Elvis: In the Twilight of Memory

Author: June Juanico
Genre: Memoir
Publisher: Arcade, 2012
Pages: 368
Rating: Highly Recommend

Synopsis: She was a good girl from Biloxi, Mississippi; he was a rockabilly singer on the verge of stardom. They fell in love in the summer of 1956, and found a timeless moment of innocence and simple pleasure. In this acclaimed, intimate portrait of the American legend, Juanico gives us the Elvis she knew and loved - the Memphis boy with aw-shucks charm, impeccable manners, and an easy and irresistable sensuality. Their lives merged quickly and completely: Elvis' mother, Gladys, felt June was her son's last hope against the excesses of life on the road and the corruption of fame. But Elvis was on a train that no one could stop. Selve possessed, June chose her own path; she left Elvis; determined never to look back. But in this completely disarming and fascinating memoir, she does look back, and proves she has remembered everything, every conversation, every story, and every caress. Elvis: In the Twlight of Memory gives us an intimate and unforgettable portrait of the man who would be King. 

Review: My newly discovered obsession with Elvis continues. To see how this came to be, click here.

I really enjoyed his former girlfriend's retelling of their life together. I came away with the same feeling I did after visiting Graceland, it's such a shame. He was a talented, humble visionary who didn't have the best judgement of a person's character. He was so focused on his music and giving his fans a show, that he couldn't be bothered with the business side of his career.

Maybe things would have turned out differently had his relationship with June Juanico worked. I tried to put myself in June's shoes and imagine what would it would have been like dating someone so high profile, and what it would have been like to move on with them. Then, how she must have felt at Elvis' death. Regret, bittersweet feelings, or maybe just "thanks for the memories?"

I don't often have hangovers from these sorts of books, but I sure did with this one.

American Daughter: A Memoir

Author: Stephanie Thornton Plymale
Genre: Memoir
Publisher: River Grove Books, 2020
Rating: 296

Synopsis: No one outside her immediate family would ever have guessed that her childhood was fraught with every imaginable hardship: a mentally ill mother who was in and out of jails and psych wards throughout Stephanie's formative years, neglect, hunger, poverty, homelessness, truancy, foster homes, a harrowing lack of medical care, and ongoing sexual abuse.

Stephanie, in turn, knew very little about the past of her mother, from whom she remained estranged during most of her adult life. All this changed with a phone call that set a journey of discovery in motion, leading to a series of shocking revelations that forced Stephanie to revise the meaning of almost every aspect of her very compromised childhood.

Review: So heartbreaking, but so well told. This made me grateful for my parents, my childhood, and it affirms that I'm doing okay with my own children.