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List Price: $17.99 | | Publisher: Back Bay Books
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Editorial Review:
"Here at last is the full, true, and mesmerizing story of Elvis Presley's last two decades, in the long-awaited second volume of Peter Guralnick's masterful two-part biography. Last Train to Memphis, the first part of Guralnick's two-volume life of Elvis Presley, was acclaimed by the New York Times as "a triumph of biographical art." This concluding volume recounts the second half of Elvis' life in rich and previously unimagined detail, and confirms Guralnick's status as one of the great biographers of our time. Beginning with Presley's army service in Germany in 1958 and ending with his death in Memphis in 1977, Careless Love chronicles the unraveling of the dream that once shone so brightly, homing in on the complex playing-out of Elvis' relationship with his Machiavellian manager, Colonel Tom Parker. It's a breathtaking, revelatory drama that for the first time places the events of a too-often mistold tale in a fresh, believable, and understandable context. Elvis' changes during these years form a tragic mystery that Careless Love unlocks for the first time. This is the quint essential American story, encompassing elements of race, class, wealth, sex, music, religion, and personal transformation. Written with grace, sensitivity, and passion, Careless Love is a unique contribution to our understanding of American popular culture and the nature of success, giving us true insight at last into one of the most misunderstood public figures of our times. "
Description of Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley:
Until Peter Guralnick came out with Last Train to Memphis in 1994, most biographies of Elvis Presley--especially those written by people with varying degrees of access to his "inner circle"--were filled with starstruck adulation, and those that weren't in awe of their subject invariably went out of their way to take potshots at the rock & roll pioneer (with Albert Goldman's 1981 Elvis reaching now-legendary levels of bile and condescension). Guralnick's exploration of Elvis's childhood and rise to fame was notable for its factual rigorousness and its intimate appreciation of Presley's musical agenda.
Picking up where the first volume left off, Guralnick sees Elvis through his tour of duty with the U.S. Army in Germany, where he first met--and was captivated by--a 14-year-old girl named Priscilla Beaulieu. We may think we know the story from this point: the return to America, the near-decade of B-movies, eventual marriage to Priscilla, a brief flash of glory with the '68 comeback, and the surrealism of "fat Elvis" decked out in bejeweled white jumpsuits, culminating in a bathroom death scene. And while that summary isn't exactly false, Guralnick's account shows how little perspective we've had on Elvis's life until now, how a gross caricature of the final years has come to stand for the life itself. He treats every aspect of Presley's life--including forays into spiritual mysticism and the growing dependency on prescription drugs--with dignity and critical distance. More importantly, Careless Love continues to show that Guralnick "gets" what Presley was trying to do as an artist: "I see him in the same way that I think he saw himself from the start," the introduction states, "as someone whose ambition it was to encompass every strand of the American musical tradition." From rock to blues to country to gospel, Guralnick discusses how, at his finest moments, Elvis was able to fulfill that dream. --Ron Hogan
Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley Reviews:
must read 
2009-09-07 - Peter Guralnick's LAST TRAIN TO MEMPHIS &
CARELESS LOVE are a must read. You will
NEVER have to read any other books on Elvis
if you read these.
It tells of the highest highs and the lowest lows.
He gave us all that wonderful music...only to die
in 1977 drugged up sitting on a toilet, with a
woman in his bed who did not love him & a little
girl in the hall way wondering why her daddy
won't let her in. SO SAD. SO SHAMEFUL.
Well researched and keeps you thinking about
him long after you have put the books down.
The definitive story about the King
2009-07-27 - It's true this is indeed a sad story and if you are an Elvis fan you've heard it all before. But Mr. Guralnick's treatment on the subject is in my opinion the most honest and respectful. Elvis was human but he was a remarkably humble and talented human. I have always admired Elvis and after reading this book I admire him even more. There was some tarnish on the King's crown near the end, but the love never ended. His love of the music, his love for his fans and their love in return. RIP Elvis and thank you Peter Guralnick for writing this book.
All The King's Horses and All The King's Men...
2009-07-20 - This is the second and final half of Peter Guralinck's Elvis biography. The book picks up in the winter of 1958 while Elvis is in the army. It is here where Elvis first expiraments with pills leading to life long drug problems.
This is a much darker and sinister book than Last Train to Memphis. Guralnick holds nothing back. That's not to say that there aren't moments of triumph. Elvis's 1968 comeback and the early 1970's shows in Vegas are high points that led to a resurgence in his career. Yet, the highs are short lived and quickly followed by an ever increasing psychosis and derangement brought on by years of drug abuse.
Colonel Parker's past is revealed, and his parasitic nature are exposed. Elvis's controlling behavior turns violent, and prophetic harbingers of doom rear their ugly heads.
As others have stated, reading this is both increadibly entertaining and depressing at the same time. The tradgedy of Elvis's life really hits home. His god complex, his bizarre meeting with Nixon, his less than flatering meeting with the Beatles, his neverending search for spiritualism, his failed relationships, and the loss of his libido. You find yourself angry at him and simultaniously sorry for him.
It plays out like some great Shakespearian tradgedy. You'll never look at Elvis the same way again.
careless love
2009-05-07 - An excellent book about Elvis .Marty Lacker and Lamar Fike tell of life with the King from their perspective during the years they were part of the Memphis mafia.No detail is spared as they tell it like it is yet still reveal their love and loyalty for Elvis Presley The book is well written and i enjoyed it very much I have read some others about Elvis and found this to be one of only three good books about him to date.
A Treasure for Those Who Love Pop Music 
2009-04-17 - Careless Love, the second volume of this exhaustive biography of Elvis Presley, is one of the finest, most detailed books I have ever read on any subject. But this book is not only for Elvis lovers: It transcends that by appealing to those--and there are many of us--who care about a famous life, brought to life with authority, compassion, and suspended judgment. One does not come to know Elvis, but to understand him. Rock on, Peter Guralnick: your work is a treasure.
