Customer Reviews

Cassette From My Ex: Stories and Soundtracks of Lost Loves

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Yet another piece of thoughtful pop cultural anthropology, unearthed by the professionally curious Jason Bitner ("Dirty Found," "La Porte, Indiana"). Though cassettes have gone the way of 8-tracks, Bitner defends the format and explores the tradition of making hand-tailored soundtracks for loved ones (and those we want to love us back). I read every page.

Jason Bitner understands that our memories are more intimately tangled up with our music than anything else. It's an idea that's so right, so clearly and intuitively true, that I can't believe this book hasn't always existed. In Cassette From My Ex, Bitner enlists stellar contributors to show that that the most personal and evocative artifact of any relationship is a good mix tape. In stories indelibly linked to the mixes in this book, each author shares with us the good times and the bad that were preserved through the soundtracks they gave to their relationships. A great read--guaranteed to send you digging up your own old mixes and reminiscing.

While I'm more of the iTunes generation (never made a mixtape, but I love music), I can't get enough of these stories of crushes and breakups. Having been through a disastrous relationship last summer, I really appreciated hearing how similar my story was to other peoples breakups. It turns out we're all going through the same thing here.

Beyond that, each story shares the playlist to each mixtape, so it's a great book to help discover new music. Definitely a great gift book!

This book is both hilarious and touching! Makes for a great gift if you're unsure what to get a friend for an upcoming bday or holiday.
Check out this video to see a little bit more about Cassette From My Ex: [...]

everyone has made or received a mix tape and this book brings back memories that you forgot you had!
and it's funny.
great book, easy to pick it up and read a story or two.

Stories by people who used cassettes to copy & share their favorite / meaningful
music. Often by independent bands so the music received a wider audience. Many
touching revealing stories - at times funny & often endearing.

These vignettes are touching, sometimes funny, and replete with nostalgia for what once was, what might have been, and what really is right now. Well worth reading.

This is a great book and an excellent gift for people who have everything. A thought-provoking trip down memory lane, albeit vicariously. Jason Bitner seems to have a lot of interesting work under his belt.

This book is wonderful. You really need to hold it in your hands and read it to enjoy its masterful content, design and execution. What a fantastic object.

I first heard about this project on NPR several months ago, and immediately thought it was genius, however, I had my doubts to how it might be turned in to a book. Well, my copy arrived just the other day, and I CAN'T STOP reading it. Stories by Rick Moody, Michael Hearst, and Claudia Gonson... what's not to love! There's even a spreads on how to fix a broken cassette... Ha ha! Love, love, love it! -JM