From the moment my 11-year-old toes sank into the plush shag carpet at Graceland, it seemed Elvis Presley couldn't have possibly been a real person. How could such thick carpet be possible, anyway? And his untimely death and scratchy-sounding voice on my parents' records just added to the myth in my head.

But now, Elvis fans, rejoice! No, Elvis isn't back from the dead - but he does have a new album and No. 1 song out this fall. His "30 #1 Hits" (actually, it's 31, with the addition of this year's hit JXL remake of "A Little Less Conversation") is sure to bring him even more worldwide adulation, if that were possible.

Now all the Elvis favorites, from "Don't Be Cruel" (No. 2) to "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" (No. 16) are compiled on one disc. Better yet, the tracks have been remastered to perfection, so Elvis sounds like he's serenading you personally with "Love Me Tender" (No. 4). This compilation is a great way for Elvis newbies to get acquainted with the King and also a good choice for Presley aficionados to hear the man in top form - from beyond the grave.