I got a digital ARC on this from NetGalley but it archived before I could get to it. I really wanted to read it . sad face

I am unsure of how to review this book. I love Kurt Cobain. I still remember when he died and my world turned upside down. This book is not only thorough, it also leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth. We put him on a pedestal but this book shows him as just another drug addicted bum. Such a dilemma. It’s not the fault of the author. It’s the fault of the one who lived the life. If you choose to believe this biography his songs aren’t that deep. As fans we created the depth that wasn’t there. At least he was sober during Come As You Are video.

So, I initially couldn't open this file and read when it was first sent to me, but I got a copy at the library and read it, consumed it.
This book tells a very fluid account of one of the bands we loved in the 90s, I enjoyed their Smells Like Teen Spirit single, as it was the year I graduated high school and we'd dance to it at the school dances. We really didn't understand the lyrics, but we understand the feeling conveyed in the song. And that was the point.
I liked Nirvana, but I wasn't consumed by them, they weren't my favorite. But I knew others who were, and was interested in the effect the music had on my peers.
The chapters leading up to Kurt's final suicide attempt sucked me into a vortex, I couldn't stop reading, dreading each page turn up to his final act. The storytelling was easy to jump into and you felt like you were in the story. Having said that, at the end, after having read the final passage, I felt like I was punched in the gut.
I can not unread those details. Reading a biography like this changes the reader in some manner.

It is somewhat hard to read this depiction of depression and drug abuse, and continue to think that the art it produced was worth all of the suffering. This is a deeply researched and even-handed biography of a sad figure.

A pretty thorough and haunting read, at least until the ending. Too many liberties were taken in imagining Kurt's final moments.

This biography was well researched and contained a lot of information that I hadn’t previously read in other books. The author’s attention to detail is evident in the writing. Highly recommend!

I had problems downloading the file, but no worries I was able to check it out at work upon release. This is a throughly researched book of one of my favorite musicians. I have read "Come as you are" at least 10 years ago but, from what I can recall, this book seems more intimate an informed.
Overall I look forward to attempting to hand sell, especially this month, being the 25th anniversary. Thank you to the publishers for attempting to provide me with this arc.

Originally published in 2001 and with a well-written update added to bring it up to date, this is a well-researched book by an author who was around for many of the events at the time. Charles Cross spent 4 years researching, and interviewing 400 people for this book. So you can tell it’s pretty thorough. He tells us how Cobain’s time being famous, from his first album coming out to his death was less than 1000 days. That’s pretty heart-rending to think about. It does a good job of filling out the picture from his beginnings in Aberdeen through growing up and finding success. A lot of focus on his songwriting and touring, practices and time spent making albums. Meeting and marrying Courtney Love and becoming a father. And of course, you know how the story ends, yet it still grabs you. This is a really good book for Nirvana fans. My thanks for the advance electronic copy that was provided by NetGalley, author Charles R Cross, and the publisher for my fair review.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Hachette publishing in exchange for an honest review.

I may be biased because I was a big Nirvana fan in my teen years. But so we’re a lot of others. I think this book will appeal to a lot of people.

The author wrote a well researched and well put together biography of Kurt Cobain. This initially came out in 2002 but has a new afterword.

I stopped listening to Nirvana in early college, finding ska and emo to be more appealing at that time. I remember seeing his journal published and books like this but didn’t want to read them and tarnish the idea of the band I had.

It was depressing to read about Kurt’s problems that he could not overcome. Despite all of the people trying to help, even in his last days, it didn’t matter and he still succumbed to the darkness. It also really made me dislike him reading about all of the stuff he did. Just like I didn’t want to happen.

Still, this book is an intriguing look at a person that mesmerized millions in the 90s. A good read especially if you were a fan.

I don't recommend this book for minors. 18+

I've heard of Kurt Cobain. Of course, I have who hasn't? Like many I love the song Smells Like Teen Spirit and I know of his death which was ruled a suicide, a controversial ruling to this day. While I can't in good faith call myself a die-hard Nirvana fan, I know a few of his songs and I like a few of his songs. I also like the fact he was left-handed and could play the guitar. I've also been wanting to read this book for a while, I've even planned to buy it a few times but something always happened or I forgot.

As for the author, Charles R. Cross, I've only read one of his books. The one about Jimi Hendrix. I first read it in high school but the book turned out to be missing several pages from a bad printing process. But, I loved the writing and the way he told Jimi's story so well I got the book for myself for Christmas.

I liked the artist and I like the author. So I thought I'd like this book.

Wrong.

Got as far as chapter four when I very disturbing scene and copious uses of the word 'retarded' disgusting me to the point I decided to put the book down.

While I don't really understand why the author thought to include that... intimate episode in his life... I wish he hadn't. I believe he was still a minor then and that fact may me completely uncomfortable. Considering how many young fans he has, I first learned of Nirvana in the 8th grade, I believe that scene is completely uncalled for.

So, I skipped to the epilogue, found an equally disturbing (if not revolting) scene there and I'm done with this book, probably done listening to Nirvana (if not until I can forget what I just read) and probably done with this author.

Didn't finish. If you couldn't tell but the review.

A great update to this book. "Heavier Than Heaven" is a must-read for any Nirvana fan. The original book is great and the updated sections add a lot.