers, refugees and social workers-one of whom inadvertently reawakens Joyce's old nemesis.Marge Mason believes that Joyce is a welfare cheat with bad taste in men and music and too much spunk for a woman on public assistance. In this contest, Joyce will need every bit of her strength and spiritual largesse.Rippling with rhythm and the blues, Graced Land celebrates the power of music and love connecting the iconic King with a struggling single mother.

Genres: Fiction

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1992

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate to disagree with everyone, especially since I wanted to love this book so badly. Why the author chose to start it with Emily, I will never understand. I couldn't stand her. This twenty-three year old goes around lecturing someone twenty years her senior about "being an old maid" (in 1982!), doesn't know that home economics was a required class in 1957 (I do and I'm just a "dumb millennial") and feels the need to tell her client that SHE took college prep. Way too much time is spent on Emily's obnoxious rich family and their opinions, her whining about her fiancee who is away at law school and so on. I just didn't care. By the time we flashed back a Europe vacation with her parents, I was done with her. I didn't care if it was August 16th 1977, I wasn't going to read that. I thought it would get better once we were done with Emily and while it did, I still wasn't loving it. The jumping between first and third person didn't help. Some authors (and they are few) can pull it off, but not Laura Kalpakian. At some point, I just started skimming because it was that or taking weeks or months to get through this book.

I wanted to love Joyce's quirky character but I had a hard time even with that. What Elvis fan would name their dog after Colonel Parker of all people, and why in the world did she like the obnoxious Emily? She should have seen through her lies about being an Elvis fan when Emily didn't even know a single Elvis song because she is "not good with titles".

The ending was a big letdown too.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was chosen by my book group back in 1998. The author is local and came to our discussion of her book, an enjoyable tale about a young woman on welfare who’s obsessed with Elvis. I remember it as a pleasant evening, but don’t know if it was because we really liked the book or liked the author—maybe both.

[Debbie Sarvis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A favorite book of mine. It was made into a tv movie that starred and produced by Roseanne and screen play by Rita Mae Brown . This book showed the relationship between a woman on welfare and her Social Worker. Such a great look into how social class and prejudice clouds our perception of others even in a therapeutic relationship.

[Marcia]

This is one of my favorite titles from a really talented author, Laura Kalpakian.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rambled on a bit but a good book

[Janice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this several years ago, and loved it!