Book info card Elvis: What Happened?

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Elvis: What Happened?
Dunleavy, Steve ; West, Red ; West, Sonny ; Hebler, Dave (1977)

Ballantine Publishing Group , New York (NY) , 1st Ed.
paperback , 332 pages
ISBN-10: 0-345-27215-3 , ISBN-13: 978-0-345-27215-7

Category:	Memoirs and memories
Language:	English
Description:	The book, which is based on the personal accounts of three of Elvis' former bodyguards, went into detail on Presley's prescription drug addiction. His death, only two weeks after the book's US publication in July 1977 (its publication in UK was May 77), made it highly topical and helped boost its sales to over three million (at least four printings of the first edition were released in August 1977). The bodyguards - Red West, his cousin Sonny West, and David Hebler - had been fired purportedly for cost-saving reasons. They claimed this book to be a friendly warning, rather than a money-making exercise. Sonny West admitted in private that they were writing this book to make money. The book tells of incidents relating to Elvis' sex life, drug use, musical career, and his relationship with each of the three men. According to Alan Hanson, "The drug-related death of Presley gave Elvis: What Happened? almost instant credibility. The book's very title seemed to echo the question all of America was asking. And, as a steady flow of Presley confidants began speaking out in the succeeding years, some (but not all) of the allegations first mentioned in the book have been confirmed." Jerry Schilling, one of the best friends of Elvis said about the book "Elvis' home is the only private place he has, and what goes on there should remain private". Source: Wikipedia.
Review(s):	Review by Alan Hanson on Elvis History Blog ... (April 2008) (External reviews are copyright of the reviewer/website owner. Inclusion of a link does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.)
Source(s):	Cover, info and description : various sources