Kurt Cobain: Oh Well, Whatever, Nevermind (American Rebels) [Paperback]

Jeff Burlingame (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 2007 | ISBN-10: 0766032558 | ISBN-13: 978-0766032552

Kurt Cobain loved music, and it did not take long for him to realize all he wanted to do in life was play and write songs. When he and his band, Nirvana, became part of the Seattle music scene, more and more people were able to listen to and appreciate his music. Ultimately, dissatisfaction with fame and a dependence on heroin resulted in his suicide. Author Jeff Burlingame, who personally knew Cobain, explores the rock legend's too-brief life, his revolutionary music, and the enduring legacy he left behind.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Written by a high-school acquaintance of Kurt Cobain, this biography in the new American Rebels series is an unusually intimate account of the rock legend. A resident of Cobain's hometown, Burlingame supports his well-researched portrait with personal interviews with Cobain's family, friends, and other local acquaintances. His descriptions of Cobain's darker struggles, such as drug use, are frank, and he occasionally interrupts the text with a few didactic cautions about drug use. He also delves into controversial theories about Cobain's death, including a key investigator's belief that Cobain was murdered. Thorough endnotes, a well-rounded bibliography, and a discography conclude this detailed title, which stands out from many series biographies because of its insider's appreciation for the musician and his legacy. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Library Binding edition.

Review

"... offers insights about growing up in Aberdeen and how Cobain became a musician and a celebrity ... this book would be a good choice for school libraries." --The Associated Press

"Interesting and even funny new details or angles on events you may not have heard before ... A well-written and well-researched publication." --NirvanaFanClub.com

Although the authors spend considerable time on the subjects' early lives and career highlights, a concluding chapter in each book helps explain their lasting appeal and fame. The pull-quotes are well chosen . . . --The Horn Book Guide, Fall 2007

. . . an unusually intimate account of the rock legend . . . well-researched . . . stands out from many series biographies because of its insider s appreciation for the musician and his legacy. --Booklist, January 1 & 15, 2007

... well-researched portrait . . . High and middle school students will enjoy this title. This book will be very useful for music reports and/or casual reading. --Tri State Young Adult Book Review Committee, January 2007

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Enslow Publishers, Inc. (December 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0766032558
• ISBN-13: 978-0766032552
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,073,092 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #27 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( C ) > Cobain, Kurt

More About the Author

Jeff Burlingame is an NAACP Image Award-winning author of several books, including well-received biographies of John Lennon and Kurt Cobain, and in-depth looks at the historic and tragic plights of the Lost Boys of Sudan and the crew and passengers of the Titanic. His books have been honored by the New York Public Library and the NAACP, which in 2011 nominated his book, Malcolm X: "I Believe in the Brotherhood of Man, All Men," for one of its prestigious Image Awards. Other nominees in Burlingame's category included authors Sharon Draper, Rita Williams-Garcia, and Walter Dean Myers, as well as former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

In 2012, Burlingame received an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work: Youth/Teens for his biography of legendary Olympic champion Jesse Owens.

Burlingame has spoken at the Washington State Capitol and has been a featured author on A&E's popular Biography television series. He and his family reside in the Pacific Northwest.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A journalist wrote this, November 24, 2006

By 

Steven (Aberdeen, Wash) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kurt Cobain: Oh Well, Whatever, Nevermind (American Rebels) (Library Binding)

A real honest-to-goodness journalist wrote this book. More to the point, this is a reporter who worked for the newspaper in Kurt's hometown of Aberdeen AND grew up there. That means Jeff can capture the image of Aberdeen and what it was like for Kurt growing up in the timber town like the expert he actually is. This isn't just a book. This may be part of a grand memoir defining the everyman of Aberdeen while at the same time talking about Kurt's life as a whole. And because Jeff is a journalist, the freshness of his interviews are solid and his objectivity is clear. Unlike some other biographies out there, there are no made up theories here. Recommended for all ages.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Kurt Cobain Book to Date, November 8, 2006

By 

M.D.M. (Seattle WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kurt Cobain: Oh Well, Whatever, Nevermind (American Rebels) (Library Binding)

I was waiting to buy this book until I read some reviews, then I saw a review online at the Nirvana Fan Club and decided to give it a shot. This book is written for an audience of teens and older so I wasn't expecting any new stories and was surprised that there are. There's a saddening story about Kurt's mom's reaction told by someone who was with her just after she heard about Kurt's death. There are some photos I've never seen before and pictures of two things Kurt drew, which I found most fascinating and there's an update on a memorial committee in Kurt's hometown that's trying to honor him there. The author knew Kurt when they were younger and the book says he is part of that group.

The book is a high-quality hardback and isn't dumbed down like I thought it might be. If you want to know every detail of Kurt's life, there are other books out there that do the job better (though often in error or by making things up). But if you want to know "just the facts" and learn some new stories along the way you should buy this. I was pleasantly surprised with its quality and was happy to add it to my Cobain collection.

Michael Mac

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I salute you!!!, June 4, 2007

By 

Mark R. "Mark" (Washington) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kurt Cobain: Oh Well, Whatever, Nevermind (American Rebels) (Library Binding)

A great book. I graduated with Jeff. He's talented and this book demonstrates his writing abilities. A definite must for any Nirvana fan. One day my daughter will enjoy it (she's only 22 mos). I wish him success with his future books.

Mark