The famous quote is that John Lennon said, “Before Elvis there was nothing.” But Guralnick writes Jerry Schilling said that Lennon told him to tell Elvis, “if it hadn’t been for him I would have been nothing.” So is that where the quote came from, because that is a totally different meaning.

I love this quote Elvis said to Jerry Schilling, “You know, one of the most important things to learn in life is to be able to cope with not having anything to do.” I love it because I think that was Elvis’ main problem coping with having nothing to do (it was at the root of all his problems), and I also love it because I love to be alone with nothing to do and by nothing I mean just reading or watching movies or being with my dogs. Had she not had an abortion, we would have another Lisa Marie or Elvis Jr running around. Joyce Bova’s memoir was correct – she was a bigger deal than I thought. One of Elvis’ favorite books The Impersonal Life was published by Sun Publishing Company – coincidence or fate? I had no idea Elvis actually applied to be a police officer when he was 19, but was turned down because he was too young. I did not realize Elvis actually dated Christina Crawford (Joan Crawford’s “Mommie Dearest” daughter) during Wild in the Country. She was the one Elvis dragged out by her hair when she objected to Joe lighting Elvis’ cigarette. Elvis dated Sandy Ferra longer than I thought. Elisabeth Mansfield was a bigger deal than is talked about – her relationship with Elvis was longer and more important than I thought.

There were many things I didn’t know or didn’t remember. Cilla moved to Germany Aug 15, the International Hotel opening in Vegas was in August and following engagements every August, Elvis and Anita broke up in August, news of Elvis and Ann-Margret broke in August, the Beatles visited Elvis August 27, Kathy Westmoreland joined the group August 16, 1970, Elvis met Jo Kathy in August and it seemed many tours began on August 16th. Obviously his death and his mother’s death. It had occurred to me before, but seeing it in print over and over again really drove home that so many significant events in Elvis’ life took place in August. My copy is a paperback, but it is a first edition paperback. I first read Careless Love: the unmaking of elvis presley by Peter Guralnick when it first came out almost 20 years ago and hadn’t read it since. I always want to call this book “Careless Whisper” like the Wham song.

Peter guralnick elvis books