5 comments about Neutral Milk Hotel's In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (33 1/3) (33 1/3).

1. I bought this book for answers to questions I have about the lyrics to this album, not for answers to questions I have about the 90's or about living in a commune.



2. A great essay, detailing who was there at the creation of indie-music's greatest album, and who was left after it all disappeared. Makes you feel like you were there, too. If I were giving the In the Aeroplane cd as a gift (and I often do), I would definitely include this great little book as well. Viva Jeff Mangum!! Come back to us.



3. So the 33 1/3 series are generally great stories recounting brilliant bands and meaningful albums. This is the story of one of the most influential bands' most influential albums.
   
   This book is more about the band than the album, but for a band like this that only had two albums, and both were very passionate, it is next to impossible to separate the two entities.
   
   The book is well written, not the most excited thing that I have ever read, but entertaining none the less. If you are a fan of Neutral Milk Hotel and never got to see their stage show or hear them live, this book does a good job of describing it and attempting to place you there in the crowd.
   
   Definitely a good buy for only a few bucks.



4. What an incredibly in-depth look at the fantastic album of the same name. Chock with flurries of knowledge about the brains and the beauty of N.M.H. plus the surrounding players and friends present in the time of the Elephant 6 Collective. In truth, I stopped reading this little flower in the hope of savoring it, making the pages spread out longer. Like when you hold a piece of chocolate on your tongue, and will your teeth not to bite it, and let it slowly ooze into your gums and in the cracks in between your teeth and savor savorsavor.
   That's how god it is.
   good, too.



5. I read this books with high hopes and expectations and was not let down in anyway.
   It does a great job of showing the band for what it really was. It also portrayed jeff magnum in a way that I could relate to completely.
   overall I would recommend it to anyone interested in music that actually means something.

No comments about The Clash.

3 comments about No Wave: Post-Punk. Underground. New York. 1976-1980..

1. Best described as a mish mash of art and punk rock, the No Wave movement of the late 1970s was something bizarre to behold. "No Wave: Post Punk. Underground. New York. 1976-1980." is a look at the brief movement and those who were behind it, including James Chance and Lydia Lunch among others. Collected from oral history and interviews conducted by the authors, and enhanced with dozens of black and white photographs, "No Wave: Post Punk. Underground. New York. 1976-1980." is highly recommended for community library music collections.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



2. 1970's New York, a time of polemic filth and fury with displaced art kids crashing head first into the detritus to form bands without which we would have no Rapture, Yeah Yeah Yeahs or (insert a hundred names here). Framed around this incredible gathering of black & whites are interviews (conducted by the Thurston Moore and writer/editor/et cetera Byron Coley) with artists deep in the thick of said scene (i.e. James Chance, Glen Branca, Ikue Mori, Robert Quine and the ever-verbose Lydia Lunch), club owners, iconic groupies and passers-by, including Brian Eno who gives his perspective on the immortal Eno "produced" No New York compilation. Having been active participants during this era, the authors do a spectacular job of detailing the tenuous camaraderie, insular tension and the seeds of No Wave's demise. Not simply for those who know the difference between "No Wave" and "New Wave", the eye candy and history lessons make for an illuminating, universally appealing document.



3. No Wave: Post-Punk. Underground. New York. 1976-1980.Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth) and music critic Byron Cooley have created the definitive chronicle of the late '70s New York art-rock scene. Together they skillfully depict the culture, politics, and environment that formed the still-obscure and quietly influential bands of that era. The details are vast and at times daunting; all the who-dated-whoms, whens, wheres, and whys are included with factual reference points, oral histories, and extensive quotes and photography. The scene, created largely by emerging artists, was rich in photographers and creative writers, and a lot of the never-before-seen source material in No Wave is worthy of a book alone. No Wave fans, especially the art-school-leaning types, will appreciate the reproductions of Lydia Lunch fashion calendars, black-and-white behind-the-scenes photography, record covers, and concert flyers.
   
   -from AlarmPress.com
   http://www.alarmpress.com/4089/book-reviews/no-wave-post-punk-underground-new-york-1976-1980/

5 comments about Can't Buy Me Love: The Beatles, Britain, and America.

1. Unlike some of the reviewers here I felt that this book's major strong points are when the author goes into a sociological and/or cultural analysis of The Beatles phenomena. For chapters like this, the book deserves five stars!
   It's when he becomes a music reviewer that he delves into troubled waters. A few of his insights are interesting, but so many others are way, way over the top analysis-wise, and when he turns negative, whoa!
   Music is something so personal for a lot of people. It's expected that one appreciate other's opinions. Still, no matter how open-minded one tries to be, it can be a bit psychologically unnerving to read such an obviously intelligent and learned individual put down one's favorite songs as either "a muddled-leaden mess" or "awkward-sounding rewrite... with... dreadful lyrics" or "an outright gaffe". It's as if someone is putting down the clothes you're wearing or the type of friends you keep.



2. So much more than a 'fan' book, Jonathan Gould's Can't Buy Me Love (2007) is an astute blending of personal, historical, cultural and musical interpretation. It follows the "Fab Four" from their very earliest days, without undue emphasis on extraneous details of their childhood, up through their coming together as The Bealtes, and then follows their career up to the end of their life together as Beatles . What really strikes me about this book is the amount of insightful commentary on the making of the music, the meaning of lyrics and the context in which each of the albums was put together. Gould is not afraid to criticize certain of thre Beatles compositions or projects; neither is he trying to 'demyth' the Bealtes. This is perhaps the most balanced, engaging account of the Bealtes, their impact, their foibles and their successes I have ever read.
   
   I consider myself fairly knowledgeable about the Beatles; I have listened to them since I was five years old--yet I learned a great deal about them in this excellent book!



3. I found this book completely satisfying and facinating from an historical as well as musical standpoint. Gould has taken the Beatles as a musical and cultural force and woven the last 60 years around them to create a complete understanding of the group's impact on 20th-21st century culture and music. This is one of the top 10 must reads for any serious scholar of the Beatles and it's a great read for people who just want to be well informed fans. He also manages to write in an interesting way that keeps you turning pages. One of the best books ever written about the fabs and well worth the 20 odd years he spent researching. A winner all the way.



4. The sentence structure is great and the narrative seamlessly flows. However, he is a music historian and hence goes into long detours when applying context. I would have greatly preferred if he had spent less time on these subjects and more on the actual Beatles themselves. A paragraph would suffice but I find myself skipping several pages. When I skip pages and scan for Beatles or Jon or McCartney, etc. I don't see anything on the Beatles for pages. I know that these long passages are unneeded because even after skipping pages I still understand the context just fine.
   
   Nonetheless, I still give it four stars because it ignores rumors, is rich with language, fills the holes of knowledge that I did not know as someone who grew up in the nineties, and the in depth analysis of songs. A glossary with vocabulary words would be great because he is a musician and as such thinks that all these words are common knowledge.



5. Gould's book sets a new standard for serious works on the Beatles. It is meticulously researched and documented, well-structured, and written with admirable clarity combined with the author's enjoyment of his subject. This is the most ambitious book about the Beatles and their cultural and historical context, and its success is attributable to Gould's determination, thoroughness, mature perspective, and accessible writing style. But perhaps I am biased. Darn it, this is the book that I have been meaning to write for the last 38 years.

5 comments about Art of Modern Rock: The Poster Explosion.

1. This book is THE bible for poster art. Fantastic collection of art, with great interviews and history accompanying. Obviously a lot of hard work by a lot of people passionate about poster art. Highly recommended.



2. This is one of the greatest books I've read in the last ten years about rock posters. All kind of rock music is here. If you really like rock'n'roll music, you must get this one.



3. I purchased the Art of Modern Rock online for my son and his wife for Christmas. I usually have a difficult time finding a gift I think they will like. They have a rock band themselves, and my daughter-in-law is also interested in art, so I gave this book a try. Not only did they love it, but they are in it! I wish now that I had opened it and looked through it before I mailed it to them. I was pleased with the book, and the service from Amazon is always excellent!



4. I've had this book for several years now and this is my all time favourite art book, and I own far too many to even be considered in the realm of normal. The Art of Modern Rock is a huge book (almost 500 pages) and the art diverse and inspiring. I just love this book!!



5. Art of Modern Rock features some incredible art drawn from great artists and is a must not just for a rock aficionado, but for an art enthusiast, an artist, a designer or even a writer. The tremendous amount of variety and unique and powerful imagery makes looking through this book a great pleasure.

5 comments about Continuum: Music by John Mayer (Guitar/Vocal).

1. A great CD, and even better to hear it played by your own hand. Some of the hammers and slides are not transcribed as played on the CD, but overall, it is great.



2. Note for note accuracy printed out in standard notation and tablature. Continuum is a solid project that manages not to sound like it's over-manufactured.



3. Before this book, I'd been struggling with incorrect tabs for John's songs all over the internet. Once I purchased this book I was pleasantly surprised by how accurate and detailed each song is within the book. If you are up for learning John's songs and style, this book is a must



4. This book was great.
   I really love John Mayers music and this will help me play his songs!



5. I am in Japan.
   I am sutisfied with this product and parchase.
   thank you !

5 comments about Out of Sync: A Memoir.

1. I received this book as a gag gift and read it purely to out-gag my friends (because who really uses gag gifts?). Knowing the book hasn't sold well, I dove into my reading with low expectations. It's possible that I enjoyed the book merely because I wasn't expecting much. Overall I felt that the writing was a bit juvenile, but it was a quick and easy read not without insight. It was interesting to get some perspective on the world of pop stardom- in the midst of teenage obsession it's easy to forget that the objects of one's affection are actual people with actual feelings and emotions. And while pop stars are somehow different from we normal folk, there were some parts of Lance's story that seemed so totally normal and down-to-earth as to make it impossible to ignore the fact that he, too, is human.
   
   I have to agree with other reviewers that I was expecting to read more about Lance being gay and coming out. On the other hand, perhaps it provides hope for equality in society if he can present his coming out and dating life as merely part of his story rather than the whole piece of it.
   
   As a side note, I saw Lance on a float in Mardi Gras. I yelled "I read your book!" in the hopes that that would give him incentive to throw me some beads; alas, it was not to be. So Lance, if you happen to read this... could you throw me something, mister?



2. I must say thank you, thank you, thank you Lance Bass for this fantastic read. Allowing us insight to your world is greatly appreciated. Not once was I bored with this thoughtful book. From start to finish Lance kept me interested and inspired.



3. If you read the review titled "Good Little Read" from October 2007, that pretty much says exactly what I would. Short book, didn't say a lot, kept it clean, didn't provide a lot of details, etc.
   
   I was surprised how short the book is. I got it out of the library Friday evening and finished it in a one and a half days-probably could have finished it less if I hadn't of been working. I thought that this book shouldn't have even been a hardbound, it should have been a supermarket paperback sold at the checkstand. Geez, anybody who pays $25 for this is spending a lot.
   
   I hope he uses his money well, as he will most likely fade into the past and find a second occupation as SO many stars have since the Golden Age of Hollywood and the Big Band era. No different now, except this generation seems to get screwed up easier. Hopefully Lance won't fall into that pit.



4. Lance was always my favorite back in the day when I loved NSync. I was really excited to find out he had written a book. I still remember the day in the Orlando airport I saw the magazine cover of him coming out. I ran right out to get this book. It is a very quick read at a mere 180 pages. I have to say, as much as I love Lance, I didn't really care for the book. I was disappointed in the length, lack of depth, and overall tone. I didn't expect lurid details, nor did I want them, but it just all seemed so superficial and fake. I wouldn't say Lance sold out, but the book does not really represent him very well. I loved the background stories of his family, growing up...but the rest of the book pretty much pertained to the troubles with their manager and the cosmonaut training. I just felt that it was overkill. The major events in Lance's life (besides Nsync and NASA) were brushed over in a paragraph or two...probably due to the short number of pages. I just didn't feel that I got to "know" Lance any better after reading this. I was just disappointed with it and glad I finished it in a day. I highly recommend that you save your money and borrow it from the library. I wish Lance the best of luck in all his future endeavors, but I would have to tell him not to hold his breath for an Nsync reunion. Trust in your self and your faith will take you far. After all, hard things are put in our way, not to stop us, but to call out our courage and strength.



5. OUT OF SYNC by Lance Bass is a thoughtful, honest piece of work from Lance Bass. The book is short and provides some definite insights into the man he is. Lance is 27 and has lived thru a lot during those years. He is also gay and with his innocent religious upbringing this was difficult for him to express. Growing up he knew 100% that it was true but he didn't even consider having the right to come out.
   
   His childhood is described mostly in regards to his history with and development of his singing. NSYNC and their journey take up a great portion of the book. Reading the history of the group is very interesting.
   
   I give this book 4 stars not because it is a huge literary achievement or because it is filled with immense soul searching revelations. Let me change thange. For Lance they are life changing, soul searching revelations. Why I give this book 4 stars is because it is truly the written word of Lance Bass. It is not toyed with to great extent by a publisher to make it more intense. It actually reads like a diary in the sense of it being the real Lance Bass. You experience his wonder, joys, pains and revelations.
   
   You also get the impression that Lance Bass has a huge heart. He is still innocent at 27 but has a good head on his shoulders and is well prepared to face his future. He wraps the book up with some deep insights and they are honest and touching.
   
   The media was prepared to attack him with the knowledge of his being gay. He had great respect for his family and how they may be affected. He handled the situation responsibly and did what he needed to do for himself. Writing this book I'm sure was cathartic for him but it also is for the reader. I thank him for sharing a part of his life journey openly and holding nothing back.
   
   His being gay is a part of him the same as anything else - he is still Lance Bass and by sharing his story I'm sure he will help other people, young and old, deal with their sexuality.

5 comments about Everybody Wants Some: The Van Halen Saga.

1. I just have to comment on the stupid editorial review at the top. I was a VH fan at the age of 8 and savagely loved every tune til Sammy arrived. To call them "the best heavy metal band of all time" is a joke. Even they would agree. That honor MUST forever go to the Grandfathers of Metal: LED ZEPPELIN!! LZ eats Van Halen for breakfast. Zeppelin were monsters of metal that came bashing down out of the sky bringing earth to its knees.



2. Sadly, this is a book that any Van Halen fan with a library card could have written. In fact, they probably could have written it better. Not only is the book filled with old information from less than credible publications, it also features poor grammar, inaccurate (or just plain wrong) facts, and even misspellings! In the age of spell-check, there is simply no excuse for such an amateur effort. Van Halen fans deserve more, and like the Roth reunion, we're just going to have to be patient.



3. Like the masses, this book offers a decent overview of Van Halen especially those who are not too familiar with the band. It was a light and enjoyable read.
   
   However, there were several spelling and grammatical errors. Many quotes seem second hand and incomplete. One still is not completely sure if David Lee Roth was fired or quit. To me it seems like a mutual disolvement. In general there are a lack of details.
   
   The band members seem like your typical rock n rollers who are all about sex, drugs, and rock n roll. David Lee Roth showed me something by volunteering as a EMT specialist as well as being an adventurous soul. Eddie Van Halen certainly is a talented musician but seems like a terminal alcoholic. What has he learned from this experiences? The band members seem to constantly be quarreling with each other.
   
   A few interesting anecdotes kept my attention. However, a more first hand account with more exclusive details would have made this book more appealing.



4. How many more lackadaisical $$$ grabs from pseudo authors must we be made to endure before the group wakes up and gives us the real uncut story in their own words? Every last word here is old hat to us. The only people who would find this remotely informative or revealing would be those who know nothing about the group. Which renders this virtually useless when you consider a person who knows nothing about the group would not be inclined to purchase this to begin with. Its almost as if the author sat there and went 'Hey the group is back and touring so I'm going to quickly slap together a book using all past books and release it just in time for their big tour'. Thus the wretched stench of "cash grab" emanating from cover to cover.
   
   Numerous times throughout the course of the read I had to put this down and walk away due to my level of frustration and indignation. Seems the author believes the Van Halen fanbase is comprised entirely of unknowledgeable dimwitted newbies and he is schooling all of us.
   FYI Captain Obvious we don't need to be told the brothers came over from Europe.. or that they banned brown m&m's backstage.. or that David Lee quit the band.. or that Edward and Val had marital issues.. or that Edward battled cancer. Who the heck doesn't already know this stuff?
   
   What we as fans so direly want and need to know is how these people FELT during all of these endeavors. Like how did Edward react when he first learned he had cancer? Where was he when he got the news? How did his wife and child react? His brother? What did the doctors say? What toll did the chemo take physically and emotionally? How did the band react when David Lee quit? How did David Lee feel? How did management and label heads feel? How did other musicians feel about the shocking split? How did Sammy feel when he joined them? How did he feel when he left them a decade later? How did Gary Cherone feel about being recruited? How has Edward dealt with his infamous lifelong battle with alcohol?
   
   These questions and more don't come close to being answered because apparently Captain Obvious couldn't be bothered to acquire a single first-hand account/interview from anyone.
   
   They committed the cardinal sin: NO NEW COMMENTARY. This book is entirely devoid of interviews. They didn't interview the group, their wives or girlfriends, kids, roadies, other musicians, label heads, producers, engineers, guitar techs, groupies.. NOBODY. All we get is CO endlessly rambling on in their own words about the group's career with the occasional "Eddie told Guitar Player magazine this and that" or "David Lee said this to Creem back in 1982" thrown in. You can NOT be serious? Needless to say by page ten I was bored to tears and ticked off.
   
   What in the world would possess a person to write a book and call it 'DEFINITIVE' without making even the slightest effort to speak with anyone in or relative to this group? Some nerve.
   
   For Pete's Sake even the fan who wrote VanHalen101 interviewed hordes of musicians and managed to have Brian May write that book's intro. Inexcusable best describes this latest offering by Ian Christe. You get the sense this seasoned author, journalist and radio show host wanted nothing more than to make a quick buck off the group's recent well publicized reunion tour whilst desperately seeking to weasel his way into the ranks of legitimate biographers such as Stephen Davis, Anthony Bozza and other noteworthy authors who've penned classic bios.
   Instead Christe dropped the ball and ended up looking like a major tool.
   
   Had someone advised Christe to dedicate more time to actual research and conducting interviews rather than spending what appears to be every waking second calling in favors from all his music journalist pals in exchange for glowing reviews he and his publisher could quote and paste on here so they could fleece the fans for more $$$ maybe just maybe this book might've amounted to something halfway interesting rather than this pedestrian turd in the proverbial punch bowl. Any one of us could've written this. Don't bite. Don't bother. Don't be a sucker. Skip it and grab one of any number of other superior books such as The Encyclopedia, the brand spanking new Zlozower Van Halen: A Visual History photo book or the aforementioned cult fave VanHalen101.



5. Worst excuse for a biography ever. I've literally read blogs on random myspace pages with more depth, passion, guts and style. Where is the scandal? Where are the gripping tales? Where is the band? Aside from being a powerful force of nature Van Halen was also one of the rowdiest and hardest living acts in rock history. Led by guitarist wunderkind Eddie Van Halen they kicked tail and took names both onstage and off. Though you'd never know it reading this sorry thing. The blame rests solely on the shoulders of its creator who fails miserably to even break the surface. True biographies such as Heroin Diaries and the recent Slash bio to name but a few have certainly raised my expectations as a reader. I've grown accustomed to books written by authors in collaboration with their subject. Hence providing fans with a deeply personal read told in the first person by the artist in their own voice. Books like Heroin Diaries are brutally honest, gripping reads that are near impossible to put down. In this instance we get some clown who has nothing to do with Van Halen painfully dragging us through nothing more than a lackluster tired never ending rehash of everything that classifies as common knowledge to even the most average of fans. Plagiarizing old music magazines and previously released Van Halen books does not a bio make. Somebody please call me when the band or at least Eddie finally releases a proper bio.

5 comments about White Line Fever: The Autobiography: The Autobiography.

1. Here's a guy who paved the way for Motley Crue's excess and debauchery. A fun read. Gives you a glimpse into UK life during the 60's and 70's sex drugs & rock & roll age. Lemmy is the messiah of speed metal and death metal. It all started with Motorhead. Without Lemmy, we wouldn't have Metallica.



2. Normally I would never take the time to write an online review...I'm just lazy. This time I am compelled to strongly recommend this read! I've been a Motorhead fan since I was 15 (twenty years now) so maybe I am a bit biased but there is no way to argue that this isn't an incredibly well written and entertaining book. As others have stated in their reviews the storytelling flows like a freshly tapped keg of fine ale.
   I started reading this book while dropping a duece and when finished I found that I couldn't put the book down (except to wash my hands, of course)! I read it cover to cover in one afternoon and I wished it was longer! Lemmy is a survivor and proof that not every rock star has to be an arrogant pr!ck. Highly recommended.



3. This is one of the best rock music biographies ever, written by the most true and real rock musician on the scene nowadays. It's like listening to Lemmy tell you about himself, very easy to read, very funny and cool.



4. Lemmy Kilmister is a rock or metal god, depending on whether a fan considers Motorhead metal, or extremely hard nasty rock and roll, ala AC/DC. I, for one, don't see the problem mixing the two, but on a microscopic level, there is a slight difference. mainly in a slightly less restrictive workplace for the hard rockers.
   Nonetheless, Lemmy, who has said he hated the term "heavy metal", praises it in "White Line Fever", and contends that metal is the true spirit of rock and roll. I agree. Perhaps the calling cards of metal, loud guitars and attitude, are much closer in kin to the early rock years than many people would care to admit. And who can argue with the fact that metal bands have much longer life spans than most other performers? Motorhead are in their fourth decade, and still make rock that is offensive, loud and full of joy for the sake of itself.
   Lemmy is a quintessential spokesman - he is blunt, honest in his recalling of his own drug habits, and intelligent. Say what you will about his habits, but he truly knows who he is, and for that one can take notice.
   "White Line Fever" is a good view into the road life of a hard working band and its leader. Along with "12 Days On The Road", the excellent transcription of the Sex Pistols' infamous first American tour in 1977, one of the best books about rock in all its sloppy glory. A must read.



5. Very amusing autobiography of this legendary rocker. He's very candid explaining his sex, drugs, and rock and roll lifestyle.

5 comments about Heavier than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain.

1. This is a great buy. The book reads smooth although the timelines are not always constant. There is only one outcome according this book and it tries to cover most sides of Kurt's life, including the bad sides. Fortunately it is not 'don't use drugs propaganda' which I see to often these days.
   
   Still there is some room for discussion because the author does some personal interpretation of facts and stories.



2. This book is a wonderful tribute to Kurt's life. Charles Cross' writing style makes you feel as though you were watching a movie. His descriptions reach points where you'd think they were best friends and the amount of detail leaves you wondering how he could know so much about someone who isn't even alive to ask anymore. Cross uses many quotes from the people in Kurt's life and fills you in from day one, starting with Kurt's parents before he was even born. I dislike the amount of names mentioned in the book however. Many characters are only name drops, which becomes confusing at times because you're not sure who is being spoken about. Other than the obsessive amount of names, the stories are fairly easy to follow. The author added some pictures about 200 pages in, from mostly Kurt's family that were very touching to look at. I thoroughly enjoy it, and do not regret buying it. I'd say it's definitely worth the money.



3. By: ANETA BASALAJ
   
   By writing this book, Charles Cross is letting the world know everything about Kurt Cobain, including details even Kurt probably didn't realize about himself. He starts from Kurt's childhood and describes his entire life all the way up to his death.
   
   Cross is a veteran music journalist, which makes him the perfect person to write about one of music's most incredible people. He used to be the editor of The Rocket, the Northwest's highly regarded entertainment and music magazine, which was also the first publication to do a cover story on Nirvana. It is obvious that Cross really knows what he is talking about in this book.
   
   Cross went through over four hundred interviews and an extensive four years of research in order to write Heavier Than Heaven. He goes into great detail, providing not only the facts, but analysis as well, which makes the reader more interested in reading and has him or her thinking throughout the book. Cross did not leave a single important event of Kurt's life out. Not only does the reader have a massive amount of knowledge about Kurt after finishing the book, he or she also gains respect for him.
   
   The obvious strength of the book is the enormous amount of information provided by Cross. This is also a weakness in the sense that readers might find themselves getting restless reading fact after fact, which is not necessarily the author's fault. Another strength of Heavier Than Heaven is the fact that the book is very chronologically accurate. The author does a very good job of not skipping around dates, especially when starting a new chapter. All in all, Heavier Than Heaven is a very well written book that any Nirvana fan should add to his or her bookshelf.



4. I think this book is a very captivating read. It gives alot of detail about Cobain's childhood, rocky adolescence, the forming of Nirvana, all the way through to his death. By the end of the book, it's pretty easy to understand why he killed himself. Alot of people are going to say that it's not true, that it's the "Courtney sanctioned" version of what happened, that Cross is making it up to cover up a murder, but this is nonsense. Overall, Courtney Love is not portrayed in an overly-flattering way, neither is Cobain portrayed in a bad light. People who say that Cross makes Love look great and Cobain look bad either have not read the book or are reading that interpretation into the book.
   
   Alot of people complain about the end, when Cross fictionalizes Cobain's last hours, but he never says that it's fact - to the contrary, Cross points out that that chapter is a fictionalization of what it might have been like. Does fiction have a place in a biography? In "Heaver Than Heaven," I say yes. It would have been a huge letdown if his death had been muddied over - even though we don't know what happened for sure.
   
   I give the book four stars because it's a very engrossing read. My understanding of Kurt Cobain increased greatly after reading this book, and I think my appreciation for Nirvana's music also deepened. It's a haunting, sometimes disturbing portrait of one of rock music's most mythical legends.



5. very good read... unbelievable that someone could be that sick but the author gives every detail of every aspect of his life and it paints a sad sad picture of a life, that from the outside looked like he had it all, but was constantly fighting his own demons...very well written..