Fortunate Son: The Life of Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley's story is so fairly well known that it has become part of the American Dream canon of rags to riches. A new biography by history professor, Charles L. Ponce de Leon, begs to ask the question: What can another Presley biography add to our understanding of the man? "Fortunate Son" would not satisfy the ardent fan of Presley, but would perhaps fit the bill for those who want to know more about Presley's life but do not want to invest the time in reading Peter Guralnick's expansive two-volume biography ("Last Train to Memphis" and "Careless Love"). In fact, "Fortunate Son" reads like a cliff notes version of Guralnick's Presley biography; this point is evident as one peruses the notes section. Ponce de Leon illuminates Presley's high (1956 television appearances) and low points (1960s movies) in a succinct manner without giving the impression of rushing the reader despite the biography being only 212 pages. "Fortunate Son" does not add any new information on the King of Rock and Roll as much as compress and develop a taut, concise picture from various past biographies and historical resources. In Ponce de Leon's view, Presley is a casualty of fame. The author points out 1958 to be the crucial year where the slow unraveling of the King began (Presley is drafted into the U.S. Army and begins ingesting amphetamines to stay awake during his long rounds/drills; Presley's mother, Gladys, dies). Presley's lack of challenge and isolation grew as he was cranking out a "travelogue" (Presley's term for his movies) in as little as three weeks during the 1960s. And sadly, the King's health and appearance went into decline, especially in the late 1970s, but no one in Presley's circle was on par with the King to confront the ailing singer. Ponce de Leon writes, "This was the terrible, tragic downside of being the King. Elvis had no equal; with everyone close to him being in his service, no one close to him could give him the help he needed." "Fortunate Son" not only tracks how someone born in a shotgun house in Tupelo, Mississippi can rock millions by the tender age of twenty-one, but also chronicles how this same Greek-god like singer becomes a parody of himself and ultimately dies prematurely at the age of forty-two. A riveting account told in a tightly drawn narrative. Bohdan Kot