CARELESS LOVE: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley

This second volume of Guralnick's exhaustive biography begins when Elvis is 22 years old and has nowhere to go but down. He's artistically boxed into safe, dull films and soundtrack recordings; he's already dependent on pharmaceuticals. He thirsts for spiritual enlightenment and true love but seems to find neither. J. Charles's performance is clear and intelligent. It's delightful that he can suggest Elvis's unforgettable voice in the direct quotations. If only the story itself were more like one of Elvis's blues songs--glorious, a triumph over tragedy. Instead, it just plods dutifully on, piling on the sad details, downhill all the way. S.P. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 99]