What do you think?
Rate this book
Die Young with Me: A Memoir
The true story of a teenager diagnosed with cancer and how music was the one thing that helped him get through his darkest days.
Punk’s not dead in rural West Virginia. In fact, it blares constantly from the basement of Rob and Nat Rufus—identical twin brothers with spiked hair, black leather jackets, and the most kick-ass record collection in Appalachia. To them, school (and pretty much everything else) sucks. But what can you expect when you’re the only punks in town?
When the brothers start their own band, their lives begin to change: they meet friends, they attract girls, and they finally get invited to join a national tour and get out of their rat box little town.
But their plans are cut short when Rob is diagnosed with a rare form of cancer that has already progressed to Stage Four. Not only are his dreams of punk rock stardom completely shredded, there is a very real threat that this is one battle that can’t be won.
While Rob suffers through nightmarish treatments and debilitating surgery, Nat continues on their band’s road to success alone. But as Rob’s life diverges from his brother’s, he learns to find strength within himself and through his music.
Punk’s not dead in rural West Virginia. In fact, it blares constantly from the basement of Rob and Nat Rufus—identical twin brothers with spiked hair, black leather jackets, and the most kick-ass record collection in Appalachia. To them, school (and pretty much everything else) sucks. But what can you expect when you’re the only punks in town?
When the brothers start their own band, their lives begin to change: they meet friends, they attract girls, and they finally get invited to join a national tour and get out of their rat box little town.
But their plans are cut short when Rob is diagnosed with a rare form of cancer that has already progressed to Stage Four. Not only are his dreams of punk rock stardom completely shredded, there is a very real threat that this is one battle that can’t be won.
While Rob suffers through nightmarish treatments and debilitating surgery, Nat continues on their band’s road to success alone. But as Rob’s life diverges from his brother’s, he learns to find strength within himself and through his music.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published September 20, 2016
22 people are currently reading
1736 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
December 15, 2016
Yesterday was my last day of chemotherapy for Hodgkin's lymphoma, a rare "young people only" cancer that attacks the lymph nodes and blood system of the body.
I posted a picture to instagram to celebrate, one of my hashtags was #cancer.
Somebody liked it, some guy I'd never heard of called Rob Rufus, and in his profile was promotional material for a book he had written about his own experience with a rare cancer. I couldn't wait for a week to get to the book store for something so serendipitous, and I couldn't find my e-reader, so I instantly downloaded it onto my ipad.
This book.
This fucking book.
I can't even talk about it aloud yet because I know I'll just start crying. This book is my experience. Rob had a much more harsh and intense chemotherapy treatment the first time around, and I don't know yet if I'm fully in the clear. I'm not a punk, nor have I ever been one, but the level of relate-ability in this book is both comforting and intensely uncomfortable.
I, too, had a difficult time getting a diagnosis. I didn't have a cough, but I had the most intense back pain imaginable for a full four months before an unrelated scan found the cancer. I visited the emergency room once, and they gave me hydromorphone. In exactly a week I went back because it wasn't working (I brought my still full bottle of pills with me to demonstrate) and was treated like a drug addict. "What do you hope to achieve with this visit?" Asked the front desk nurse. "Everyone has back pain," my emergency doctor told me flippantly. For four months I couldn't sleep in my bed because I needed to be propped up. I went three weeks at a time without sleep because the pain was so intense. I had waking dreams and hallucinations from my lack of sleep, which terrified my mom. I was sent to a pain clinic that was horrified by my condition. Two MRIs and two X-rays found nothing. Physiotherapy didn't help. They were starting to think I had a degenerative rheumatological issue that would mean I wouldn't be able to walk again. A bone scan for this reason found cancer tissue in my soft tissues, and we were finally on the right track.
It's been 15 years since Rob's horrible treatment and difficult diagnosis, and young people are still infamously being treated like shit when they have cancer. Like Rob, I had a prof that refused to help me through the course even though I was registered through the disability centre for my hip and back pain, and had to walk with a cane.
The loneliness is tangible, nobody in your peerage can relate to you. People don't reach out or give their best when you thought they were important people in your life.
But the people that do stick around, or send a message now and then, are truly lifesavers that help you through the dark times.
Our cancers are quite a lot different, but this book could not have appeared in my notifications at a better or more appropriate time. Thank you, Rob, for telling the truth no matter how raw and uncomfortable it may make some. Cancer, especially young adult and childhood cancers, aren't the feel-good tales of perseverance or inspiring fortitude. It hurts, it's terrifying, and it changes who you are in a very fundamental way.
This book is a truthful YA novel about cancer from someone who's lived it, and I prefer it over tFiOS any day. No more using kids with cancer for inspiration porn. It's time to look at it for what it truly is; tragic, difficult, and heartbreaking.
I posted a picture to instagram to celebrate, one of my hashtags was #cancer.
Somebody liked it, some guy I'd never heard of called Rob Rufus, and in his profile was promotional material for a book he had written about his own experience with a rare cancer. I couldn't wait for a week to get to the book store for something so serendipitous, and I couldn't find my e-reader, so I instantly downloaded it onto my ipad.
This book.
This fucking book.
I can't even talk about it aloud yet because I know I'll just start crying. This book is my experience. Rob had a much more harsh and intense chemotherapy treatment the first time around, and I don't know yet if I'm fully in the clear. I'm not a punk, nor have I ever been one, but the level of relate-ability in this book is both comforting and intensely uncomfortable.
I, too, had a difficult time getting a diagnosis. I didn't have a cough, but I had the most intense back pain imaginable for a full four months before an unrelated scan found the cancer. I visited the emergency room once, and they gave me hydromorphone. In exactly a week I went back because it wasn't working (I brought my still full bottle of pills with me to demonstrate) and was treated like a drug addict. "What do you hope to achieve with this visit?" Asked the front desk nurse. "Everyone has back pain," my emergency doctor told me flippantly. For four months I couldn't sleep in my bed because I needed to be propped up. I went three weeks at a time without sleep because the pain was so intense. I had waking dreams and hallucinations from my lack of sleep, which terrified my mom. I was sent to a pain clinic that was horrified by my condition. Two MRIs and two X-rays found nothing. Physiotherapy didn't help. They were starting to think I had a degenerative rheumatological issue that would mean I wouldn't be able to walk again. A bone scan for this reason found cancer tissue in my soft tissues, and we were finally on the right track.
It's been 15 years since Rob's horrible treatment and difficult diagnosis, and young people are still infamously being treated like shit when they have cancer. Like Rob, I had a prof that refused to help me through the course even though I was registered through the disability centre for my hip and back pain, and had to walk with a cane.
The loneliness is tangible, nobody in your peerage can relate to you. People don't reach out or give their best when you thought they were important people in your life.
But the people that do stick around, or send a message now and then, are truly lifesavers that help you through the dark times.
Our cancers are quite a lot different, but this book could not have appeared in my notifications at a better or more appropriate time. Thank you, Rob, for telling the truth no matter how raw and uncomfortable it may make some. Cancer, especially young adult and childhood cancers, aren't the feel-good tales of perseverance or inspiring fortitude. It hurts, it's terrifying, and it changes who you are in a very fundamental way.
This book is a truthful YA novel about cancer from someone who's lived it, and I prefer it over tFiOS any day. No more using kids with cancer for inspiration porn. It's time to look at it for what it truly is; tragic, difficult, and heartbreaking.
October 4, 2016
"No Mary Chapin Carpenter record ever inspired someone to fight for a few extra push-ups."
Received this at BEA Chicago thanks to my blogging partner JT. (Thanks!)
For all of you guys who don't know who Rob Rufus is he's not the old religious man that is a god freak, he the gorgeous punk that will steal your heart and make you sweat.... (Sorry Trent.. *wink*)
Being punk doesn't mean that you have to dress a certain way, have piercings or even have tattoos. It's the way you think and the way you live. Not giving into the conformity of whatever you want to call this world that we live and breathe. And I'm not a punk by a long shot, but I am an asshole.... if that counts (high-fives self)
From a very early age, you can tell that Rob was different from the pack, the way he wrote about himself makes you think he was the brown grass in the luscious green meadow. And not a single fuck was given.
Growing up, him and his brother were attached at the hip, buying records from the local music shop and listening to the rock that made America. Visiting family for a reunion opened their eyes to a bigger world and made them who they are today. And the heavens opened up, the sun shone down on the turntable and God made it rain punk! It was loud, it was in your face and it made your face bleed and they were hooked.
Nat went home, burned all their wussy albums and got band equipment. Time to form DOA and kill it.
Rob, however, was living two lives, one with the band and one with cancer. Everything he did made him weak and cough and none of the doctors cared or could figure it out. And guess what? It took a woman to find it out. (Praise) And the diagnosis was severe. He had a mass growing in his chest and he would need hardcore chemo and surgery.
Having cancer made him lose everything he was and wanted to do, but it did not trample his spirit. He toughed it out with chemo treatments and building his strength back up.
No one really sure if he would survive. With having a great support team of family and friends strengthen the mood and help chances of survival.
Once you think it's done, it's not over. Nothing is ever over.
Rob's story will open your eyes and show you that cancer affects everyone, not just the people they want you to see. It can not only destroy the person who has cancer, but it can destroy friendships, families, and even your career.
It can make people feel alienated and destroy the love of family.
In this case, I think it made them bond stronger in the end. I mean, he didn't end up with his punk rock girl but look at where he is now. I think he did pretty damn well for a kid in his situation. Those things can only make you stronger if you want it to.
For lovers of Punk, skateboarding in suburbia or even a kickass memoir, you will not be disappointed by Rob's story. It will shed light on a dark subject that no one wants to talk about.
"would you deny me if I stayed for awhile
you were such a righteous righteous righteous
rocking desperate child"
Received this at BEA Chicago thanks to my blogging partner JT. (Thanks!)
For all of you guys who don't know who Rob Rufus is he's not the old religious man that is a god freak, he the gorgeous punk that will steal your heart and make you sweat.... (Sorry Trent.. *wink*)
Being punk doesn't mean that you have to dress a certain way, have piercings or even have tattoos. It's the way you think and the way you live. Not giving into the conformity of whatever you want to call this world that we live and breathe. And I'm not a punk by a long shot, but I am an asshole.... if that counts (high-fives self)
From a very early age, you can tell that Rob was different from the pack, the way he wrote about himself makes you think he was the brown grass in the luscious green meadow. And not a single fuck was given.
Growing up, him and his brother were attached at the hip, buying records from the local music shop and listening to the rock that made America. Visiting family for a reunion opened their eyes to a bigger world and made them who they are today. And the heavens opened up, the sun shone down on the turntable and God made it rain punk! It was loud, it was in your face and it made your face bleed and they were hooked.
Nat went home, burned all their wussy albums and got band equipment. Time to form DOA and kill it.
Rob, however, was living two lives, one with the band and one with cancer. Everything he did made him weak and cough and none of the doctors cared or could figure it out. And guess what? It took a woman to find it out. (Praise) And the diagnosis was severe. He had a mass growing in his chest and he would need hardcore chemo and surgery.
Having cancer made him lose everything he was and wanted to do, but it did not trample his spirit. He toughed it out with chemo treatments and building his strength back up.
No one really sure if he would survive. With having a great support team of family and friends strengthen the mood and help chances of survival.
Once you think it's done, it's not over. Nothing is ever over.
Rob's story will open your eyes and show you that cancer affects everyone, not just the people they want you to see. It can not only destroy the person who has cancer, but it can destroy friendships, families, and even your career.
It can make people feel alienated and destroy the love of family.
In this case, I think it made them bond stronger in the end. I mean, he didn't end up with his punk rock girl but look at where he is now. I think he did pretty damn well for a kid in his situation. Those things can only make you stronger if you want it to.
For lovers of Punk, skateboarding in suburbia or even a kickass memoir, you will not be disappointed by Rob's story. It will shed light on a dark subject that no one wants to talk about.
"would you deny me if I stayed for awhile
you were such a righteous righteous righteous
rocking desperate child"
March 31, 2021
Rob’s story was written entirely in his perspective and he shows us the ugly face of cancer and how it can take a dream and twist it. Honestly, I have always wondered what cancer is like, not out of some macabre fascination, but because I see people going through it and it would help for me (as a nurse) to know. Rob details what it was like for him, as a teenager. His story includes all the gross details one would expect from chemo therapy and surgery and then real sickness to come with. It is eye opening and heartbreaking.
Music plans a huge role in Rob’s story. The book starts off with exactly when he and his brother began to love punk. Rob tells the reader exactly how their basement band started and the local venues they played. The readers learns all about Rob and Nat’s favorite bands. I especially loved that I could easily see their dream. It’s a good dream and worth all the work they put into being successful.
Rob’s description of the people around him is completely candid. There is much to empathize with here, but also so much to root for. Rob and his girlfriend Ali have issues. They have a unique relationship that has everything to do with Rob’s treatments. Nat and Rob have typical male communication where much goes unsaid. Being twins means they share a really close relationship, but cancer threatens to tear them apart.
For anyone who has ever wondered about childhood cancer, or what chemo really looks like. This is the book that defines what cancer means to the patient and those around them who are very much affected by it. If you read only one non-fiction book this year, let it be this one. Rob’s story is one that had to be told.
December 2, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. I will rate it a 4 stars and I will recommend it.
February 3, 2017
I was on page five of this book when I read the passage "Our crew banded together sometime during our seventh-grade year - we didn't have much in common besides being perpetually uninvited to life."
That's when I knew I was going to love this book. Rufus has a matter-of-fact, honest way of describing how the events in his life unfolded. While I am nothing like Rufus, and frankly, have trouble understanding/accepting punk rock, I emerged from this book empathizing with Rufus... and every other rebellious teenager.
And then there's the cancer - the basis of the book. The narrative unfolds in a manner that puts the reader smack in the middle of an unfortunate reality: medicine is not an exact science. There are great and not-so-great health care providers. Goals and plans, however great or small, are at the mercy of fate. And that is the truth for everybody.
I loved this book, because it made me think, and it made me feel. And it increased my level of compassion and respect for those I know who have faced and fought cancer.. and that level of respect was already at the top of the chart.
That's when I knew I was going to love this book. Rufus has a matter-of-fact, honest way of describing how the events in his life unfolded. While I am nothing like Rufus, and frankly, have trouble understanding/accepting punk rock, I emerged from this book empathizing with Rufus... and every other rebellious teenager.
And then there's the cancer - the basis of the book. The narrative unfolds in a manner that puts the reader smack in the middle of an unfortunate reality: medicine is not an exact science. There are great and not-so-great health care providers. Goals and plans, however great or small, are at the mercy of fate. And that is the truth for everybody.
I loved this book, because it made me think, and it made me feel. And it increased my level of compassion and respect for those I know who have faced and fought cancer.. and that level of respect was already at the top of the chart.
September 20, 2016
Well, I tore through this in a day, which should tell you how damn enjoyable it is. I laughed, I cried, I reevaluated my life, I got inspired to keep doing all the things I love, and I cursed The Man. I never had cancer, but I *was* a teenage outcast, and the author totally nails that feeling. It took me back to being in high school in the best way. Please do yourself a favor and read this - at the very least, you'll come away with a new killer playlist!
June 17, 2016
I received this directly from the publisher, Touchstone, a division of Simon & Schuster. I've never read anything by Rob Rufus so this will be a first.
The backdrop of the story focuses on twin brothers, punk rockers, living in Appalachian West Virginia and cancer. A stunning combination to be sure. This may be a novel that keeps me up nights!
...it did keep me up late. Such emotion and pain balanced with hope, anger, and a refusal to succumb! My heart shattered at several points, especially when Rob and his parents are called back to Columbus, Ohio in 2012. I wasn't sure how much more I could endure, and I was just an observer, not a 'real' participant in the story.
This is an amazing book and the detail the author is able to impart is stunning. Being a teenager is difficult enough, without the pain and agony he had to endure. His parents were so strong and his brother was a constant presence and support, in his own way. The reasons behind the tattoos the brothers got was beautiful. Congratulations to the entire family as they struggled on a daily basis to hold 'it all together'.
Insurance companies and the aftermath of 9-11; the fear of people who closed themselves off to anything different or misunderstood. That seems to be a constant in our country...even today.
Since finishing the book I've gone to UTube and enjoyed the music of 'Blacklist Royals.' I'm so happy they're able to let their music live! And they've even made it to Europe! Fantastic!
The backdrop of the story focuses on twin brothers, punk rockers, living in Appalachian West Virginia and cancer. A stunning combination to be sure. This may be a novel that keeps me up nights!
...it did keep me up late. Such emotion and pain balanced with hope, anger, and a refusal to succumb! My heart shattered at several points, especially when Rob and his parents are called back to Columbus, Ohio in 2012. I wasn't sure how much more I could endure, and I was just an observer, not a 'real' participant in the story.
This is an amazing book and the detail the author is able to impart is stunning. Being a teenager is difficult enough, without the pain and agony he had to endure. His parents were so strong and his brother was a constant presence and support, in his own way. The reasons behind the tattoos the brothers got was beautiful. Congratulations to the entire family as they struggled on a daily basis to hold 'it all together'.
Insurance companies and the aftermath of 9-11; the fear of people who closed themselves off to anything different or misunderstood. That seems to be a constant in our country...even today.
Since finishing the book I've gone to UTube and enjoyed the music of 'Blacklist Royals.' I'm so happy they're able to let their music live! And they've even made it to Europe! Fantastic!
May 12, 2016
Not enough ink has been spilled over growing up middle class in America during the late nineties and early 2000s, when the nostalgia that generation is commonly derided for actually lies in purer joys: skateboarding through the suburbs and reveling in pop punk music just as it hit its stride and started reaching a wider audience than its progenitors could have ever imagined. Blacklist Royals member Rob Rufus does good service to this moment, and arguably better service to the cancer memoir genre by reinvigorating it with his personal and uniquely harrowing battle. Rufus's story is universally inspiring, but it just might be today's teenagers who read him most deeply, those tentatively adjusting new instruments to the tune of their own sense of self in basements and bedrooms across the world.
September 29, 2016
Springsteen said it best "We learned more from a three-minute record, baby Than we ever learned in school". Music has the power to help people overcome the biggest obstacles, and Rob Rufus is a living example of that. Using punk rock as a chainsaw to cut through all the BS life throws at him, he is able to find the strength to carve out his own future against all odds. Buy the book, get inspired and grab the world by it's throat!
September 25, 2016
I started on one evening and then obsessively finished it a few days later. I found it hard to put down and I had tears streaming down my face. It reminded me of high school, in a small town, being a weird punk rock kid. Wonderful book, great read and would recommend to everyone.
February 23, 2017
I don't know Rob, but I was one of the kids at those Y shows. I remember DoA! I picked up this book just because it was by a WV author, so imagine my surprise when I started reading about my own youth... a great story, an inspiring guy, and an incredible walk down memory lane.
January 7, 2017
Quite a motivational book and on how teenager overcome cancer.
September 29, 2020
This was such a quick read for me, so raw, so sad, so full of cuss words. I will definitely check out his other.
December 8, 2016
Mother-Daughter Review:
Mckenzie’s thoughts:
Growing up in a small rural West Virginian town, Rob had never experienced anything like punk music before. But once he and his twin brother Nat heard Pennywise for the first time in their cousin Anthony's basement, they were hooked. They knew this was it, this was what they were going to do with their lives. Music became everything; they bought instruments, formed a band, and began slowly turning their dream into a reality. They covered songs from their favorite punk bands, they started writing their own music, they played any gigs they could find -- they even made it onto Warped Tour. Everything seemed to be finally falling into place for Rob and his band. And then Rob got sick. And the dream was put on hold.
I didn't just read this book, I felt it. Die Young with Me is the raw, powerful true story of punk rocker Rob Rufus's battle with cancer; but it's about more than that. This is a story of heartbreak and determination, but it's also a story of overcoming, of fighting against the odds, of following your passion, of following that one thing that keeps you going.
My mother passed her love of reading down to me, but she also passed down her love of music, which is why this was such a perfect book for us to share. I related so much to the author and his connection with music. His love for it was clear on every page, and it's something I'm all too familiar with and something I absolutely loved. The connection he felt to music and the bands that made it, the feeling it gave him, how it gave him something to relate to and somewhere to belong? That hit me on such a deep level. And how Rob felt meeting one of his favorite bands was identical to the way I felt when I met mine. I loved reading from the perspective of someone who gets music, who appreciates it and loves it the way I do, which is what made me feel so connected to this story from the first chapter to the very last line (which was my favorite line of the book and one I wish I could include here).
I definitely recommend Die Young with Me to any music lovers, but I think this story has an important message that applies to everyone. Whether it's music or something else, we all have dreams of some kind, and they're all worth holding onto and fighting for.
Michele’s thoughts:
Mckenzie sums up my feelings perfectly in her review and I loved this book just as much as she did, but I especially loved how we both related to the story and the author in different ways. I can recall with perfect clarity my very first visit to my town’s only record store. There was nothing like it. I had found my people. The way he describes his experience in his own small town, its only record store, and what music meant to him… what it did for him? Rob Rufus took me back – he gave me total recall on my trip down memory lane. There was no such thing as digital music, and going into that store will forever trump buying music to put on an iPhone. And the way this author tells a story… wow. I felt like we were having a conversation. Like I was curled up in my favorite chair listening to his life story – which is exactly what was happening. And the emotion. I laughed hard, and I cried hard, but I would barely start the crying before he had me laughing again. I raged with him, bled with him, and breathed with him. His storytelling is so genuine, so raw, that I could not help but consume word after word. I recommend this story to absolutely everyone: the fighters, the survivors, and music lovers everywhere.
We received a copy of this book in exchange for our honest reviews.
Review originally published at A Belle's Tales
Mckenzie’s thoughts:
Growing up in a small rural West Virginian town, Rob had never experienced anything like punk music before. But once he and his twin brother Nat heard Pennywise for the first time in their cousin Anthony's basement, they were hooked. They knew this was it, this was what they were going to do with their lives. Music became everything; they bought instruments, formed a band, and began slowly turning their dream into a reality. They covered songs from their favorite punk bands, they started writing their own music, they played any gigs they could find -- they even made it onto Warped Tour. Everything seemed to be finally falling into place for Rob and his band. And then Rob got sick. And the dream was put on hold.
I didn't just read this book, I felt it. Die Young with Me is the raw, powerful true story of punk rocker Rob Rufus's battle with cancer; but it's about more than that. This is a story of heartbreak and determination, but it's also a story of overcoming, of fighting against the odds, of following your passion, of following that one thing that keeps you going.
My mother passed her love of reading down to me, but she also passed down her love of music, which is why this was such a perfect book for us to share. I related so much to the author and his connection with music. His love for it was clear on every page, and it's something I'm all too familiar with and something I absolutely loved. The connection he felt to music and the bands that made it, the feeling it gave him, how it gave him something to relate to and somewhere to belong? That hit me on such a deep level. And how Rob felt meeting one of his favorite bands was identical to the way I felt when I met mine. I loved reading from the perspective of someone who gets music, who appreciates it and loves it the way I do, which is what made me feel so connected to this story from the first chapter to the very last line (which was my favorite line of the book and one I wish I could include here).
I definitely recommend Die Young with Me to any music lovers, but I think this story has an important message that applies to everyone. Whether it's music or something else, we all have dreams of some kind, and they're all worth holding onto and fighting for.
Michele’s thoughts:
Mckenzie sums up my feelings perfectly in her review and I loved this book just as much as she did, but I especially loved how we both related to the story and the author in different ways. I can recall with perfect clarity my very first visit to my town’s only record store. There was nothing like it. I had found my people. The way he describes his experience in his own small town, its only record store, and what music meant to him… what it did for him? Rob Rufus took me back – he gave me total recall on my trip down memory lane. There was no such thing as digital music, and going into that store will forever trump buying music to put on an iPhone. And the way this author tells a story… wow. I felt like we were having a conversation. Like I was curled up in my favorite chair listening to his life story – which is exactly what was happening. And the emotion. I laughed hard, and I cried hard, but I would barely start the crying before he had me laughing again. I raged with him, bled with him, and breathed with him. His storytelling is so genuine, so raw, that I could not help but consume word after word. I recommend this story to absolutely everyone: the fighters, the survivors, and music lovers everywhere.
We received a copy of this book in exchange for our honest reviews.
Review originally published at A Belle's Tales
October 2, 2016
This year, I vowed to find non-fiction that caught my attention, as it's a genre I don't pick up, like, ever. After reading Being Jazz, I waited patiently for the next non-fiction book to drop into my lap. Folks, here it is in all its 5 star glory.
Die Young with Me is basically everything I want in a book and so much more. I am a huge huge fan of alternative music, huge fan of books I can't put down, and huge fan of books that leave me a little teary at the end. Die Young with Me wrapped all those up in a not-so-neat (because cancer sucks) bow.
I knew this book was going to be a tearjerker but that it would have somewhat of a happy ending. I mean, Rob lived through cancer in his teenage years; he's here to tell his story. What got to me is how big of a role music played in that. Through the whole book, I was texting my best friend, who is as big of a music geek as I am, about how relatable his teenage experience is and how kids can find empathy and a little piece of themselves in the book.
[Quote from her side of our text convo]: Seriously... We talk about how everyone "likes" music, but it's not a priority to everyone, that's what makes the difference between people like us and others.
This isn't just Rob's story but his transformation through his teenage years and also the transformation his family and friends went through as he became sick and well again - and his journey through music. I love that he included things like the mixtape he made for his girlfriend and how he held nothing back. This is a story of hope but it's a realistic story with all the nitty-gritty details about both the teenage and cancer experience. We even got a little update on all the people in the book, a written version of VH1's "Where Are They Now?". I also appreciate that there aren't a lot of books written from the male perspective on teenage love and this one brings an additional voice. If I didn't know this book was non-fiction, I would have thought it was contemporary novel. That says a lot about the writing and how compelling the story is, I think.
For those of us who are into the punk/counter culture movement and lived our teen years in the late 90s/00s, you might recognize the Blacklist Royals, Rob's band, as they played a few dates on the 2001 Warped Tour. I squealed a little when Rob spoke of their letter from Kevin Lyman. On top of all the Warped Tour and Punk Isn't Dead playlists on my Spotify account, I added the official Die Young With Me playlist AND followed Blacklist Royals. Really digging their sound and so glad the book exposed them to me.
Die Young with Me is basically everything I want in a book and so much more. I am a huge huge fan of alternative music, huge fan of books I can't put down, and huge fan of books that leave me a little teary at the end. Die Young with Me wrapped all those up in a not-so-neat (because cancer sucks) bow.
I knew this book was going to be a tearjerker but that it would have somewhat of a happy ending. I mean, Rob lived through cancer in his teenage years; he's here to tell his story. What got to me is how big of a role music played in that. Through the whole book, I was texting my best friend, who is as big of a music geek as I am, about how relatable his teenage experience is and how kids can find empathy and a little piece of themselves in the book.
[Quote from her side of our text convo]: Seriously... We talk about how everyone "likes" music, but it's not a priority to everyone, that's what makes the difference between people like us and others.
This isn't just Rob's story but his transformation through his teenage years and also the transformation his family and friends went through as he became sick and well again - and his journey through music. I love that he included things like the mixtape he made for his girlfriend and how he held nothing back. This is a story of hope but it's a realistic story with all the nitty-gritty details about both the teenage and cancer experience. We even got a little update on all the people in the book, a written version of VH1's "Where Are They Now?". I also appreciate that there aren't a lot of books written from the male perspective on teenage love and this one brings an additional voice. If I didn't know this book was non-fiction, I would have thought it was contemporary novel. That says a lot about the writing and how compelling the story is, I think.
For those of us who are into the punk/counter culture movement and lived our teen years in the late 90s/00s, you might recognize the Blacklist Royals, Rob's band, as they played a few dates on the 2001 Warped Tour. I squealed a little when Rob spoke of their letter from Kevin Lyman. On top of all the Warped Tour and Punk Isn't Dead playlists on my Spotify account, I added the official Die Young With Me playlist AND followed Blacklist Royals. Really digging their sound and so glad the book exposed them to me.
February 26, 2017
The book starts out with Rob Rufus and his twin Nat in high school. Took a lot of boring reading until the meat of the book - Rob's cancer diagnosis. Until that point of the book, it was obnoxious HS boys, crude and gross - not entertaining at all. After his diagnosis, it went thru his hospital stays, chemo treatments, etc. All the time, they are trying to keep their band going. To his amazement, Rob has a cheerleader GF who sticks by him through it all. Again, I am not entertained with crude language so a 3 is all I can give the book. I suppose punk rockers talk/act like fools all the time. Could be the reason you will never find me listening to that noise or caring about their careers.
October 3, 2016
If you're feeling blue and need some words of inspiration, look no further. Die Young with Me: A Memoir is an inspiring story that will lift your spirit. And even if you're not into punk, like myself, this story will teach you that even the most darkest time, there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Die Young with Me is the story of Rob Rufus. He and his brother are the outcast of the group. After a family reunion, they discover the wonders of Punk music. They become obsessed. Everything becomes Punk. They even start a band and as mentioned, it becomes their life. They even want to make it professionally. As they work hard to make their dream come true, things are looking bright for them. Until Rob becomes very ill. He goes to many doctors and not many can figure out what is wrong with him. Until finally a female doctor diagnosed him with advanced stage cancer. Like many patients, Rob goes thru many trials. Not only is he going thru chemo, but cancer destroys his friendship and his career down the drain. Yet this doesn't stop Rob. He fights for his life to the very end, but his strength is greater and by grace he survives.
I really enjoyed this story. Rob's story tells you how cancer can affect everyone and destroy relationships. And the fact that it contains strong language, makes the story raw and honest. Still, Rob is a fighter and kicks cancer to the curve. After all, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Overall, I recommend this book to everyone. Rob will encourage you to live life as you were given this life because you are strong enough to live it.
http://www.onceuponatwilight.com/2016...
Die Young with Me is the story of Rob Rufus. He and his brother are the outcast of the group. After a family reunion, they discover the wonders of Punk music. They become obsessed. Everything becomes Punk. They even start a band and as mentioned, it becomes their life. They even want to make it professionally. As they work hard to make their dream come true, things are looking bright for them. Until Rob becomes very ill. He goes to many doctors and not many can figure out what is wrong with him. Until finally a female doctor diagnosed him with advanced stage cancer. Like many patients, Rob goes thru many trials. Not only is he going thru chemo, but cancer destroys his friendship and his career down the drain. Yet this doesn't stop Rob. He fights for his life to the very end, but his strength is greater and by grace he survives.
I really enjoyed this story. Rob's story tells you how cancer can affect everyone and destroy relationships. And the fact that it contains strong language, makes the story raw and honest. Still, Rob is a fighter and kicks cancer to the curve. After all, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Overall, I recommend this book to everyone. Rob will encourage you to live life as you were given this life because you are strong enough to live it.
http://www.onceuponatwilight.com/2016...
July 25, 2016
“Die Young With Me” by Rob Rufus, published by Touchstone Books.
Category – Memoir Publication Date – September 20, 2016.
I really enjoyed this book even though I know nothing about Punk, Punk Rock, Punk Clothes, Punk Hair, or anything else that is considered Punk. This book transcends, by far, the Punk culture; it is the true story of a teenager and his family fighting the ravages of cancer.
Rob Rufus and his twin brother, Nat, live in Huntington, West Virginia. Huntington is a rural community with a small population and is about a non-descript town as you will find. Rob and his brother are on the fringes of society. They are basically loners with a dim future when they happen on Punk Rock. Rob and his brother form a band and fight their way to become known, and when things start to go their way Rob comes down with cancer. The cancer has progressed to an advanced stage due to missed diagnosis. The story details what Rob went through as he fought against this terrible disease. It is hard to image the chemo, surgeries, and pain that he went through. He also chronicles the effect it had on his family and friends.
This is a great read for those in the Punk Movement but maybe more importantly it is an excellent read for those that may be going through a debilitating disease.
A word of caution, the book does contain strong language.
Category – Memoir Publication Date – September 20, 2016.
I really enjoyed this book even though I know nothing about Punk, Punk Rock, Punk Clothes, Punk Hair, or anything else that is considered Punk. This book transcends, by far, the Punk culture; it is the true story of a teenager and his family fighting the ravages of cancer.
Rob Rufus and his twin brother, Nat, live in Huntington, West Virginia. Huntington is a rural community with a small population and is about a non-descript town as you will find. Rob and his brother are on the fringes of society. They are basically loners with a dim future when they happen on Punk Rock. Rob and his brother form a band and fight their way to become known, and when things start to go their way Rob comes down with cancer. The cancer has progressed to an advanced stage due to missed diagnosis. The story details what Rob went through as he fought against this terrible disease. It is hard to image the chemo, surgeries, and pain that he went through. He also chronicles the effect it had on his family and friends.
This is a great read for those in the Punk Movement but maybe more importantly it is an excellent read for those that may be going through a debilitating disease.
A word of caution, the book does contain strong language.
Read
February 24, 2017Just fell a little flat. Also are protagonists too young for the College Prep class?
November 18, 2016
Die Young With Me documents Rob Rufus's inspiring and defiant journey to punk rock stardom. Rob's undue struggles ( a young cancer diagnosis and the subsequent surgeries and treatment ) left him with an extraordinary joie de vivre and a finely tuned determination to succeed that manifested itself though his music. Adopting the essence of punk ( a Defiance of All Things that are Not Self ) as his motto for life, Rob overcame remarkable odds while at the same time displaying a unique sympathy and understanding of what his friends and family were going through around him. I believe that ability to observe and sympathize with the battles of others is what makes his music so universal and alluring.
The synopsis on the back says it best:
"Part memoir, part love song, and part tale about overcoming the odds, this is not a cancer story but an account of a teenager's life becoming derailed and the one thing that helped him pull it back together: music."
Well worth the read!
P.S. I won this book through a goodreads giveaway.
*Rant section*
How people like Dr. Adolf Fuckface are still allowed to practice medicine blows my mind. There needs to be a special circle in hell for people like that!
The synopsis on the back says it best:
"Part memoir, part love song, and part tale about overcoming the odds, this is not a cancer story but an account of a teenager's life becoming derailed and the one thing that helped him pull it back together: music."
Well worth the read!
P.S. I won this book through a goodreads giveaway.
*Rant section*
How people like Dr. Adolf Fuckface are still allowed to practice medicine blows my mind. There needs to be a special circle in hell for people like that!
December 7, 2016
I love Die Young: A Memoir by Rob Rufus! I just devoured this book in one sleepless night. I regret nothing. Rob (and Nat) are the same guys I grew up with, they were my friends, my people. We are even about the same age, give or take a couple of years from what I could tell.
First, the music... this book is the soundtrack of my youth... literally. I won this as a Goodreads Giveaway and it came with Ali's mixed type! (Read the book & you'll understand) My husband and I had to run out to buy a type deck so we could jam nostalgia.
Rob Rufus and his twin brother's, Nat's, band are on the cusp of a dream come true: a spot on the Warped Tour, when Rob'so live gets thrown for the hugest shit hole possible, stage four cancer.
Rob writes with such honesty about the highs and lows that only a disease like this can take you. This isn't your typical sick person inspiration porn. This shit is real.
Rob, if you're reading this, thank you for sharing your story. And thanks for the type, you rock!
I won this book from a Goodreads giveaway. My opinion in this review have not been swayed by this in anyway.
First, the music... this book is the soundtrack of my youth... literally. I won this as a Goodreads Giveaway and it came with Ali's mixed type! (Read the book & you'll understand) My husband and I had to run out to buy a type deck so we could jam nostalgia.
Rob Rufus and his twin brother's, Nat's, band are on the cusp of a dream come true: a spot on the Warped Tour, when Rob'so live gets thrown for the hugest shit hole possible, stage four cancer.
Rob writes with such honesty about the highs and lows that only a disease like this can take you. This isn't your typical sick person inspiration porn. This shit is real.
Rob, if you're reading this, thank you for sharing your story. And thanks for the type, you rock!
I won this book from a Goodreads giveaway. My opinion in this review have not been swayed by this in anyway.
August 21, 2016
I received a copy of this book for review from netgalley.
I requested this book because of the punk music. I knew I had to read it just for that one reason. But the book was so much more than music. Obviously since it was a true story, I knew the book would feel real, but I wasn't expecting to feel like I was part of it. Rob did a great job telling a story that must have been hard to put down into words. I could feel his pain (mental, not physical) throughout. I wanted to celebrate with him when things were good and cry with him when things were bad. I loved reading about his family and friends and especially loved all the parts about his music. The Pennywise story was especially awesome. Thank you Rob for telling your story and for letting me read it.
I requested this book because of the punk music. I knew I had to read it just for that one reason. But the book was so much more than music. Obviously since it was a true story, I knew the book would feel real, but I wasn't expecting to feel like I was part of it. Rob did a great job telling a story that must have been hard to put down into words. I could feel his pain (mental, not physical) throughout. I wanted to celebrate with him when things were good and cry with him when things were bad. I loved reading about his family and friends and especially loved all the parts about his music. The Pennywise story was especially awesome. Thank you Rob for telling your story and for letting me read it.
August 2, 2016
This was much better than I anticipated. I don't know what I was expecting from a punk rock memoir that was compared to The Fault in our Stars. Don't believe the TFiOS line though, this is totally other. Though no real dates were mentioned, I highly suspect that Rob and I are the same age. His description of high school, the music, the view of punk... All that brought me sharply back to my own high school days. (1999-2002) In a nutshell, this is a guys journey to starting a band and dealing with cancer along the way. I didn't find it especially profound, but that's why I liked it so much. I never got the feeling he was trying to make something super profound out of it. He was telling his story as it happened and it was engaging and cool just like that.
October 9, 2016
The book was a quick roller coaster of a read. In the beginning, I was bothered by the cursing, not a prude, just felt like there was too much and it distracted me from the story. But once I got further into the book I was less aware of all the cursing, it felt appropriate for the book. I have, thankfully, never had to experience what Rob and his family went through after his diagnosis, but to me, it seemed like it was a heartbreaking accurate portrayal of what a cancer diagnosis can do to a family. I didn't want to put down the book, reading it till 2:30 am has completely thrown off my day now!
I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway, but the opinions are all my own.
I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway, but the opinions are all my own.
September 30, 2016
Ready for a book to wrap you up, make you laugh, cry and reevaluate your life – and that’s all within one paragraph! Cancer is a scary enough fight when you’re an adult but throw in the emotional roller coaster known as the ‘teen years’ and I can’t even begin to imagine the thoughts that run through the mind. I love how strong this book is in the manner it helps you kick your own ass for being incredibly ungrateful for living a healthy life without cancer. If you’re looking for something to inspire you – this book is it!
I received an ARC for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own!!
I received an ARC for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own!!
November 6, 2016
This books had me screaming, laughing and crying so many times. I had to put it down several times because I didn't think I could continue reading. I am weak for this kind of books, this is why I don't usually read memoirs. Rob nails the teenage outcast feel that a lot of us have gone through, and I can't say I relate to everything he felt but seeing how much he did, how much he worked and he moved on makes me think that I am also capable of doing so. I am listening to Die Young with Me as I'm typing and I'm loving every song.
October 30, 2016
This is the story of twin brother Rob, who shares his love of punk music with his twin Nat. Their love for this music genre leads them to form their own band with some friends. Just as they are starting to achieve some success, Rob is diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. He describes his ordeal and how his relationships with his family, friends and girlfriend are affected by this diagnosis. He also discusses how music helped save him. It is a wonderful story that is extremely well told.
January 5, 2017
True confession time: I am not the targeted audience, have never heard of Mr. Rufus or his band, and had no clue who most of the bands listed were. With that being said, I have to admit that this was one of my favorite books of 2016. Being a member of the "cancer club", I could relate and understand some of what he was going through This book was inspiring and I will recommend it to YAs and adults as well! Thank you Rob Rufus for sharing your story!
July 7, 2016
3.5 stars
This is a great memoir about the era when punk started to be a movement. Also, great description of the author's struggle with cancer. It was a very interesting and eye opening read. The writing style was at times a little lengthy for me, and I had to skim through those parts. Overall I recommend this book to anyone who likes memoirs or is interested in punk rock or cancer.
This is a great memoir about the era when punk started to be a movement. Also, great description of the author's struggle with cancer. It was a very interesting and eye opening read. The writing style was at times a little lengthy for me, and I had to skim through those parts. Overall I recommend this book to anyone who likes memoirs or is interested in punk rock or cancer.
August 29, 2016
A pretty solid entry to the "I'm dying of cancer" genre, vaguely horrifying in its chronicle of an initial (and repeated) misdiagnosis—gulp—and a nice, forthright description of being an ordinary suburban kid who discovers counterculture and punk almost by accident. Not a super-literary memoir, but I don't think that's a fair demand to make of everything.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews