Monday, May 15, 2023

May 14 - The Airplanes and The King

Carlos Varrenti published the third, updated English edition of his book 'Elvis Presley: The Airplanes & The King'.

The 1st edition was in Spanish (200 pages) and the revised and expanded 2nd edition (400+ pages), in English. However, the book was not widely available. The 3rd edition (285 pages) focuses on the content and features new information, but also has information from the second edition removed to make the book affordable for more fans. 

This 285-page paperback edition is available through Amazon. 

Description: As an aeronautical engineer and lifelong Elvis Presley fan, I have always been fascinated by the King's connection to aviation. Since my first visit to Graceland in 2001, I have been compiling every detail I could find about Elvis and his planes - every short paragraph in a book, every video, every photograph, and every bit of information. Now, I am thrilled to share this wealth of knowledge and unique Elvis stories in the third edition of 'The Airplanes & the King'.

This book provides a detailed account of Elvis's aviation history, featuring photos and stories from 1955 through 1977. It offers a fascinating look at Elvis's life on tour from an original and compelling perspective. The book includes archival material, personal stories, and stunning imagery that will captivate aviation enthusiasts and Elvis fans alike. Whether you are a die-hard fan or simply curious about the King's connection to the skies, 'The Airplanes & the King' is a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of aviation and popular culture.

I'm proud to add that I wrote the foreword for this new edition of this book. I can recommend it, in the reviews of the previous editions of this book you can read why.   

Review: "Los Aviones Y el Rey" (released July 2021)
Review: "The Airplanes and the King" (released August 2022).


Elvis’ Women On Amazon Prime

Elvis Presley’s relationship with the women closest to him is to be revealed in an Amazon Prime Video documentary series.

Premiering this week, Elvis’ Women aims to “uncover a man who was much more complex than the public perception of the titular American icon,” according to the show’s synopsis.

Elvis’ Women goes offstage to reveal more about the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll through the eyes of the women whose love for the man endures: his nurse, his fiancĂ©, his live-in girlfriends, his many dalliances and fans.

Episode one sees his rise to fame in the 1950s recounted by the various women he dated at the time while revealing a mama’s boy who never recovered from his mother’s sudden death, while the second instalment follows the ups-and-downs of his relationship with Priscilla Beaulieu and Ann-Margret. Episode three charts his post-Priscilla search for true love in the 1970s, towards the end of his life.

Update June 2023: 

In case you missed it, Elvis’ stepbrother David Stanley alleged in the new documentary Elvis’ Women that the late legend died by suicide rather than a shocking cardiac arrest, saying, “He premeditated taking the medications that killed him. Love, hurt, pain, exposure - he just couldn’t take it anymore.”

However, Elvis’ former fiancĂ©e Ginger Alden is slamming Stanley’s claim that Elvis died by suicide to avoid his inappropriate relationships from coming to light.

“Unfortunately, Elvis’ step-brothers have changed stories and even fabricated some tales I know to be false over the years,” she said. “One brother [of the three] later created a complete garbage story about suicide years back and it looks like he resurfaced with it again.”

So since the documentary came out, Stanley has apologized for those comments.

He wrote to Instagram (and subsequently removed the comment section), “I am sorry for the derogatory comments I made in a documentary about Elvis that was filmed last year. There is no excuse for my comments and I can fully understand why you would be angered.”

He added, “I love and will always love Elvis and being part of his family. He is more than worthy of the love you have for him. He loved you. I love you, and all I can ask of you is for you to forgive me for my irresponsible actions.”

(Source: Carlos Varrenti / IMDB / Deadline)