Suz's Reviews > From Here to the Great Unknown

To have started a memoir of a most tumultuous life weaved together with oral snippets, to have her daughter complete the work. It felt like a beautiful gathering of family. Heartbreaking and heartwarming to listen to. I loved Lisa Marie asked her daughter to help write the story of her life.

To me Riley felt calm, as opposed to her mum’s storm. The insights into her mothers life are extraordinary! I was interested in Lisa Marie’s reflection of her inability to do the mundane. Go to work, come home, sleep, repeat. This would never be her path.

How could she after her chaotic childhood where there was so much good, and conversely many challenging things that a child should never have to deal with.

Carefree moments seemed to pale in comparison while witnessing her father’s decline, understanding and witnessing his drug use, dangerous and reckless golf cart rides (and the unbridled freedom to roam Graceland with her friends), immeasurable people in and out of her life. Watching pariahs swarm in to ‘take’ belongings at the event of her father’s death, his fiancé dressing up to the nines to attend the hospital at that time. Lisa Marie knew what was what.

Riley saw her mum embrace with love a known fan at an Elvis anniversary. Lisa Marie needed love. So sad Priscilla lacked what was needed.

Riley could see her mum’s lack of self worth, the immense love for her and her siblings. Riley was the perfect conduit to tell the story.

Beautifully read by Riley Keough and Julia Roberts. Highly recommended to readers who don’t often read nonfiction, this was a moving, tragic and contemplative memoir. Bolstered by the use of the recordings of Lisa Marie’s direct voice. Looking at photos of Lisa Marie online, so striking. So much to offer, unseen by herself.

I listened to this via the BorowBox platform and my public library.