Schmelvis: In Search of Elvis Presley's Jewish Roots

By Max Wallace and Jonathan Goldstein

Book Overview

It may sound crazy, but Elvis Presley - that god-fearing, gospel-singing American pop icon - was a Jew; these maverick journalists and filmmakers have proven it. A behind-the-scenes account of their irreverent and witty film documentary, in which Wallace and Goldstein took a Hasidic Jewish Elvis impersonator and an Orthodox Rabbi on a trek to trace Elvis's roots all the way to Israel and then bring the good news home to Graceland, this book compiles production logs, selections from the script, trivia and the investigator's official report on Elvis's roots.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 155022462X
• ISBN13: 9781550224627
• Release Date: January 2002
• Publisher: ECW Press
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.78 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.2" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

who would have guessed it?

I just finished reading Schmelvis, and, it really is a funny, clever little book. It's totally not your run-in-the-mill novel-- it reads like a travel log, with little tidbits from all the characters, and you really get to know them. It's sort of an anti-novel-- a story in search of a story. The characters are so hilariously believable, that you totally believe they have no idea what they're doing or thinking. It's got dialogues from the film, and the director's notes, and random other stuff, like an appendix called "who's who of famous jews." The book totally takes on this distinct personality-- like it's not about elvis presley at all, and not about a static answer, but more about the journey, the getting there. most of all, it made me laugh. i didn't really know what to expect when i picked it up, but this book is totally cool. haven't seen the film yet, but i totally want to now.

Hilarious!

This books is really, really funny. Not really about Elvis' Jewish roots but more of a quest for identity. Composed of script bits from the film's (of the same name) production, entries in journals, and little anecdotes about the cast and crew, this book is really the funniest book I've ever read. I highly recommend it.