Elvis Culture
Fans, Faith, and Image

Erika Doss (Author)

9780700613373

Paperback / softback, published 30 April 1999

304 pages, 67 photographs
23.6 x 14.7 x 1.6 cm, 0.42 kg

An intelligent cultural analysis of one of this century's most revered, reviled, and reviewed fan phenomena. - Publishers Weekly; ""An exuberantly detailed and illustrated study that succeeds in demonstrating the complexity of Elvis culture and absolutely compels us to take the fundamental question about popular culture ('Why Elvis?') to heart."" - American Studies; ""A welcome addition to the growing body of work that explores America's star-saturated culture and its effects. For Doss, Elvis has become an important catalyst for diverse Americans' understandings of themselves, their relationships to others, and their experience of the modern world."" - American Quarterly; ""One of the best books on Elvis that I've ever read.... A stellar piece of cultural criticism."" - Gilbert B. Rodman, author of Elvis after Elvis: The Posthumous Career of a Living Legend ""The book itself is a remarkable Presley artifact,"" - New York Times Book Review; ""Offers rich insights into the culture and logic of fandom."" - Lynn Spigel, author of Make Room for TV; ""A fascinating account and a great read!"" - Elaine Tyler May, author of Homeward Bound

This text explains why Elvis Presley is an enduring image in American popular culture. It demonstrates the power of pictures in visual culture and reveals much about American attitudes toward religion, sex, race and celebrity, and the construction of American identity in the late 20th century.