Kurt Cobain: The Nirvana Years

by Carrie Borzillo

April 2014 will mark the 20th anniversary of Kurt Cobain's tragic suicide. With Nirvana, Cobain articulated the chaotic emotions of teen spirit, but the intense attention proved too overwhelming for him to handle. Filled with quotes and interviews from the people who were there as Nirvana rose to fame, Kurt Cobain tells the story of the charismatic singer/songwriter and the band. Abundantly illustrated, it's as close as possible to a day-by-day log of every significant event from Nirvana's inception right through to Cobain's untimely death.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Biography

192 pages, Hardcover

First published July 28, 2000

Reviews

[Romuald · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I bought this book I already knew basically everything about Kurt and Nirvana; nonetheless, this was one of the most enjoyable reads in my life, and it took me just several hours within two days to go from cover to cover - and I loved every bit of it.
First of all, the book is heavily illustrated, and because of the wider format of this book every picture offered a lot of depth: I could almost imagine me sitting with Kurt somewhere in Seattle or in some record studio and hearing and seeing and feeling everything he and other band members did; the portraits touched deeply, while generally the book offers quite a few photos I have never seen on Internet.
Second, the book in a sense is a chronological record of Nirvana, but the presentation of facts and dates are far from being dry, instead you basically get to live the Kurt's or Nirvana's life, experience day-to-day events according relatively short descriptions from a rather neutral perspective.
If one has to define a gripping book, this one won't do any shame in that.

[Aurora Dimitre]

I can't really rate this. It's just a timeline, with a lot of pictures, which I've got to say are the highlight of it. There are so many pictures, giant glossy full-page pictures, that I really enjoyed looking at. As well as that, some good dates for like, shows and releases and stuff. But overall, not much to rate? It's a coffee-table book.

[Jonas Paro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stor mängd text och bilder i denna berättelse om 90-talets vackraste och mest sorgliga framgångssaga. En kronologisk genomgång av all väsentlig fakta i Kurt Cobains alldeles för korta liv. Bygger enbart på vidimerade uppgifter och i det här fallet är det extra skönt att alippa skrönor och falska spektakulära påståenden.

[Ann Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is so much information about all the band members and people who influenced Kurt and Nirvana that sometimes it does get a little confusing, but over all I really enjoy this book. I think it's a staple for anyone who is a Nirvana lover or is just getting into the history of Kurt and Nirvana.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Went up to page 46. As it had to be returned back at the library.
I couldn't finish it. As it was hard to get into.
Unless your a huge Nirvana fan.
I'm not a huge fan but I do like them.
Would recommend to any diehard fan.

[m · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not much of a book.