Elvis Presley Books: How to Choose the Right One for Your Interest
Elvis Presley books fall into four practical categories — biography, photo collection, music reference, and Follow That Dream (FTD) releases — and the right one for you depends on whether you want to read his life story, look at rare images, or research recordings and concert dates. The site Elvis Presley Music groups its book coverage under a dedicated Books section alongside CD, DVD, and FTD reviews, which makes it a reasonable starting point for seeing what exists before you buy.
The four main categories
| Category | What it gives you | Best if you want to… |
|---|---|---|
| Biography | A chronological narrative of Elvis's life, often day by day | Understand the life story from 1935 to 1977 |
| Photo collection | Large-format images, often from private archives | See rare or unpublished photographs |
| Music / reference guide | Recording sessions, release data, concert lists | Research a specific song, session, or performance |
| FTD releases | Book-and-CD sets tied to specific sessions or eras | Combine reading with remastered audio |
The site's own biography content is organised as a "day by day" account of Elvis's life from 1935 to 1977, including all concerts, movies, and important events — the same structure many printed biographies follow, so it is a useful free way to test whether that level of detail suits you before buying a book.
Matching the book to your goal
- Learning the life story: choose a biography. Check whether it covers the full 1935–1977 span or only a period (the 50s, Army years, 60s, or 70s are often treated separately).
- Viewing rare photos: choose a photo book, and judge it on image quality rather than page count. Sample pages are the only reliable way to check print resolution.
- Researching recordings or concerts: choose a reference guide or discography-style book, where accuracy of session dates and take information matters more than narrative.
- Wanting audio with the reading: FTD releases pair a book with CDs, so the value depends on whether you want the specific sessions covered.
What to check before buying
- Author credentials. Ask whether the author had direct access to archives, interviews, or the Elvis Presley Enterprises estate, or worked independently from published sources.
- Authorized vs. independent. Authorized books tend to have stronger photo rights; independent books often go deeper into fan-level detail. Neither is automatically better — it depends on your goal.
- Format and edition. Hardcover, paperback, and updated reissues of the same title can differ in photo reproduction and added material. If a book has been revised, the later edition usually carries corrections.
- Reviews and sample pages. Reviews on fan sites such as Elvis Presley Music, plus any preview pages the seller offers, are the fastest way to judge photo quality and factual accuracy.
A practical example
Suppose you are mainly interested in the 1953–1955 Sun Records period and the 1956 breakthrough year, when Elvis recorded "Heartbreak Hotel," "Don't Be Cruel," "Hound Dog," and "Love Me Tender," appeared on national television 11 times, and signed a seven-year contract with Paramount. A general one-volume biography will cover this in a chapter or two; a session-focused reference book or an FTD release tied to those recordings will give you far more detail. Deciding which level of detail you actually want is the single biggest factor in choosing well.
Common pitfalls
- Buying a photo book for its text, or a reference book for its narrative — the categories rarely overlap well.
- Assuming a newer edition is always better; check what was actually added or corrected.
- Overlooking format: large photo books are often heavy hardcovers, which matters if you want something portable.
If you are unsure where to start, browse the Books and Book Reviews sections on Elvis Presley Music first, note which titles keep appearing, then check those specific titles against the criteria above.