Any good trip starts with getting in the mood to experience the travel destination location.  Memphis, with its rich history and associations with the music world, has had a wealth of books written on it.  Some top reading choices related to the city of Memphis, people of Memphis and life in Memphis include:

Any visit to Memphis is likely to include attention to the life, music and culture surrounding Elvis Presley.  Books related to this famous man include:

Also be sure to check out “Memphis Elvis-Style” by Cindy Hazen and Mike Freeman.  This tour guide will show you how to see all of the Elvis sites you ever wanted to see.

Frommer's Nashville & Memphis is a good guide book.