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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
I really liked it, but I think I would have liked it more if I were a little older.
I knew from the moment I heard about the existence of this memoir that I would like it. but I didn't think I would love it. Rob Sheffield wrote about music, love, and grief in a way I wished I was able to do. it is beautiful, funny, heartbreaking, and I definitely recommend it
I sang my way through this book, thanks to a seemingly endless listing of good tunage. The way the author wove lyrics into descriptions and memories was just fantastic. On the whole it's just well-written and left me with words to finally describe what I and so many millions of other people feel about the music we share with one another -- "When we die, we will turn into songs, and we will hear each other and remember each other."
Given the title it's obviously a lovely mix of the bitter with the sweet, but by far the sweet wins out. (I mean, he totally had me at Gregory Abbott and some "Shake You Down," which charts a very specific lite-rockin' moment in time for me back then.) I never thought I'd miss a cassette tape, but this book brought back so many amazing memories of all my own tapes that have long since been discarded ...
My favorite mix from this book is "the comfort zone" chapter, as I, too, loved me some Hi-Five -- and mad bonus points for including some Mint Condition "Breakin' My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes)." That was completely my song, and probably still is ...
Given the title it's obviously a lovely mix of the bitter with the sweet, but by far the sweet wins out. (I mean, he totally had me at Gregory Abbott and some "Shake You Down," which charts a very specific lite-rockin' moment in time for me back then.) I never thought I'd miss a cassette tape, but this book brought back so many amazing memories of all my own tapes that have long since been discarded ...
My favorite mix from this book is "the comfort zone" chapter, as I, too, loved me some Hi-Five -- and mad bonus points for including some Mint Condition "Breakin' My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes)." That was completely my song, and probably still is ...
i pretty much tore through this book. it's a great love story about living and losing told through an eclectic array of nineties music. i think he strayed into sap and cheese at some moments (could totally have done without the skater boi reference...yikes and about half of the first chapter), but he makes up for it with a ton of Pavement quotes and many a profound insight with details and a handful of pretty dern good mixes. it's a portrait of grief, love, music and a lot of hope.
"What is love? Great minds have been grappling with this question throughout the ages, and in the modern era, they have come up with many different answers. According to Western philosopher Pat Benatar, love is a battlefield. Her paisan Frank Sinatra would add the corollary that love is a tender trap. Love hurts. Love stinks. Love bites, love bleeds, love is the drug. The troubadours of our times agree: They want to know what love is, and they want you to show them. But the answer is simple: Love is a mix tape. "
"What is love? Great minds have been grappling with this question throughout the ages, and in the modern era, they have come up with many different answers. According to Western philosopher Pat Benatar, love is a battlefield. Her paisan Frank Sinatra would add the corollary that love is a tender trap. Love hurts. Love stinks. Love bites, love bleeds, love is the drug. The troubadours of our times agree: They want to know what love is, and they want you to show them. But the answer is simple: Love is a mix tape. "
In a true-High Fidelity fashion, music loving fashion, this book kinda spoke to my soul. First of all, it recognizes the HUGE impact that music has on our life. There are definitely songs that, when I hear them, bring me to another state--another place. I am whisked away to other times/places to be with people I haven't seen in a long time. Such is the power of music.
For Rob Sheffield, this is true as well. But what do you do when you lose the person with whom you've shared so much of that music with? When every new song you hear on the radio makes you think, "Damn, he/she would've LOVED this song?!"
Simple: You get very, very depressed.
And that's the story of this book. This is a book of loss and love. When Rob feels any emotion, he makes a mixed tape (even if it's a CD or playlist on the iPod, he still calls it a mixed tape). This helps him to express the feelings he can't otherwise get out. Looking over my own iTunes...I see MANY playlists that speak to many different emotions. "Upbeat" "Emo" etc.
Each chapter starts with a playlist of songs from a tape that Rob made (or someone in his life), and he tells his story. Quick read, well worth it.
Not that I was keeping track or anything, but Green Day was mentioned (in it's amazing-ness) twice, once on a page that also mentioned Johnny Depp. There was no way this book was not headed for greatness.
For Rob Sheffield, this is true as well. But what do you do when you lose the person with whom you've shared so much of that music with? When every new song you hear on the radio makes you think, "Damn, he/she would've LOVED this song?!"
Simple: You get very, very depressed.
And that's the story of this book. This is a book of loss and love. When Rob feels any emotion, he makes a mixed tape (even if it's a CD or playlist on the iPod, he still calls it a mixed tape). This helps him to express the feelings he can't otherwise get out. Looking over my own iTunes...I see MANY playlists that speak to many different emotions. "Upbeat" "Emo" etc.
Each chapter starts with a playlist of songs from a tape that Rob made (or someone in his life), and he tells his story. Quick read, well worth it.
Not that I was keeping track or anything, but Green Day was mentioned (in it's amazing-ness) twice, once on a page that also mentioned Johnny Depp. There was no way this book was not headed for greatness.
A gut-wrenching tale of love, loss and recovery. One of the most emotional books I've ever read.
If you don't like or at least tolerate this book I bet Hitler was nicer than you. So what if the author has some cheesy metaphors? I think most of the time he was joking, and even then c'mon!!
We all know love is like a delicious alcoholic beverage. It reels you in and makes you feel awesome. You start thinking you're Batman and you sometimes just end up putting things in holes, or having things put in your holes and you don't know why, but you know it feels damn good. It's like hanging upside down or floating on something awesome like a giant balloon made of cake.
With all the inserting and the false sense of euphoria you don't realize the only hole you're not worrying about yet should be, is the one you're digging yourself into.
Then the next morning after the booze wears off you stare at the bottle with tears in your eyes wondering how something so magical could turn on you this way in a matter of a few hours. Though the mere thought of it made your mouth water last night, now it's enough to make you vomit. You take one last look at the bottle before dramatically smashing it on the wall. Even then a million showers can't help you now.
The man can't be blamed for his words. He was under the influence.
I keep hearing people say he was too melodramatic. Yeah, um, his wife died and in one of the worst ways possible. She died out of nowhere and at a really young age. The part where he was driving and he parked and was finally taking it all in almost destroyed the little humanity I have left. Also, they mention Pavement like a million times. How can you not appreciate that?
We all know love is like a delicious alcoholic beverage. It reels you in and makes you feel awesome. You start thinking you're Batman and you sometimes just end up putting things in holes, or having things put in your holes and you don't know why, but you know it feels damn good. It's like hanging upside down or floating on something awesome like a giant balloon made of cake.
With all the inserting and the false sense of euphoria you don't realize the only hole you're not worrying about yet should be, is the one you're digging yourself into.
Then the next morning after the booze wears off you stare at the bottle with tears in your eyes wondering how something so magical could turn on you this way in a matter of a few hours. Though the mere thought of it made your mouth water last night, now it's enough to make you vomit. You take one last look at the bottle before dramatically smashing it on the wall. Even then a million showers can't help you now.
The man can't be blamed for his words. He was under the influence.
I keep hearing people say he was too melodramatic. Yeah, um, his wife died and in one of the worst ways possible. She died out of nowhere and at a really young age. The part where he was driving and he parked and was finally taking it all in almost destroyed the little humanity I have left. Also, they mention Pavement like a million times. How can you not appreciate that?
I have to admit that I have never made a mix tape. Certainly I know what they are and I will confess that over the years I copied a few albums on to tape, but actually taking songs from various LPs and putting them on one tape - I never did it.
So when Rob Sheffield announces early in this book - "Every fan makes them." - he started to lose me. I was not caught up in the story.
And then there was the actual soundtrack of his life. Most of Sheffield's music was from the 1990's. He was in graduate school then. I had two small children in that era. That, as they say, makes all the difference.
I am glad I read this book. Rob Sheffield is a good storyteller and his story is sad, but inspiring also. Much of the book takes place in my neck of the woods and I have known people both from Sheffield's original environment and Renee's world.
Unfortunately, I was just not able to relate to Sheffield in any real way.
So when Rob Sheffield announces early in this book - "Every fan makes them." - he started to lose me. I was not caught up in the story.
And then there was the actual soundtrack of his life. Most of Sheffield's music was from the 1990's. He was in graduate school then. I had two small children in that era. That, as they say, makes all the difference.
I am glad I read this book. Rob Sheffield is a good storyteller and his story is sad, but inspiring also. Much of the book takes place in my neck of the woods and I have known people both from Sheffield's original environment and Renee's world.
Unfortunately, I was just not able to relate to Sheffield in any real way.
One of the best books I’ve ever read. Or at least one of the most perfect-for-me books I’ve ever read. highly recommend.
This book broke my heart.
I cried several times reading this book. I think it hit a little too close to home in some aspects. This idea of being connected to one person through music and that forming a base for your relationship and the growing into a beautiful love - that hit home.
The book is about Rob, and how he met his wife - Renee - and the all too soon moment of her death. The interesting part is that he tells this story through mix tapes. A tape they played while driving, a tape they played to get them to sleep. Their relationship is beautifully mapped by all these songs that signify key points. Their relationship, the way he described Renee was sublime, she was kooky and fun and noisy and her character danced right off the pages in a home-made mod dress and their love flowed off the pages too, giving you that warm feeling inside.
Each chapter is started with a different mix tape, and these songs, maybe not all of them, appear in the chapter, with a nod in thanks to them for being there at the right time. Some mix tapes are Rob's, some are ones his friends made him, some are Renee's, but they're all different, not just for their musical content but for where in life they represent.
This book is about using music as a rock. Using music to lean on when things are too hard, life is unfair and you're left all alone, in shock and not knowing what to do. It's about getting through something excruciatingly tough with music - and how music changes when a tragedy happens - some songs you just can't listen to any more.
I'd give this book to any of my friends who have ever used music to get them through something tough, even if it was just a bad day. This book is a reminded of the power and beauty of music in life and love.
I cried several times reading this book. I think it hit a little too close to home in some aspects. This idea of being connected to one person through music and that forming a base for your relationship and the growing into a beautiful love - that hit home.
The book is about Rob, and how he met his wife - Renee - and the all too soon moment of her death. The interesting part is that he tells this story through mix tapes. A tape they played while driving, a tape they played to get them to sleep. Their relationship is beautifully mapped by all these songs that signify key points. Their relationship, the way he described Renee was sublime, she was kooky and fun and noisy and her character danced right off the pages in a home-made mod dress and their love flowed off the pages too, giving you that warm feeling inside.
Each chapter is started with a different mix tape, and these songs, maybe not all of them, appear in the chapter, with a nod in thanks to them for being there at the right time. Some mix tapes are Rob's, some are ones his friends made him, some are Renee's, but they're all different, not just for their musical content but for where in life they represent.
This book is about using music as a rock. Using music to lean on when things are too hard, life is unfair and you're left all alone, in shock and not knowing what to do. It's about getting through something excruciatingly tough with music - and how music changes when a tragedy happens - some songs you just can't listen to any more.
I'd give this book to any of my friends who have ever used music to get them through something tough, even if it was just a bad day. This book is a reminded of the power and beauty of music in life and love.