Elvis in the Morning

Elvis in the Morning is a book with a split personality. I am amazed I read nearly the whole thing. One part of the book is centered around the character of Orson, a young boy who meets Elvis, who is stationed in Germany. The other half of the book is a biography, of sorts, about Elvis Presley and his downward spiral.

The book is written by William F. Buckley, Jr., a conversative writer and thinker. I didn't realize that Buckley has written several fictional books. I was very interested in seeing what kind of fiction he would write. Unfortunately, I was very disappointed in this recent attempt. I guess I was expecting his writing to be as charismatic as his television personality and as conservative as his political views. Instead, this book is very confusing.

Many writers use a famous personality or fictional character to wrap their stories around. I find the practice a bit annoying, especially in this book. The story line of the main character, Orson, could have been very interesting. The conversion of a socialist to a conservative. Or the journey of a liberal hippy into a family man, while overcoming tragedy. Instead, we are given the self-implosion of a famous person. What was the point? Is there a point?

For Elvis junkie fans, check-out Elvis in a pop-up book. Peer into his kitchen cupboards or look at the closets of Graceland. Includes a forward by Priscilla Presley. Only for truly devoted fans of Elvis.

Elvis in the Morning Book Rating: 2 Stars
Graceland (Elvis Pop-up) Book Rating: 3 Stars


Up next: Don't Worry, Make Money, by Richard Carlson.