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Friday, August 25, 2006
Me and a Guy Named Elvis
I'd like to start this by saying, I love Elvis. I really do. I love the energy you get just by watching him in Elvis: That's the Way It Is. It feels like he's going to pop out of my TV and entertain me in my living room. When an Elvis tune comes on the radio, I never, ever change the station.
Now, I haven't been to Graceland and I don't really own a lot of his "Elvis" products. The books about him I own were given to me as gifts. I'm not an Elvis collector. But, if someone would recreate one of the rings he actually wore, I'd stand in line to buy it. Actually, the shop at Elvis.com did offer such a ring, but at the time, I couldn't afford the purchase. I don't believe in celebrating August 16th, as that's the day we lost the guy I consider to be the greatest entertainer to ever live. Personally, I believe that had he had a better manager, Elvis would've been better and achived more in his young life than he did. I believe he wouldn't have become the shell of a man he became in his later years. On my list of people I wish I could've met, I would have loved to have stood in a room with him just once. Just once.
On the other hand, I feel sorry for Elvis. He was the first of his kind. Fans didn't really go that nuts about music stars, like they did movie stars until Elvis came along. He never really got to be himself, I believe, ever. Could you imagine not being able to feel safe enough to be you? Top if all off by the fact that Elvis was really just a poor country boy at heart and he was lonely.
Anyway, the reason I started this post was to ask the question, do we really need another Elvis book? Jerry Schilling, whom I'm sure is a nice guy, has written Me and a Guy Named Elvis. But, do we really need to read one more version about Elvis and his life? What new ground can Mr. Schilling cover?
Well, you know when it makes it to the Racine Library, I'll check it out and read it, but that's only in the interest of passing on the details to you, my gentle readers.
Until then, I recommend getting yourself a copy of Elvis That's the Way It Is. Watching Elvis in action is way more fun than reading about him.
Happy Reading!
Now, I haven't been to Graceland and I don't really own a lot of his "Elvis" products. The books about him I own were given to me as gifts. I'm not an Elvis collector. But, if someone would recreate one of the rings he actually wore, I'd stand in line to buy it. Actually, the shop at Elvis.com did offer such a ring, but at the time, I couldn't afford the purchase. I don't believe in celebrating August 16th, as that's the day we lost the guy I consider to be the greatest entertainer to ever live. Personally, I believe that had he had a better manager, Elvis would've been better and achived more in his young life than he did. I believe he wouldn't have become the shell of a man he became in his later years. On my list of people I wish I could've met, I would have loved to have stood in a room with him just once. Just once.
On the other hand, I feel sorry for Elvis. He was the first of his kind. Fans didn't really go that nuts about music stars, like they did movie stars until Elvis came along. He never really got to be himself, I believe, ever. Could you imagine not being able to feel safe enough to be you? Top if all off by the fact that Elvis was really just a poor country boy at heart and he was lonely.
Anyway, the reason I started this post was to ask the question, do we really need another Elvis book? Jerry Schilling, whom I'm sure is a nice guy, has written Me and a Guy Named Elvis. But, do we really need to read one more version about Elvis and his life? What new ground can Mr. Schilling cover?
Well, you know when it makes it to the Racine Library, I'll check it out and read it, but that's only in the interest of passing on the details to you, my gentle readers.
Until then, I recommend getting yourself a copy of Elvis That's the Way It Is. Watching Elvis in action is way more fun than reading about him.
Happy Reading!
Labels: Book Review
Thursday, August 10, 2006
A Question of Loyality
General William "Billy" Mitchell predicted a major attack on US soil. He criticize the government for their lack of innovation in aviation. Then, the Army court martial him.
Current news story?
No. This is the story of a man who spoke the truth and received a court martial as a thank you in 1925. Which only proves that loyalty was an issue throughout our history.
General Mitchell won medals for his bravery during WWI. He proved in 1921 that attack planes could sink a battleship. He went on to predict the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. The man was way a head of his time.
This book touches on his past that rose him in the ranks and then follows the trail to how General Mitchell found himself in a courtroom in the Emery Building. Then, the book follows the trial and the aftermath.
I haven't finished reading this one, which I usually don't do reviews on books I haven't finished, but due to the nature of the book, I found myself compelled to write this review, as I believe it touches on a lot of issues that we have today.
Happy Reading!
Current news story?
No. This is the story of a man who spoke the truth and received a court martial as a thank you in 1925. Which only proves that loyalty was an issue throughout our history.
General Mitchell won medals for his bravery during WWI. He proved in 1921 that attack planes could sink a battleship. He went on to predict the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. The man was way a head of his time.
This book touches on his past that rose him in the ranks and then follows the trail to how General Mitchell found himself in a courtroom in the Emery Building. Then, the book follows the trial and the aftermath.
I haven't finished reading this one, which I usually don't do reviews on books I haven't finished, but due to the nature of the book, I found myself compelled to write this review, as I believe it touches on a lot of issues that we have today.
Happy Reading!
Labels: Book Review
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