1957 THE ULTIMATE ELVIS DIARY!
Sold For $1,100
Original Elvis Presley Diary with flesh-colored decorative cover, depicting a singing Elvis, a hound dog and a broken heart; brass lock intact. 5 ¾"" x 4 ½"" x 1"". This ‘Smithcrafted One Year Diary’ was published by The S.K. Smith Company in Chicago; the back cover bears the Elvis Presley Enterprises mark. Used in 1957, it was owned by Miss Margaret McMinn of College Park Georgia, a High School student, who wrote to ‘Dear Diary’ in a clear cursive handwriting throughout the year; about three quarters of the daily entries are filled with news of, and her thoughts about, Elvis. This is a rare piece of memorabilia with superlative Elvis content! If this diary were to be published today, it might be entitled ‘Elvis Day-by-Day: The Story of My Life.’ Its author, the teenage Margaret McMinn, lived, it would seem, two lives at once: high school student by day, Elvis biographer at night. Of course she was in love, so much so that it was hard, if not impossible, to report one thing (a failed geography quiz , say, or punishment laps in gym) and, in the next moment, comment on Elvis' newest record, or how he did on ‘Ed Sullivan.’ It is supererogatory to comment on such an undertaking. Here is a week in The Life:
January 1: ‘Marlon Brando was a dream’, she reports, in ‘Tea House of the August Moon’ but ‘Now, for the nice part, I went with Faye to the drive-in to see ‘Love Me Tender: for the 10th and probably last time. It was marvelous. I love Elvis so much...’ January 3: ‘Found out I am getting an A in English. New magazines on Elvis came in this afternoon. Of course I got all three of them... Wonderful news! Elvis has a new record coming out Monday...’
January 4: ‘I can hardly wait 'til Sunday. Elvis is on the 'Ed Sullivan Show.' Then Monday his new record comes out, and Tuesday is his birthday. Some line-up, huh? I know the name of one side of his record is ‘Too Much.’ I'm not sure about the other side. I've got to get him a card to send for his birthday. I'd love to get him a gift but no money... I'm just living for the day he comes to Atlanta.’
January 5: ‘This afternoon was the E.P. Fan Club meeting. Man, did we have a time... Well, I'm already getting excited, tomorrow's the big day. I hope Elvis sings both sides of his new record. Linny just called me a little while ago and she heard it on the radio. I've been by the radio for over an hour... 'Love Me Tender' is still number 2 on the Parade. I love Elvis.’
January 6: ‘He was marvelous, out of this world, precious, etc. Who? Elvis, of course. He was way beyond all my expectations. He sang 'Hound Dog', 'Heartbreak Hotel', and 'Don't Be Cruel.’ Then he sang his new song, 'Too Much,' oh-ho-ho, it's great! The last song he sang was 'Peace in the Valley' he sang this heart-full hymn wonderfully. His voice is definitely getting deeper. He was then leaving for Hollywood to start a new movie and do a benefit show for Hungarian relief. You should see his beautiful clothes...’
January 7: ‘Yesterday was terrible. I failed a geography test, Chuck pestered me to death, and Elvis' new record didn't come in. I absolutely flunked that stupid test, Coach Shaddly made me do 3 laps... Chuck, I'm so mad at that boy... Mrs. Steed said that maybe Elvis' record would be in tomorrow. I sure hope so. There is a precious picture of Elvis in the paper tonight. He is with a little crippled girl. He is also campaigning for the polio fund. I love him so much...’ What Miss McMinn couldn't know was that everything was in confusion for Elvis that week. Gladys had told him the Colonel had caused him to become bitter and big-headed; he'd replied she was the one who'd changed for the worse. Furious, he went on a buying spree, decided to move to a mansion, then took his Draft Board physical, broke up with a girlfriend - and the Hungarian benefit? Never happened.
Need any more be said about this lot?
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