"Where Do I Begin" with this review?

Every morning I listen to Elvis Duran and the Morning Show on my commute to work. I teach middle school math... so I am well versed in sarcasm. Because I wish to enjoy my commute rather than moan and groan about the 45 minutes that I cannot change without relocating, I choose the EDS every morning to keep my spirits high. My love for the show peaked my curiosity of reading "Where Do I Begin." Let me just say, I loved this book!

What makes this book different from all the others? The author. If you currently listen or have ever listened to Elvis Duran, then you must read his autobiography. His voice narrated the entire book in my head. I could hear his intonation throughout the entirety of the book. This must be the perks of reading a radio DJ's autobiography.

There were numerous times while reading his anecdotes that I found myself pausing and consciously reflecting on how I felt. I read the book via my Kindle app and oh my did I highlight my favorite parts. I laughed, I cried, and I cringed. Some stories made me jealous of the life he leads while others made me happy for my "non-famous everyday" lifestyle. It was a quick read, but highly enjoyable.

I received a digital arc of this book thanks to NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoy autobiographies and was very excited to read this book as soon as I heard about it. I was so happy to get an arc (advanced reader copy) as I listen to Elvis almost every morning on my commute to work and could not wait to read his book. His book did not disappoint and it really felt like you could hear Elvis through his writing. I actually want to listen to the audiobook of it now because I love hearing his voice (I'm currently on the waitlist for it at my library). Elvis openly shared almost every aspect of his life, which is not an easy task to do. I found how he started in radio adorable and at points really did lol. His chapter on 9/11 gave me goosebumps. He had many inspirational lines and offered solid advice for life that I highlighted throughout. Elvis was just as real and as authentic in his book as he is with his audience broadcasting each day. I did find a few typos so hopefully those were corrected before going to print. My only negatives would be that some parts felt repetitive. I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys biographies or listens to Elvis Duran and the morning show often.

“It is never a bad idea to live your truth—to be who you are and be proud of who you are.” -Elvis Duran


I’ve started my mornings for the past 25 years listening to Elvis. I’m talking back when it was still Elliott + Elvis and the Z Morning Zoo (I’m old, I know lol!) After frequent teases of “that’s going in the book” I was excited when he announced the release date for said book. Despite Elvis’ honesty when discussing his life and radio beginnings on air, reading about it made me feel a little more connected to him. Each chapter was a walk down memory lane with a friend because I got to re-live some of my favorite moments from the show and no so fun moments (the chapter on 9/11 was hard to read). My favorite chapter was Dr. Oz Saves My Life; never have I ever related to someone’s struggle with their weight and appearance as I did with Elvis. All through the chapter I kept nodding my head and saying, “Yes! That’s exactly it!” My only disappointment was he left out his feud with Tony Danza lol. Whether you’re a fan of Elvis’ or you’ve never heard of him before, this would still be a great read. When you’re done, you’ll see why he’s so beloved amongst listeners and his friends and you’ll finish the book with a ton of highlights thanks to his insight and advice.

“You just have to trust your instincts and own the results. Whatever you do in life, you have to decide that you’re going to SWIM. No SINKING is allowed. There’s no such thing as sinking. If something you do fails, you’re still swimming. You’re learning lessons you needed to learn. When you swim to the finish line, remember that you succeeded because you took a chance on yourself.” -Elvis Duran

* I received an advanced copy via NetGalley, which in no way impacts my review.

I’ve got the Audible pre ordered and will meet Elvis Friday and pick up my signed copy. So I definitely would’ve bought it anyway.

Every morning as I get ready for work, I listen to Elvis Duran and the Morning Show. For those that don’t know, it’s a nationally syndicated radio show – number one in it’s market – based out of of New York. It’s a show with a wide variety of contributors, ideas, and gags. Sometimes they have segments that make me roll my eyes a bit, but other times I am laughing out loud or getting choked up (in a good way). Listening to the show is the best part of my morning and I have been looking forward to this book since I first heard Elvis mention it in on the air.

I really enjoyed Where Do I Begin? It read just like having a conversation with Elvis and though I am not generally an audio book reader, I definitely want to to experience this again with Elvis narrating (at least I’m assuming he’ll narrate it? If not him, my vote is definitely Greg T.). We start out hearing about how Elvis first fell in love with radio as a child. I loved learning about how this was his passion from an early age and basically the only thing he was ever interested in doing. He even built his own little radio station in his bedroom as a kid and put on a show that reached his closest neighbors – and then it blew up when he tried to give more power to the signal.

I have to admit that I was expecting a little more scandal, though. There have been multiple times listening to the show where they start talking about something and Elvis refuses to go into details, saying something like, “you’ll have to read the book.” However, there were still stories he kind of glossed over and names he wouldn’t share and while I understand that, I was kind of disappointed in it. There was also one chapter about fame that wasn’t so much about him, but of the celebrities he’s interviewed and it felt a little out of place.

I loved pretty much every other part of the book, though. Even if it didn’t go quite as in depth as I had hoped for, I feel like I learned a lot more about Elvis and about the radio industry, in general. There was also one chapter dedicated to how people basically went crazy during the 2016 election and how he wants his show to remain a positive place for all people. He reiterated what I’ve heard him say on the show, about how we can disagree with people without completely hating them. This shouldn’t be a profound idea, but it’s something people have seemed to forget lately and I really admire that he uses his platform to help build bridges between people instead of adding to the toxic political culture of blue vs red.

Overall, I really enjoyed Where Do I Begin? It’s been one of my most anticipated books of the year and it lived up to the hype for me. I’ve been a fan of Elvis for years and reading this made me just like him more. It’s definitely a must read for listeners of his show.

Overall Rating (out of 5): 4 Stars

Elvis Duran is one of my favourite radio personalities. Just like in his morning radio show, his book is super funny with all kinds of behind the scenes stories. It's also interesting to read about his upbringing and what he went through growing up. Really great book.