Book Reviews                                                                Elvis The King  (Jim Pizza) Reviewed by Elvis News

Released at the end of 2005 is the coffee table book �The King� by Jim Piazza. And if we say coffee table book we mean coffee table (book)!

Design

This publication was presented as a coffee table book. Looking at the giant size, 15"�17", this book is a coffee table in its own right by adding just four legs. When you open your coffee table you find a modern looking book on glossy paper. The design was done by Platinum Design's Matthew Bouloutian and Andy Taray. This is the kind of book you could show your friends to impress them.

On the cover, which comes in the colours black, white and cold, the title is set in little diamonds, the additional �bling� to the publication. Inside a lot of gold and silver colours are used too. The quality of the pictures is good, even blown up to fit a size like this.

Content

This book deals with all major aspects of Elvis life from his humble beginning to his untimely death and what happened afterwards. Topics include his childhood and early career, his army years, his rise to superstardom, his Hollywood years (in this section each film is explored in detail and illustrated with stills and posters), Elvis in Las Vegas, his many women, and the industry that has sprung up around his image.

With 600 colour and black and white pictures unearthed from such sources as AP, Photofest and the Getty Archives illustrating it. Most of the images are well known (especially to collectors like us) but the fashion in which they are presented with additional informative text and artefacts, posters, magazines is very well done.

The only minor is the item on impersonators; we skipped these pages, and believe that � although part of the Elvis world today � these �fans� have no place in a great book like this.

Conclusion

A real great looking and informative book you can show off to your friends or use as a coffee table.