Softly, As I Leave You
Life After Elvis
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4.0 • 4 Ratings
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- $20.99
Publisher Description
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
USA TODAY BESTSELLER
"A heartfelt record of stepping into one’s own." —Publishers Weekly
The long-awaited memoir by Priscilla Presley chronicling her difficult, inspiring journey beyond the walls of Graceland and behind the elegant image the world sees.
Priscilla Presley’s divorce from Elvis left his fans incredulous. How could she leave the man every woman wanted? From the outside, life in Elvis’s mansion looked glamorous and enviable, and in many respects, it was. But inside the mansion, her husband was constantly surrounded by a male entourage while at the gates, lines of beautiful women waited hopefully for an audience with the King. From the time she was seventeen years-old, that life was all Priscilla had known. During her ten years with Elvis, it became painfully apparent that she had no idea who she was outside Elvis’s world. The only way to find herself was to leave that world and seek a new life of her own, because leaving was the only way to survive, for herself and for her daughter.
Softly, As I Leave You, is the deeply personal story of what Priscilla lost and what she found when she walked away from the man she loved. Despite the legal separation, their love for one another transformed into a touching and tender dynamic that endured until Elvis’s untimely death four years later. Shattered by Elvis’s passing, she had to reinvent herself a second time as the single mother of a talented, often headstrong daughter who never really recovered from her father’s death. Priscilla’s dedication to motherhood was enriched by the birth of her second child, and she gradually found her footing as a businesswoman, actress, designer, and legislative advocate. She transformed Graceland into an international destination and helped guide the development of Elvis Presley Enterprises. But the unexpected, shattering loss of three immediate family members years later brought Priscilla to her knees. She shares her journey with a quiet dignity that will comfort and reassure anyone who has suffered – and survived – seemingly unbearable loss.
A passionate, compassionate, and inspiring story of finding your place in the world, Softly, As I Leave You, is a sweet Southern melody that will take the reader with Priscilla on her long road home.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Presley (Elvis and Me) chronicles her life from the end of her marriage to Elvis to the present day in this poignant memoir. Following the birth of their daughter, Lisa Marie, the Presleys' already-shaky relationship faltered—though their bond improved after theydivorced in 1973. Presley writes that she was devastated by Elvis's death in 1977, and afraid of the pressure of raising the King of Rock and Roll's daughter alone. She thrived, however, not only in sprucing up Graceland but also in charity, animal advocacy, and business ventures, from co-owning a clothing company whose designs were favored by stars like Cher and Liza Minnelli to acting in Dallas, The Naked Gun, and other projects. Presley's account isn't all sunny, however. She writes candidly of the anxiety brought by her attempts at reinvention (her frightened stint in an acting class is particularly memorable), details her children's struggles with addiction, and ends the account shortly after Lisa Marie's untimely death from cardiac arrest. Through it all, Presley remains an endearing, conversational storyteller whose focus on the positive ("People my age often have bucket lists. I don't, because I have already experienced everything I've dreamed of") rings true. It's a heartfelt record of stepping into one's own.
Customer Reviews
Don’t waste you money
She is still riding the coattails of Elvis and spinning her own narrative . In light of the recent allegations that have come out about this woman . I wish I had saved my money