Spring Break
Taking a journey with Chuck Klosterman
Readers see the world a bit more Klosterman-like
Cat Potter
Issue date: 7/30/08 Section: Features
Perhaps one of the most intriguing parts of Chuck Klosterman's publications are their titles. I first heard about the former Spin writer (who has also written for such publications as GQ, The Washington Post and recently as a columnist for Esquire) when a friend of mine was reading his book; Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs: A Low Culture Manifesto.
I am ordinarily not one to judge a book by its cover, or its title I guess, but I must admit that I was more than intrigued.
I ventured out for Klosterman's most recent publication, 2005's Killing Yourself to Live: 85% of a True Story and found that I was not let down in my expectations.
Killing Yourself to Live is a non-fiction account of Klosterman's 21-day journey across the U.S. on assignment from Spin magazine, to visit the places where famous rock stars died. He elects to inform the reader (and his editor) that the importance of an assignment like this lies in the fact that he wants to know "why the greatest career move any musician can make is to stop breathing."
His adventures are best summed up in a declaration he makes early into the book: "I want to walk the blood-soaked streets of rock 'n' roll and chat with the survivors who writhe in the gutters."
I never read the article for Spin, but the book of his adventures exceeded my personal expectations.
A book that is structured around exploring "the places where everything stopped" for rock stars like Kurt Cobain, Jeff Buckley, Elvis Pressley, Duane Allman, etc. is much more than an account of these destinations.
This book puts the reader beside Klosterman in his "Tauntaun" (his nickname for his rented Ford Taurus) and discusses every aspect of life with Klosterman himself, in a brilliant, heavily musical sort of way.
Chuck Klosterman has a musical intellect. He experiences three relationships throughout his trip, meets locals at restaurants and bars in every town that he visits and somehow finds a way to compare many of them to songs he has heard or the way songs have made him feel in the past.
I am ordinarily not one to judge a book by its cover, or its title I guess, but I must admit that I was more than intrigued.
I ventured out for Klosterman's most recent publication, 2005's Killing Yourself to Live: 85% of a True Story and found that I was not let down in my expectations.
Killing Yourself to Live is a non-fiction account of Klosterman's 21-day journey across the U.S. on assignment from Spin magazine, to visit the places where famous rock stars died. He elects to inform the reader (and his editor) that the importance of an assignment like this lies in the fact that he wants to know "why the greatest career move any musician can make is to stop breathing."
His adventures are best summed up in a declaration he makes early into the book: "I want to walk the blood-soaked streets of rock 'n' roll and chat with the survivors who writhe in the gutters."
I never read the article for Spin, but the book of his adventures exceeded my personal expectations.
A book that is structured around exploring "the places where everything stopped" for rock stars like Kurt Cobain, Jeff Buckley, Elvis Pressley, Duane Allman, etc. is much more than an account of these destinations.
This book puts the reader beside Klosterman in his "Tauntaun" (his nickname for his rented Ford Taurus) and discusses every aspect of life with Klosterman himself, in a brilliant, heavily musical sort of way.
Chuck Klosterman has a musical intellect. He experiences three relationships throughout his trip, meets locals at restaurants and bars in every town that he visits and somehow finds a way to compare many of them to songs he has heard or the way songs have made him feel in the past.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Sarah
posted 7/30/08 @ 12:16 AM EST
One of the best books I've ever read. Klosterman tells it how it is..whether you like it or not.
Anyone reading this should probably just go buy it right now. (Continued…)
anon
posted 8/07/08 @ 3:41 AM EST
to be accurate. chuck released another book after this one called 'IV: A Decade of Curious People and Dangerous Ideas'
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