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bmwest 's review for:
Heavier Than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain
by Charles R. Cross
I didn't know too much about Kurt Cobain before I started this, but I did know this wouldn't be a happy, fun account of a rock star's life. This was way more depressing than I anticipated.
The author begins with Kurt's birth and outlines his happy years, which last until age 7, when his parents divorce. After this point, there seem to be no more truly happpy moments in Kurt's life. The rest of the biography follows Kurt's struggles with emotional connection, depression, chronic stomach pain, addiction, suicidal thoughts, and poverty. The author certainly does not shy away from exposing Kurt's contradictive personality, such as his desire to be seen as pure indie, while also aggressively pursuing mainstream music milestones. Reading these descriptions gave me second-hand embarrassment for Kurt; I can't imagine living life as such a private, introverted person, then having them so baldly exposed to the world. I regret reading this as it feels like I also invaded Kurt's privacy.
I'm a confused as to why the author would not offer an explanation on why Dave Grohl did not participate in the interviews. Was it because he didn't want to, he outright disagreed with the publication of this biography, or did Love and Grohl's conflict lead to him being excluded? I think the author had a responsibility to let the reader know why such a huge source was missing.
I also really want to know why the author included two references to a so-called feud between Eddie Vedder and Kurt. I tried looking up interviews and other sources, but the only thing I could find was that one time Kurt said he liked Vedder but hated Pearl Jam's music. I really just don't understand why in a biography the author would mention this 'feud' twice but not go into any detail at all about it. Personally I think this was just fabrication on the part of the author, which, combined with the exclusion of Grohl, causes me to doubt the reporting of the entire biography.
The major issue I had with the author's writing however, is the speculation of Kurt's final moments. It seems wrong and weird to walk us through dertails like how Kurt "methodically" prepared his heroin...I mean, there's just no way to know that. The entire description of Kurt's suicide reads more as a fictional novel scene than a biographical explanation and honestly feels like a massive invastion of privacy. A simple statement of facts would have been much more appropriate.
The author begins with Kurt's birth and outlines his happy years, which last until age 7, when his parents divorce. After this point, there seem to be no more truly happpy moments in Kurt's life. The rest of the biography follows Kurt's struggles with emotional connection, depression, chronic stomach pain, addiction, suicidal thoughts, and poverty. The author certainly does not shy away from exposing Kurt's contradictive personality, such as his desire to be seen as pure indie, while also aggressively pursuing mainstream music milestones. Reading these descriptions gave me second-hand embarrassment for Kurt; I can't imagine living life as such a private, introverted person, then having them so baldly exposed to the world. I regret reading this as it feels like I also invaded Kurt's privacy.
I'm a confused as to why the author would not offer an explanation on why Dave Grohl did not participate in the interviews. Was it because he didn't want to, he outright disagreed with the publication of this biography, or did Love and Grohl's conflict lead to him being excluded? I think the author had a responsibility to let the reader know why such a huge source was missing.
I also really want to know why the author included two references to a so-called feud between Eddie Vedder and Kurt. I tried looking up interviews and other sources, but the only thing I could find was that one time Kurt said he liked Vedder but hated Pearl Jam's music. I really just don't understand why in a biography the author would mention this 'feud' twice but not go into any detail at all about it. Personally I think this was just fabrication on the part of the author, which, combined with the exclusion of Grohl, causes me to doubt the reporting of the entire biography.
The major issue I had with the author's writing however, is the speculation of Kurt's final moments. It seems wrong and weird to walk us through dertails like how Kurt "methodically" prepared his heroin...I mean, there's just no way to know that. The entire description of Kurt's suicide reads more as a fictional novel scene than a biographical explanation and honestly feels like a massive invastion of privacy. A simple statement of facts would have been much more appropriate.