Elvis the Saint, Elvis the Sinner. For countless followers, Elvis means more than a rhinestone-studded jumpsuit and a pair of swinging hips. Elvis transcends, for whatever reason, this mortal coil. His influence on worldwide pop culture is stunning, ubiquitous, deeply profound. That so many find redemption in their own lives as well as spiritual value in a poor boy from Tupelo speaks volumes about our collective spirituality, as well as our conceptions of religion, commodity, and meaning. This book only scratches the surface of the rhinestone, examining the historical, spiritual, and cultural conditions that turned a poor southern boy into one of the most iconic images of the century.