Child Bride: The Untold Story of Priscilla Beaulieu Presley

My favorite genre of reading is biographies, and I've read too many to count about Elvis and Priscilla Presley. I think my interest was piqued back in the mid 1980's when Priscilla Presley released her memoir entitled "Elvis and Me". That book was was one of my favorite autobiographies I had ever read, and it was even made into a television mini-series...equally fascinating. I may have even watched the mini-series before reading the book, but it's been so long I can't remember. That spawned the purchasing of any biography about Elvis that came on the market from former friends, "Memphis Mafia" buddies, extended family members, employees, girlfriends, etc. It's been at least a decade since I've read a book about Elvis, but my recent interest in reading a book about him was sparked by a trip to Elvis Presley's home Graceland a week ago, a high school graduation gift requested by my son. When a biographical figure makes it to the forefront of my mind, it usually triggers a reading frenzy about that person. I already have kindle books waiting in my library sitting there for years from Presley's former girlfiend Linda Hamilton, former fiance Ginger Alden, Graceland cook, and former physician...but I made an impulse kindle buy of this one while installed at The Guest House at Graceland.After reading the dog-eared paperback of "Elvis and Me" by Priscilla Presley on multiple occasions, I was very intrigued by the premise of this book which disputes many of Priscilla's claims over the years. Well! It certainly shatters them! One of the major claims in Priscilla's memoir was the fact that she was a virgin when she married Elvis. In fact, she gave birth to Elvis's only child Lisa Marie nine months to the day after their wedding. However, this book purports that the man who would drive Priscilla to her visits to Elvis's house in Germany (while stationed there during Elvis's military service) had intercourse with her prior to him agreeing to introduce her to Elvis. This is when Priscilla was 14! In addition, this book details that she slept with several other boyfriends while in Germany, and was in fact reluctant to leave Germany to move to Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee where Elvis lived. While Priscilla's autobiography depicts strict parents frowning upon their young daughter's relationship with an older famous rock star, this book tells a story exactly the opposite- that they pushed their daughter toward the ultimate goal of marrying Elvis Presley.The book begins first with a history of Priscilla's mother Ann, formerly shrouded in secrecy. As told in Priscilla's memoir, she grew up believing that her stepfather Paul Beaulieu was her biological father, until stumbling upon a box in her mother's closet with photos and other mementoes from her actual father, James Wagner, a US Navy pilot who died in a plane crash when Priscilla was a baby. Apparently, when Priscilla's mother remarried, Paul Beaulieu wanted no references to her beloved (and very handsome) former husband, and Priscilla was kept from seeing her fraternal grandparents. The main thrust of this book is that Priscilla and her family are all about keeping secrets and projecting their desired image to the public. While I so enjoyed the fairy tale story of Elvis and Priscilla served up in her memoir, this book shattered those illusions on many fronts. Still, I found this book quite riveting to read. This is a very well researched book with interviews from close friends, family and former lovers clocking in at just under 500 pages. I loved every minute of reading this book. It is chock full of so many details, which I scavenged up greedily. It is one of the best books I've read on the subject, if not THE best.

A facinating book! This thick book comes the closest to explaining in a believable way, how on earth Elvis became so obsessed with a 13 year old, not fully developed girl. I'm not a fan of Priscilla, nor a "jealous hater", I'm pretty neutral and this book didnt change that one way or the other. As a girl, she had virutally no boundaries, both parental and psychologicaly/self esteem wise. Allowing boys at school, and men to manipulate and seduce her. In all actuality, most of it was statutory rape as she was not old enough to consent with her mind being of a simple, inexperienced minor, and the men being of adult age. She didnt know where she began or where she ended so others took advantage, including Elvis. Elvis saw this untouched, virginal young beauty (so he thought) and coveted the prize princess who only wanted to please, and set out to make her, his.I think you will really get into how this all started in Germany in a leased home that was Elvis's hangout and people came to party. How Priscilla was brought into Elvis's world by an acquaintance Currie Grant, him using a chance to meet Elvis like a carrot dangled, for married Curry to have sex with young teen Priscilla first. A transaction was made. However, apparently no virgin here, as according to this book high school boys took advantage to Priscilla's indifference to her modesty and virginity.Currie has sworn to the truth in interviews for this book. Really interesting Priscilla went face to face with him years later to dispute his claims, but she rather backed down only able to threaten legal action, not bringing any proof or truth to the table. This is all in this book.In any other modern world this would have been criminal and tragic, a young girl unprotected with no identity allowing her body to be used by men, but for her, it was a jackpot for price paid, and brought her much glamour & wealth being the girlfriend and then later married to such a huge super star. Washed the early sins away as she became part of the spectacular Elvis entourage through the years and the mother of his only child.The story of her parents, both the deceased father, and the new stepdaddy, along with her mother ostracizing her paternal side of the family is a huge story in itself and covered completely in this book.According to the author, Priscilla was perhaps a great mother in the early years, but as she turned to making her own choices and moving on to new men and activities such as acting, Lisa Marie pretty well was left for other family members and staff to raise. Perhaps this is why to this day Lisa Marie seems to have a chip on her shoulder, unapproachable, unyielding and rude. Unlike Priscilla, she has become the exact opposite of her mother, who sought approval and a people pleaser as a young woman.I recommend you read this book and feel you will get much value from it!

Si algo me quedó claro con este libro, es que Priscilla Beaulieu no es la dulce e inocente criatura que a veces representan en películas, series y si propio libro.Sin embargo, el libro la expone como un verdadero ser humano y no como una princesa de fantasía. Se puede llegar a empatizar con ella en ciertos momentos de su vida, debido a lo difícil que tuvo que haber sido ser la esposa de la gran superestrella del siglo XX.Es un libro que recomiendo ampliamente porque se nota que realizaron su trabajo investigativo y los datos están soportados con pruebas.

Not bad. Certain things in the book were overdramatized and over the top in my personal opinion. Also I found it inappropriate to hear about Elvis’s sexual preferences that kind of stuff should not be in a book. (Interesting yes but should not be put into a book).

Essa leitura é indispensável (não somente para os fãs de Elvis).Um relacionamento alicerçado em mentiras. Para sustentar essas mentiras novas mentiras são criadas e assim sucessivamente.O livro choca, machuca, surpreende...Por favor, leiam esse livro!O livro trata de ambição, vaidade e poder.

Haven’t read the whole thing, but so far it’s very descriptive and a fairly easy read about something other than covid ;)

Ho letto molte critiche su questo libro, ma credo che siano il risultato di una lettura superficiale. Il libro è il risultato di una ricerca giornalistica a tutti gli effetti, e sebbene in qualche punto l'autrice si esprima in termini "forti" nei confronti di Priscilla Beaulieu, non si leggono "cattiverie" (come affermato) nei suoi confronti: semplicemente, fatti e opinioni di coloro che conoscono bene la signora Beaulieu, e possono perciò parlare di lei. Piuttosto, l'autrice mostra persino una certa empatia nei suoi confronti, che in qualche punto diviene persino tenerezza per una donna che fin da tenerissima età ha dovuto fronteggiare realtà ardue persino per gli adulti. Se è per questo, neppure Elvis ne esce completamente "pulito".Non ho mai nutrito simpatia per Priscilla, ma tramite questo libro sono riuscita a vedere il suo lato umano, fragile e infinitamente complesso, e posso finalmente dire di averla capita.Trovo veramente offensivi gli insulti che l'autrice si ritrova, ma da parte mia ho solo da ringraziarla. Coloro che preferiscono leggere la favoletta di Elvis&Priscilla, vedano pure il "film" di nuova uscita.

BEL OUVRAGE

Ich habe dieses Buch mit gemischten Gefühlen gelesen und war dann doch positiv überrascht.Mit 15 las ich zum ersten Mal Priscillas Buch: "Elvis und ich" und war von ihrer Erzählweise, ihrer Sichtweise der Liebesgeschichte fasziniert. Jahrelang.Mein Elvis Fan Herz wollte einfach diese Geschichte glauben.Mit 38 habe ich nun dieses Buch gelesen und war etwas geschockt.In einer deutschen Dokumentation wurde die wahre Geschichte von Currie Grant und der Autorin schon einmal angedeutet, jedoch wollte ich dieser keinen Glauben schenken - zu sehr hielt ich an Priscillas Geschichte fest.Doch dieses Buch hat mich eines Besseren belehrt und es gab einige "Aha-Momente", da ich für mich durch dieses Buch einige Antworten auf noch offene Fragen erhielt.Fazit: Es liest sich sehr gut, auch wenn man der englischen Sprache nicht 100% mächtig ist.Es gibt ja bekanntlich immer zwei Seiten einer Geschichte und im Endeffekt wissen wirklich nur die involvierten Personen die ganze Wahrheit.