Softly, as I Leave You: Life After Elvis

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. Agent: Alan Nevins, Renaissance Literary. (Sept.)