Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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.

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

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

i think it is great reflection of kurt cobain and nirvana it has loads of usefull info and any nirvana or kurt cobain fan should read jeff burlingame is one of the years best authors

I want to start off by saying I am not the reading type, in order for me to read a book it much capture my attention right away. I was unable to put this book down after just reading the first sentence. I would highly recommend this book to anybody that is trying to learn more about the beggining of Nirvana and the life of Kurt Cobain and what it was like for him growing up. Jeff you did an awesome job writing this book.

Burlingame captures the essence of the "Seattle Scene" in the late 80s and early 90s that is often misunderstood by outsiders. The author is not only from Cobain's hometown but knew him before his world fame. The credibility that adds to this book is outstanding.

I have taught middle school social studies for the past ten years. I often do a unit on "Rock History" and will be including this book for sure.

I was looking for a book that didn't favor either the suicide or murder theory but was neutral. This is that, however it is short and really just tells the basic story. It just skims the surface and doesn't go too deep. I was looking for something more in-depth. It is a easy short read and informative. It does seem to be a little more geared towards a younger audience it explains what some things that most people would know for example Heroin and warns not to do it. The author had known Kurt Cobain personally at a point in his life and I enjoyed his personal story, though like the book it was brief. Depending on what you are looking for this might be great. If you want something in-depth you might need to do what I am now doing and buy both Heavier Than Heaven and Love and Death. I haven't read them but I have a feeling they both have biases. I think maybe a true biography of Kurt Cobain by a neutral author has yet to be written.

This was written for a third grader. If you want a much better picture of Kurt Cobain, get Heavier Than Heaven or Come As You Are. Very rudimentary in the information that is offered. I learned one or two things that I hadn't from all the other books I've read about Nirvana and Kurt Cobain. If you're a little kid that has heard of Kurt and Nirvana, then you may want to read it because it's written for those that were born after his death.