This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/26/2011
This is Elvis Presley’s owned and hand-annotated book “Poems That Touch The Heart.” He was given the book by a fellow GI and read and re-read it on the trip over to Germany, making many notations and underscoring, as he would do with all his reading material for the rest of his life. There was one poem that deeply touched Elvis, titled “Should You Go First” that he related to his mother who has recently passed away when he was in basic training. When Elvis had found out that his mother was very sick he asked for emergency leave which he was granted. His mother died just a few days after he got home. This was a particularly hard time for Elvis as the loss of his mother, the uncertainty of his career and his deployment overseas all came at the same time. Elvis took great comfort in his friend Charlie Hodge who bunked with Elvis on the trip over. Hodge stayed with Elvis until the end in 1977, always dedicated to him. This book of poems meant so much to Elvis that he carried it as he boarded the transport ship overseas and was photographed with it, with the press even asking Elvis about the book. Elvis eventually gave the book to Charlie. The book comes with a letter of provenance from Charlie Hodge and a photograph of Elvis carrying the book. It also is accompanied by various documentation regarding Elvis and the book that appeared in the press. Very good condition.