Elvis Presley, Richard Nixon and the American Dream

Elvis Presley and Richard Nixon are two of the most important and controversial figures of the twentieth century. Although fame came to them in very different ways, they rose from very similar backgrounds of poverty to seek the American Dream. These two remarkable men both had to face falls from grace, but while Nixon rebounded from Watergate to regain a reputation as a distinguished elder statesman, Elvis was destroyed by the pressures of fame, only to have his image restored after his death. Here, for the first time, the remarkable parallels in their lives are examined, balanced on the point of their historic December 21, 1970, meeting. Their similarities and differences as American icons are analyzed, and numerous photographs, including all those taken during their meeting, are included. Together, the stories of these two men form part of the essence of American culture.

Connie Kirchberg is a freelance writer specializing in biographies and popular American culture. She lives in Fresno, California. Marc Hendrickx has authored books in Flemish, Dutch, and French covering such subjects as rock music legends and television hits. He lives in Wijnegem, Belgium.