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Kurt Cobain: Oh Well, Whatever, Nevermind
New York Public Library's 2007 Books for the Teen Age winner
160 pages, Library Binding
First published November 1, 2006
10 people are currently reading
3808 people want to read
About the author
Jeff Burlingame
48 books32 followersWinner of an NAACP Image Award for Best Literary Work and a two-time Image Award nominee, author Jeff Burlingame has written more than thirty books and is the recipient of a prestigious Sigma Delta Chi award from the Society of Professional Journalists.
He has presented at the Washington state capitol and has been featured on A&E, MTV, and elsewhere. He and his family reside in the Pacific Northwest.
He has presented at the Washington state capitol and has been featured on A&E, MTV, and elsewhere. He and his family reside in the Pacific Northwest.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
July 13, 2025
This book seems to be written for teens but it’s a great overview of the life of Kurt Cobain.
It covers all the highlights and a bit of the controversy of his death.
I bought this book in Aberdeen recently (signed by the author) and toured the Unplugged Museum showcasing Kurt. It’s a really nice place professionally set up. I went to the small park area with the famous under-the-bridge area when Kurt supposedly hung out as a teen. They have a guitar sculpture and a few items set up but fans have plastered graffiti and stickers all over everything. A wooden picnic table is all carved up and chipped. Sad the fans are so destructive.
The book has some good photos as well and is a great souvenir of my visit.
It covers all the highlights and a bit of the controversy of his death.
I bought this book in Aberdeen recently (signed by the author) and toured the Unplugged Museum showcasing Kurt. It’s a really nice place professionally set up. I went to the small park area with the famous under-the-bridge area when Kurt supposedly hung out as a teen. They have a guitar sculpture and a few items set up but fans have plastered graffiti and stickers all over everything. A wooden picnic table is all carved up and chipped. Sad the fans are so destructive.
The book has some good photos as well and is a great souvenir of my visit.
May 14, 2012
I thought this biography of Kurt Cobain was great. The author covered everything from his childhood to the end of his life, all while including many thoughts and feelings he had experienced. As a reader you get to envelope yourself into what he was going through at that time in his life.
The author, Jeff Burlingame, did a wonderful job of putting this biography together, from start to finish. Since most know how this book would probably end, he made the ending feel "complete" by including Kurt's suicide note who was written to his childhood imaginary friend, Boddah, who was also mentioned in the beginning of the book. Overall this book was quite good. I got an insight on one of my heroes life and learned many things I did not know.
The author, Jeff Burlingame, did a wonderful job of putting this biography together, from start to finish. Since most know how this book would probably end, he made the ending feel "complete" by including Kurt's suicide note who was written to his childhood imaginary friend, Boddah, who was also mentioned in the beginning of the book. Overall this book was quite good. I got an insight on one of my heroes life and learned many things I did not know.
February 9, 2025
Jeff Burlingame, winner of an NAACP Image Award for Best Literary Work for Youth and Teens, and co-founder of the Kurt Cobain Memorial foundation, in this “primer,” he brings together the life and times of Kurt Cobain, a tortured genius. In a life that encompassed all of twenty-seven years, Cobain enthralled the music world like no other, was embraced by millions of fanatical and dedicated fans before taking his own enervated life in the most tragic of circumstances.
Kurt Cobain was born on February 20, 1967, in Aberdeen, Washington, the prodigious Cobain wrote his first song when he was just three. It was a song disparaging the cops. When Cobain was seven, he was prescribed Ritalin, a drug administered to both children and adults to assist in the enhancement of attention spans and reduce restlessness. However, Ritalin has a checkered and controversial history when it comes to dependency. An emotionally adverse event in the form of his parents’ separation left Cobain embarrassed. A nine-year-old Cobain wrote on his bedroom wall, “I hate Mom, I hate Dad, Dad hates Mom, Mom hates Dad, it simply makes you want to be sad.”
An early musical influence – and the most eventful one – represented Cobain’s discovery of a local band called the Melvins. Playing in Seattle and Olympia, The Melvins in their style were as far apart from popular rock ‘n’ roll, as chalk was from cheese. Cobain formed a band of his own after impressing a fellow admirer of The Melvins, Krist Novoselic. The duo named their band, the Fecal Matter – not a very alluring name, to put it diplomatically. Bob McFadden soon joined as a drummer. Dave Grohl, who would later on attain his own share of fame with the Foo Fighters, also became a recruit.
Cobain & Co approached producer Jack Endino who thought that the band members looked more like a bunch of auto mechanics than musicians. A few iterations of band members and songs later, Cobain picked a permanent name for his band. A name that represented Cobain’s blissful state of mind when playing music, “nirvana.”
Nirvana caught the conventional world of rock music by the scruff of its neck before giving it a godawful jolt! Their brand of music, although brash and nerve jarring was paradoxically catchy with the lyrics having more than a mere hue of poetry. The critics tried to box Nirvana’s music under the category of “grunge,” a term first attributed to Green River and Mudhoney singer Mark Arm and firmly denied by him. Nirvana began accumulating fans, astonishing critics and attracting controversy. Every Nirvana concert culminated with the band trashing all their equipment. They created so much mayhem and destroyed so much equipment that the University of Washington at Seattle banned them from playing at the venue.
However, Nirvana’s and Cobain’s fame attained its Zenith on April 17, 1991. In a hotel named “Ok” at Seattle, Nirvana unobtrusively debuted a new song called “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” and the rest was, pardoning the cliched used of the term, history. Cobain used the phrase to express his views about social groups and the pressure to fit in. Smells like Teen Spirit pushed “Nevermind” the album, containing the song, sell more than 500,000 copies and attain gold status. Nirvana scripted their place in the pantheon of musical immortality when Nevermind pushed the King, Michael Jackson off the pedestal to stand unconquered at No.1 on the Billboard charts.
Tragically, fame did not sit easily with Kurt Cobain. He began using heroin with such regularity to attain the dangerous status of an addict. He overdosed after a Saturday Night Live show before his celebrity wife, Courtney Love, found him in a comatose state. A user herself, she persuaded Cobain to keep off the drug since she was pregnant. Courtney Love herself determined to stop her adventure with substance abuse.
The respite from drugs, unfortunately proved to be temporary. On the 3rd of March 1994, Cobain again went into a comatose state overdosing on the tranquiliser Rohypnol mixed with Champagne. His hand was found holding a three-page suicide note. An egregious and jumpy news network even pronounced his epitaph. Although absolutely off the mark, the network’s error would turn out to be prophetic.
On the 8th of April 1994, electrician Gary Smith reached the Seattle dwelling of Cobain to install a new security system. Glancing inside, he first mistook a prone human visage to be a mannequin. The electrician called up local radio KXRX station which almost swatted away Smith’s information as an irritating prank. KXRX after taking a while to be persuaded then relayed the information to AP News Agency. It was only a matter of time before the police conformed the worst. Kurt Cobain, an absolute marvel of the modern musical era was dead at the age of twenty-seven. He had consumed a massive dose of heroin before shooting himself. Upon hearing the news, a devastated Wendy Cobain, Curt’s mother wailed, “…. Now he’s gone and joined that stupid club. I told him not to join that stupid club.”
The ’stupid club’ she Wendy Cobain was referring to comprised of Jim Morrisson, Jimi Hendrix, and Janis Joplin, extraordinary musicians all of whom succumbed at the age of twenty-seven to the pernicious trifecta of alcoholism, substance abuse and depression.
Jeff Burlingame has done a compelling work to bring to the attention of readers, an alluring glimpse into the checkered life of one of the greatest artists the world of music has ever seen or will ever see.
Kurt Cobain- “Oh Well. Whatever. Nevermind” is published by Gray Bear Books and will go on sales beginning 10 February 2025.
Thanks, #NETGALLEY for the Advance Reviewer Copy!
Kurt Cobain was born on February 20, 1967, in Aberdeen, Washington, the prodigious Cobain wrote his first song when he was just three. It was a song disparaging the cops. When Cobain was seven, he was prescribed Ritalin, a drug administered to both children and adults to assist in the enhancement of attention spans and reduce restlessness. However, Ritalin has a checkered and controversial history when it comes to dependency. An emotionally adverse event in the form of his parents’ separation left Cobain embarrassed. A nine-year-old Cobain wrote on his bedroom wall, “I hate Mom, I hate Dad, Dad hates Mom, Mom hates Dad, it simply makes you want to be sad.”
An early musical influence – and the most eventful one – represented Cobain’s discovery of a local band called the Melvins. Playing in Seattle and Olympia, The Melvins in their style were as far apart from popular rock ‘n’ roll, as chalk was from cheese. Cobain formed a band of his own after impressing a fellow admirer of The Melvins, Krist Novoselic. The duo named their band, the Fecal Matter – not a very alluring name, to put it diplomatically. Bob McFadden soon joined as a drummer. Dave Grohl, who would later on attain his own share of fame with the Foo Fighters, also became a recruit.
Cobain & Co approached producer Jack Endino who thought that the band members looked more like a bunch of auto mechanics than musicians. A few iterations of band members and songs later, Cobain picked a permanent name for his band. A name that represented Cobain’s blissful state of mind when playing music, “nirvana.”
Nirvana caught the conventional world of rock music by the scruff of its neck before giving it a godawful jolt! Their brand of music, although brash and nerve jarring was paradoxically catchy with the lyrics having more than a mere hue of poetry. The critics tried to box Nirvana’s music under the category of “grunge,” a term first attributed to Green River and Mudhoney singer Mark Arm and firmly denied by him. Nirvana began accumulating fans, astonishing critics and attracting controversy. Every Nirvana concert culminated with the band trashing all their equipment. They created so much mayhem and destroyed so much equipment that the University of Washington at Seattle banned them from playing at the venue.
However, Nirvana’s and Cobain’s fame attained its Zenith on April 17, 1991. In a hotel named “Ok” at Seattle, Nirvana unobtrusively debuted a new song called “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” and the rest was, pardoning the cliched used of the term, history. Cobain used the phrase to express his views about social groups and the pressure to fit in. Smells like Teen Spirit pushed “Nevermind” the album, containing the song, sell more than 500,000 copies and attain gold status. Nirvana scripted their place in the pantheon of musical immortality when Nevermind pushed the King, Michael Jackson off the pedestal to stand unconquered at No.1 on the Billboard charts.
Tragically, fame did not sit easily with Kurt Cobain. He began using heroin with such regularity to attain the dangerous status of an addict. He overdosed after a Saturday Night Live show before his celebrity wife, Courtney Love, found him in a comatose state. A user herself, she persuaded Cobain to keep off the drug since she was pregnant. Courtney Love herself determined to stop her adventure with substance abuse.
The respite from drugs, unfortunately proved to be temporary. On the 3rd of March 1994, Cobain again went into a comatose state overdosing on the tranquiliser Rohypnol mixed with Champagne. His hand was found holding a three-page suicide note. An egregious and jumpy news network even pronounced his epitaph. Although absolutely off the mark, the network’s error would turn out to be prophetic.
On the 8th of April 1994, electrician Gary Smith reached the Seattle dwelling of Cobain to install a new security system. Glancing inside, he first mistook a prone human visage to be a mannequin. The electrician called up local radio KXRX station which almost swatted away Smith’s information as an irritating prank. KXRX after taking a while to be persuaded then relayed the information to AP News Agency. It was only a matter of time before the police conformed the worst. Kurt Cobain, an absolute marvel of the modern musical era was dead at the age of twenty-seven. He had consumed a massive dose of heroin before shooting himself. Upon hearing the news, a devastated Wendy Cobain, Curt’s mother wailed, “…. Now he’s gone and joined that stupid club. I told him not to join that stupid club.”
The ’stupid club’ she Wendy Cobain was referring to comprised of Jim Morrisson, Jimi Hendrix, and Janis Joplin, extraordinary musicians all of whom succumbed at the age of twenty-seven to the pernicious trifecta of alcoholism, substance abuse and depression.
Jeff Burlingame has done a compelling work to bring to the attention of readers, an alluring glimpse into the checkered life of one of the greatest artists the world of music has ever seen or will ever see.
Kurt Cobain- “Oh Well. Whatever. Nevermind” is published by Gray Bear Books and will go on sales beginning 10 February 2025.
Thanks, #NETGALLEY for the Advance Reviewer Copy!
January 17, 2025
Jeff Burlingame’s Kurt Cobain: Oh Well, Whatever, Nevermind is a raw and insightful glimpse into the life of one of music's most iconic figures. It doesn’t just tell you about Kurt Cobain; it makes you feel like you're walking through the chaos and brilliance that shaped him. I especially loved how the author pulled back the curtain on Cobain’s small-town roots and his meteoric rise to fame, all while staying grounded in the human story behind the legend. It’s a great read for anyone curious about the man who reshaped the music world with both grit and vulnerability.
April 8, 2015
I never realized how much Kurt wanted to be a rock star but at the same time he didn't want to get famous and have everyone know who he was. I also realized that Kurt Cobain and I have a lot of the same views on the world and how we both love to write and play music.
February 11, 2025
Wow, how hasn’t heard of a Nirvana or have a copy of Nevermind in their playlists or if your old school on vinyl.
Jeff Burlingame, shares his personal knowledge of Kurt Cobain and his family and friends and the formation of Nirvana, and the ignition of the creative juices that flowed from Kurt. We have heard his music, turned it to in times of need, to let off steam or to get ready to go out. This book shares personal details of Kurt’s life, including the anguish of his death on those who loved him and from the fans who lost all hope from their own personal heartbreak.
Jeff discusses the issues that Kurt had at school, at home and how that affected him and shaped him into the person we have all grown to love and mourn. He was an artist, a father, son and friend to many. His addiction was hidden until it wasn’t.
Jeff alludes to where some of the songs came from and Kurt’s bond to his hometown, and how he found Aberdeen in any place that he looked when he was on tour.
To his tragic last few days and the fallout of his death.
I would like to thank Gray Bear Books and NetGalley for this copy of Kurt Cobain by Jeff Burlingame. The opinion/review is all of my own.
#KurtCobain #NetGalley#GrayBearBooks #musicbook #biography #insidestory #ladysnuffy #arc
Jeff Burlingame, shares his personal knowledge of Kurt Cobain and his family and friends and the formation of Nirvana, and the ignition of the creative juices that flowed from Kurt. We have heard his music, turned it to in times of need, to let off steam or to get ready to go out. This book shares personal details of Kurt’s life, including the anguish of his death on those who loved him and from the fans who lost all hope from their own personal heartbreak.
Jeff discusses the issues that Kurt had at school, at home and how that affected him and shaped him into the person we have all grown to love and mourn. He was an artist, a father, son and friend to many. His addiction was hidden until it wasn’t.
Jeff alludes to where some of the songs came from and Kurt’s bond to his hometown, and how he found Aberdeen in any place that he looked when he was on tour.
To his tragic last few days and the fallout of his death.
I would like to thank Gray Bear Books and NetGalley for this copy of Kurt Cobain by Jeff Burlingame. The opinion/review is all of my own.
#KurtCobain #NetGalley#GrayBearBooks #musicbook #biography #insidestory #ladysnuffy #arc
May 6, 2025
The author of this book, Jeff Burlingame, co-founded the Kurt Cobain Memorial Foundation in 2004 and assisted with getting the "Come as you are" sign added to the Aberdeen, Washington town sign. They award a scholarship each year. It's great that Kurt's legacy is being carried on this way.
The biography itself covered the story of Kurt Cobain's life, brief summaries of the other band members and significant moments in his life as well as the history of Nirvana. I didn't learn many new things because I've read a few Nirvana/Kurt books, but it moved at a good pace and it was interesting anyway.
I would recommend this to fans of Kurt, Nirvana, grunge/90's alternative and music. I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The biography itself covered the story of Kurt Cobain's life, brief summaries of the other band members and significant moments in his life as well as the history of Nirvana. I didn't learn many new things because I've read a few Nirvana/Kurt books, but it moved at a good pace and it was interesting anyway.
I would recommend this to fans of Kurt, Nirvana, grunge/90's alternative and music. I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
February 7, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this complementary ARC in exchange for my honest review!
This book dives into the life of Kurt Cobain from childhood to his death in 1994. While there are many books written about Kurt and Nirvana, the author has a personal connection having also grown up in Aberdeen.
The book is very to the point but provides a good range of information across his whole life as well of the band's career. This new version added in some detail about what's happening lately which I appreciated. While it could have been a bit longer to delve into specific part of Kurt's life more deeply, I enjoyed it and recommend it to Nirvana fans.
This book dives into the life of Kurt Cobain from childhood to his death in 1994. While there are many books written about Kurt and Nirvana, the author has a personal connection having also grown up in Aberdeen.
The book is very to the point but provides a good range of information across his whole life as well of the band's career. This new version added in some detail about what's happening lately which I appreciated. While it could have been a bit longer to delve into specific part of Kurt's life more deeply, I enjoyed it and recommend it to Nirvana fans.
January 16, 2025
OMG, if you haven’t read Kurt Cobain: Oh Well, Whatever, Nevermind yet, what are you doing with your life? This book took me on a grungy rollercoaster of genius, rebellion, and heartbreak—seriously, it’s like hearing "Smells Like Teen Spirit" for the first time, but in book form! Jeff Burlingame totally nails the vibe, peeling back the layers of Cobain's messy, brilliant life. Whether you’re a die-hard Nirvana fan or just curious about the guy who made plaid shirts iconic, you NEED this book. 🎸🔥
January 24, 2025
Growing up in the nineties, Nirvana was always a minor thing in my life. I only enjoyed the MTV-session and missed the hype as I was too young. So it was really nice to read this biography by somebody who actually met Cobain.
The book scetches the rise to fame of Cobain and how he struggled with it, in a very respectful manner. It's very well written and easy to read. It's not overly sentimental and it sticks to the point. Eg. it mentions all the conspiracy theories without diving deep into them which is something I enjoyed.
Thank you NetGalley and Gray Bear Books for the ARC.
The book scetches the rise to fame of Cobain and how he struggled with it, in a very respectful manner. It's very well written and easy to read. It's not overly sentimental and it sticks to the point. Eg. it mentions all the conspiracy theories without diving deep into them which is something I enjoyed.
Thank you NetGalley and Gray Bear Books for the ARC.
February 20, 2025
The author looks at Kurt Cobain's life from his childhood school days and with the band up until he died.
He explains his feelings, aspirations and thoughts.
He also had a childhood imaginary friend which was maybe due to loneliness.
I felt the book gave me an insight I hadn't had before he seemed sad at times and a bit lost.
This will be a worthwhile addition to any Kurt Cobain fan library.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher.
He explains his feelings, aspirations and thoughts.
He also had a childhood imaginary friend which was maybe due to loneliness.
I felt the book gave me an insight I hadn't had before he seemed sad at times and a bit lost.
This will be a worthwhile addition to any Kurt Cobain fan library.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher.
March 15, 2025
I read the first edition many years ago. It was good, but I like this new one better. It’s a little more personal feeling, coming from the author’s perspective.
March 31, 2025
I learned so much about Kurt Cobain and Nirvana that I never knew. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to other fans.
Read
April 7, 2025Jeff is an excellent writer and I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to learn more about Kurt Cobain.
May 19, 2012
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.
This is a tough one for me to review. On the one hand, I was interested in Kurt's life because I had grown up during Nirvana's reign and didn't know much about the history of the band or Kurt himself. The book breaks it down pretty well. The reader gets to know about Kurt's troubled childhood, the drama of the band, and the impact of the music. It's easy to read and short enough to keep you relatively engaged. But "relatively" might be the key word for me. The truth is, I never related to Nirvana and never will relate to Kurt. The drama behind-the-scenes was boring to me and the logistics of working with greedy music producers and dealing with his crazy wife didn't grab me. But it might grab teens in a different way who can identify with Kurt's struggle.
This is a tough one for me to review. On the one hand, I was interested in Kurt's life because I had grown up during Nirvana's reign and didn't know much about the history of the band or Kurt himself. The book breaks it down pretty well. The reader gets to know about Kurt's troubled childhood, the drama of the band, and the impact of the music. It's easy to read and short enough to keep you relatively engaged. But "relatively" might be the key word for me. The truth is, I never related to Nirvana and never will relate to Kurt. The drama behind-the-scenes was boring to me and the logistics of working with greedy music producers and dealing with his crazy wife didn't grab me. But it might grab teens in a different way who can identify with Kurt's struggle.
September 17, 2009
This book is about a man named Kurt Cobain. He was the lead singer/guitarist for a band called Nirvana.
He went through some rough times in his childhood, but he overcame them and went on to live his dream to become a famous musician.
Nirvana had some disagreements. One time a man was fired from the band because he wanted to play a different style of rock music. This is an external conflict because it is between more than one person. That conflict reminds me of a conflict in real life. A lot of bands break up or change because of their style differences.
I rated this book four stars because I was really interested in Kurt Cobain's story and the author knew him personally. I recommend this book to anyone who likes rock music or enjoys biographies.
He went through some rough times in his childhood, but he overcame them and went on to live his dream to become a famous musician.
Nirvana had some disagreements. One time a man was fired from the band because he wanted to play a different style of rock music. This is an external conflict because it is between more than one person. That conflict reminds me of a conflict in real life. A lot of bands break up or change because of their style differences.
I rated this book four stars because I was really interested in Kurt Cobain's story and the author knew him personally. I recommend this book to anyone who likes rock music or enjoys biographies.
November 1, 2009
The book, Kurt Cobain:Oh Well Whatever, Nevermind, was about singer/lead guitarist for the band Nirvana. It talked a bot his life from when he was a child to when he killed himself. Cobain's main internal conflict was the truble he had staying sober. His main external conflict was him killing himself.
While reading this book I made a text-to-world connection. Based on the many coppy cat deaths that happened after Cobain's death. The coppy cat deaths were mostly people just kid's killing themself's because of Cobain. They wanted to fianly meet him in person.
I would give this book five outoof five stars. The book is really well written. If you like the band Nirvana I would recomend this book. If you like biographys i would recomend this book.
While reading this book I made a text-to-world connection. Based on the many coppy cat deaths that happened after Cobain's death. The coppy cat deaths were mostly people just kid's killing themself's because of Cobain. They wanted to fianly meet him in person.
I would give this book five outoof five stars. The book is really well written. If you like the band Nirvana I would recomend this book. If you like biographys i would recomend this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 22, 2015
Kurt Cobain is probably one of the most interesting people to read about. It is very hard to find out what Kurt thought of before he died. The book is filled with knowledge of Cobain's life.
Kurt Cobain was born in Aberdeen, Washington. Growing up, Cobain was a troubled teenager. He never graduated from High school, did not have a general place to live, and was addicted to drugs at age 14. The story tells about Cobain's life from the beginning to the end.
I love the beginning of the book when it talks about Nirvana's MTV Unplugged album. I love the album and it was fun seeing stories from the concert.
I recommend this book not only to Nirvana fan's, but people who do not believe that dreams can come true. It shows that the poor kid from high school can be the biggest rock star.
Kurt Cobain was born in Aberdeen, Washington. Growing up, Cobain was a troubled teenager. He never graduated from High school, did not have a general place to live, and was addicted to drugs at age 14. The story tells about Cobain's life from the beginning to the end.
I love the beginning of the book when it talks about Nirvana's MTV Unplugged album. I love the album and it was fun seeing stories from the concert.
I recommend this book not only to Nirvana fan's, but people who do not believe that dreams can come true. It shows that the poor kid from high school can be the biggest rock star.
September 9, 2010
This book was written for kids by a guy who used to hang out with Kurt when they were teens in Aberdeen. The author's account of Kurt and Nirvana is very detailed and it breaks complex matters in to simple and easy to understand concepts. I found this book very interesting because it portrayed the history of Nirvana and Kurt Cobain with amazing facts, personal accounts, and tied it in with modern music history and the impact Kurt and his band had on the world and on Generation X and generations following. My understanding of Kurt and Nirvana is much more complete after this enjoyable journey down memory lane.
October 11, 2013
I really liked "Kurt Cobain: Oh Well,Nevermind" by Jeff Burlingame. The book tells the story of Cobain's life as he came into this world and then promplty left of his own accord. Before, I had liked Nirvana as a band, but I didn't know too much about the members. The book includes lots of details about his Kurt Cobain's life, such as the bridge that he lived under for a number of years. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes the band, as well as anyone who wants to learn about a famous musician who didn't want to be famous. As a biography, it uses a light vocabulary to explain Cobain's life while using words that most people can understand. All in all, this is a really good book.
May 22, 2012
Another biography of the famous Nirvana lead singer and guitarist. It gives great description of minor events that has happened in Kurt Cobain's life. It starts from his early childhood and some family history involving music. Then it evolves into his fortune and fame.
I thought that book was kind of cheezy because it gave the definition a drug and told the audience to not take it because it was illegal. It's more of little kids biography and learning big words. I would recommend the book to people who would like to read a different aspect of Kurt Cobain's life.
I thought that book was kind of cheezy because it gave the definition a drug and told the audience to not take it because it was illegal. It's more of little kids biography and learning big words. I would recommend the book to people who would like to read a different aspect of Kurt Cobain's life.
June 25, 2012
I have been a huge fan of everything Nirvana and Kurt for about 4 years now, and this is the first book about Cobain I have read. I felt like it was a wonderful overview of his life from start to finish. Not a lot of detail, but it was the perfect introduction for the many Kurt/Nirvana books I will read in the future.
It was also well written and easy for me to follow. I'm used to reading very challenging books that push my mind with huge vocabularies and difficult structures, but this book was just a breezy read from start to finish.
It was also well written and easy for me to follow. I'm used to reading very challenging books that push my mind with huge vocabularies and difficult structures, but this book was just a breezy read from start to finish.
February 1, 2015
My book got lost for about a week… so, over winter break we were required to read a biography or an autobiography. I chose this book… yeah. Hahah, uhm, I cried while reading this, but with biographies, you know what happens at the end (probably) and that made me upset. While the author was writing the quotes from Kurt's mother after he passed was when the tears poured out of my eyes like Niagara Falls. 5/5 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 3, 2011
I very brief and hurried history of Kurt Cobain's life and his musical journey (which was brief in and of itself). This book reads as if it were written to the teenagers of the day that were morning cobain's death. It's a good quick read that's recommended to those that just want a quick and condensed bio of kurt and how his music evolved over time.
April 24, 2013
Kurt Cobain's biography is a great biography for teens and some mature kids. This biography really made me feel sad for Kurt Cobain as a child and I was amazed how in detail this book was and how many pictures they had.
This book had some dry parts and should've included more on the success of Nirvana. But overall this book is a great informational read.
This book had some dry parts and should've included more on the success of Nirvana. But overall this book is a great informational read.
April 1, 2008
I enjoyed this book. It tells the story of Kurt Cobain in a straightforward fashion. The author researched his subject well and wrote a balanced story. I read it in the library then actually bought a used copy for myself afterward. I will add it to my music collection when it arrives.
May 19, 2008
Quite possible the worst writing I've ever read. Sounded more like a junior high paper than an actual book. "Kurt grew up in Washington. When he was 3 they moved to Aberdeen. Kurt tried marijuana when he was 14. Marijuana is a bad drug."
It was awful - I had to quit after about 10 pages.
It was awful - I had to quit after about 10 pages.
April 22, 2019
I really like kurt Cobain. But I feel like this book was very short and more like a book report. It did have a few facts I didnt know but overall a good read but not something that you can say was a page Turner.
May 15, 2018
I really liked this book because this is one of the type of bands I enjoyed listening to and it was cool to see how he got into music and what had happened to him
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