cover image I, Elvis: Confessions of a Counterfeit King

I, Elvis: Confessions of a Counterfeit King

William McCranor Henderson. Boulevard Books, $14 (295pp) ISBN 978-1-57297-255-1

Henderson, English professor and author of critically acclaimed Stark Raving Elvis and I Killed Hemingway, has outdone himself with his rollicking (and rocking) version of what George Plimpton did so brilliantly: walk a mile in fantasy shoes. He goes undercover as an Elvis impersonator and finds himself wholeheartedly hooked. Even readers who have never thought much on the subject of Elvis impersonators (or on the subject of the King himself) will find themselves captivated. In his quest to find the answer to the inevitable question ""why Elvis?"", Henderson studies the music, the moves, the clothes, the charisma--the elements of impersonation--while his ever-journalistic eye records the nuances of the myth and the conglomerate that mushroomed around the King before and after his death. Immediately he discovers how donning Elvis attire magically transforms the wearer from invisible to visible through the nostalgia, fantasy, religious fervor and pervasiveness accorded to the image by his fans. Before you even find out at the end if Henderson wins the big Elvis-impersonation contest in Memphis, you'll be humming ""Hound Dog"" and asking yourself why you haven't been to Graceland yet. This is a hilarious, informative and inspiring trip and Henderson is adept at making readers feel like they're riding shotgun alongside. (Aug.) FYI: To coincide with the publication of I Elvis (and the 20th anniversary of Elvis's death), Berkley will be reprinting Henderson's critically acclaimed Stark Raving Elvis ($6.99 ISBN 0-425-15935-3).