What We Are Reading: Killing Yourself To Live

What We Are Reading:
Killing Yourself To Live
By Chuck Klosterman

Review by Sebastian Francis Kennedy

Chuck Klosterman is perhaps best known as a rock critic for Spin Magazine, but his best work really comes from his books. His droll wit and down home writing style is a breath of fresh air in the stuffy, over intellectualized world of rock criticism. Basically, Klosterman is funny, insightful and his work is very accessible, whether you know the bands he is referring to or not.

Klosterman's previous works (Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs and the excellent Fargo Rock City) have been rants about pop culture with a specific focus on rock bands from the 80's. Killing Yourself To Live tells the story behind Chuck's journey to visit the places where rock stars have died. Along the way, he muses about his love life, his life in general, and of course, the rock bands that died in the places that he visits. It's light reading, it's funny, and once again, it's very insightful.

Chuck Klosterman is certainly one of the best writers on the music scene and with Killing Yourself to Live he takes his work to another level. This is a great book for music fans young and old, and if you love pop history (or rock criticism) then Killing Yourself to Live is definitely for you. Highly recommended.