Last Train to Memphis by Peter Guralnick

The first volume of Peter Guralnick’s critically acclaimed Elvis Presley biographies

‘Elvis steps from the pages. You can feel him breathe’ BOB DYLAN

‘Wonderful’ RODDY DOYLE

Last Train to Memphis is arguably the first serious biography that refuses to dwell on the myth of Elvis. Aiming instead to portray in vivid, dramatic terms the life and career of this outstanding artistic and cultural phenomenon, it draws together a plethora of documentary and interview material to create a superbly coherent and plausible narrative.

This is the first of three volumes from music critic and author, Peter Guralnick, and covers Presley’s stratospheric rise to stardom up to his departure for Germany in 1958. Last Train to Memphis is undoubtedly the benchmark by which other biographies of Elvis are judged.

‘Soars above all other accounts of Elvis’ GUARDIAN

‘A triumph of biographical art… profound and moving’ NEW YORK TIMES

Newly re-issued under the White Rabbit imprint comes the first of three volumes that make up the definitive Elvis Presley biography

About the Author: Peter Guralnick’s books include the prize-winning two-volume biography of Elvis Presley, Last Train to Memphis and Careless LoveFeel Like Going Home, Lost Highway, and Sweet Soul MusicSearching for Robert JohnsonDream Boogie: The Triumph of Sam Cooke. Guralnick won a Grammy for his liner notes for Sam Cooke Live at the Harlem Square Club, wrote and co-produced the documentary Sam Phillips: The Man Who Invented Rock ‘n’ Roll, and wrote the scripts for the Grammy-winning documentary Sam Cooke/Legend and Martin Scorsese’s blues documentary Feel Like Going Home. His 2015 book Sam Phillips: The Man Who Invented Rock ‘n’ Roll was a finalist for the Plutarch Award for Best Biography of the Year, awarded by the Biographers International Organization. His most recent book is Looking to Get Lost: Adventures in Music and Writing.

23 Apr 2026
 

Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley – ‘The richest portrait of Presley we have ever had’ Sunday Telegraph by Peter Guralnick ISBN 9781399641463