Credits: People Magazine
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In the newly released posthumous memoir From Here to the Great Unknown, Lisa Marie Presley offers candid insights into her life, particularly her relationship with pop legend Michael Jackson. Released on October 8, the book, which was completed by her daughter Riley Keough after Presley’s passing in January 2023, provides a deeply personal glimpse into her experiences.
One of the book’s most surprising revelations involves Jackson’s confession that, at 35, he was still a virgin when he and Presley began their romantic relationship. “Michael told me he had never been intimate with anyone,” Presley writes, addressing long-standing speculation about the singer’s private life. “He mentioned he had kissed Tatum O’Neal and had a brief, non-physical connection with Brooke Shields. He also said Madonna had tried to pursue him, but nothing happened between them. I was nervous because I didn’t want to make the wrong move.”
Their relationship took off after a fateful trip to Las Vegas, where Presley was still married to her first husband, Danny Keough. During that trip, Jackson confessed his feelings, marking the beginning of their whirlwind romance. “Michael told me, ‘I don’t know if you’ve realized, but I’m completely in love with you. I want us to get married, and I want you to have my children,’” Presley recalls. “I was so taken aback that I didn’t know what to say at first, but then I realized I felt the same way.”
Following this emotional revelation, Presley amicably separated from Keough and quickly moved forward with Jackson. They wed in May 1994, only weeks after her divorce from Keough was finalized, and their marriage lasted more than two years before their divorce was finalized in August 1996. Their highly publicized union intrigued the world, but Presley’s memoir offers a more personal perspective on their relationship.
Jackson, who passed away in 2009 at the age of 50 from cardiac arrest, was often viewed as an enigma. In her memoir, Presley paints a portrait of a vulnerable man, revealing not just his insecurities but also the emotional depth he brought to their relationship.
As the daughter of Elvis Presley, Lisa Marie lived much of her life in the spotlight. Her daughter, Riley Keough, touched on this reality in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE. “Because my mom was Elvis’s daughter, she was always the subject of public discussion and speculation,” Keough said. “In her memoir, she looked forward to go beyond that surface-level frame and reflect who she really was, a loving mother, a free spirit, a loyal friend, and a talented artist who has witnessed her own struggles but always had a great sense of humor.”
After Presley’s sudden death in January 2023, Keough took on the responsibility of finishing her mother’s memoir, using voice recordings Presley had left behind. Keough, 35, emphasized that her mother’s main goal in writing the book was to create a sense of connection. “In life like hers which is extraordinary, she wanted to share the human experiences of loss, love, and struggles in the family that everyone can relate to,” Keough explained. “Her hope with this book was inclined to make the mass feel less alone, and that’s what I hope to carry forward with it.”
With its honesty and depth, From Here to the Great Unknown provides a rare, intimate view into Lisa Marie Presley’s life, her turbulent relationships, and her enduring resilience. The memoir is not only a reflection of her struggles but also a testament to the woman behind the fame, offering readers a more nuanced understanding of her complex and remarkable journey.