Book excerpt: The man, the music, the mythology - everyone knows Elvis, right? From the swinging hips and tempestuous love life to the peanut butter and banana sandwiches. But how do the iconic snapshots and the snippets of rumour match up with the truth about the man behind the legend? Michael Freedland's Elvis Memories sets out to answer precisely that question - and succeeds in grand style, giving us a rare and privileged glimpse into the intimate recollections of the people who really knew him. On a journey that spans the United States, Freedland introduces us to Presley's friends, family and followers, taking in the kids who competed against him in childhood talent shows, the members of the 'Memphis Mafia' who went everywhere with him and the maid who prepared those infamous sandwiches and watched him line up the girls he wanted to take to his bed. Thirty-five years after the death of the man we still call 'The King', Elvis Memories offers a unique chance to see the real Elvis Presley through the eyes of those who shared his life.