Author Peter Guralnick wrote the definitive two-volume biography of the King: "Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley" (1994), and "Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley" (2000). And now, his latest is about Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis' legendary manager. Asked if he found anything surprising, Guralnick replied, "It totally surprised me."

"The Colonel and the King: Tom Parker, Elvis Presley, and the Partnership that Rocked the World" (Little, Brown & Co.) is the story of a partnership that rocked popular culture, and how Parker's marketing savvy and enduring loyalty helped the King get his crown.

Little, Brown & Co.

Guralnick says Parker did not create the template for being the manager of a musician: "It wasn't original to him, it wasn't brand new. But he carried it

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