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R.G. King & Floyd R. Kidd, K&K Publishing Company, USA, 1996, Hardback (with dust jacket), ISBN: 09655123210 Signed copies cost US$29.95 plus exact postage
The second country covered is Burkina Faso, a small African nation bordering Nigeria and the Ivory Coast. Its three Elvis stamps all use photographs of The King from the 1950s and 1960s.
Another African country, the Central African Republic has produced one Elvis stamp, showing the "Hillbilly Kid" of the 1950s. The Russian States obviously have a particular affinity with Elvis as, over the years, they have released numerous stamps bearing his image and that of other pop culture identities. The first set of six individual stamps from the former Communist bloc have a grainy look to them when seen in larger than normal format, but in their original size are eye pleasing. The most interesting Russian stamps are a series of panaramic issues where the full picture is only seen by placing individual stamps side by side. One panarama features James Dean, Marilyn Monroe, Humphrey Bogart and Elvis, while another has Elvis, Marilyn, James Dean and Marlon Brando. A 10 stamp panarama adds the faces of "The Duke" (John Wayne) and Clark Gable, and two angels, with a very sexy Marilyn Monroe reclining provocatively (with her legs slightly apart) on an orange-red clam-like shell. There is also a fourteen stamp panarama featuring Elvis (resplendent in his white jumpsuit), Marilyn and James Dean as the centerpiece, with a cavalcade of other legends surrounding them. The stars include Laurel & Hardy, Groucho Marx, Indiana Jones, Rudolph Valentono, Jessica Rabbit and Sylvester "Rocky" Stallone. Arguably the best of the Russian multi-stamp issues is a clever three stamp panarama showing a sultry pairing of a young Elvis and Marilyn about to kiss. What a moment that would have been! Madagascar offers several striking Elvis stamps. Two montage stamps featuring artist drawn scenes from firstly, Double Trouble, Kid Galahad and Speedway, and secondly, Clambake, Roustabout and Viva Las Vegas, are visually quite stunning and their impact is heightened by seeing them in full page format rather than just their original size.
Elvis On Stamps should not be confused with the similarly titled 2003 release by Thailand's Nitaya Kanschanawan. The other author to compile a book around Elvis' portrayal on stamps is Britain's Jo Woodward, with her 1997 book 'Elvis In The Post (Catalogue and Guide to Elvis Presley International Postage Stamps)'. Verdict: Ronald King has produced a wonderfully expressive, and at times mouth watering, visual record of Elvis' portrayal on stamps from around the world. Elvis philatelists will love this release and all fans will be amazed at some of the stunning artwork from countries many of us haven't heard of. Click to comment on this review Coming soon: EIN talks to Ronald King
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Quote: "Elvis Presley is the supreme socio-cultural icon in the history of pop culture" (Dr. Gary Enders) Quote: " Elvis is the 'glue' which holds our society together....which subconciously gives our world meaning" (Anonymous) Quote: "Eventually everybody has to die, except Elvis" (humorist Dave Barry) Quote: "He is the "Big Bang", and the universe he detonated is still expanding, the pieces are still flying" (Greil Marcus, "Dead Elvis") Quote: "I think Elvis Presley will never be solved" (Nick Tosches) Quote: "He was the most popular man that ever walked on this planet since Christ himself was here" (Carl Perkins) Quote: "When I first heard Elvis' voice I just knew I wasn't going to work for anybody...hearing him for the first time was like busting out of jail" (Bob Dylan) Quote: "When we were kids growing up in Liverpool, all we ever wanted was to be Elvis Presley" (Sir Paul McCartney)
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