Rating: 
Summary: Great fiction writing
Review: This book is well written, but unfortunately the only reliable information lies within Kurt's early years which is history that is hard to alter. As a fan of Hole and Courtney Love, it is fact that she is a proven liar (and a self-admitted one) and one only needs to look at the back of this book to see how often Charles Cross cites her word as a source. The fact that Love was in very close contact with Cross during the writing of the book was evident, and if you compare to the stories told by her and in other books you will see countless inconsistencies. The author made no attempt to seek out the real story - it painted Kurt as a depressed and hopeless man who was bound to kill himself from the first chapter, and it is almost an explanation of why he did so rather than being a tribute to his amazing career and intelligence that made him one of the most legendary icons ever. This fictional account of Kurt's life culminates in COMPLETE GUESSES as to what happened in Kurt's last days. Only one person that knew Kurt, Michael DeWitt, was documented as seeing him on April 2, 1994 - which he claimed thought was a dream - and nobody saw much of what he did. Cross still dares to go forth and say how Kurt proceeded to take his life, detailing what he did, when he did it, up to putting a gun in his mouth and pulling the trigger. While this case is labelled a suicide, coming up with his own guesses and claiming they are 'fact' is an insult to all literature. I am not claiming the murder theory be addressed by any means, it is simply a travesty that Cross decided to completely speculate on what Kurt did in his last days and hours after leaving rehab, primarilly using Courtney Love as the only person who painted him as a hopelessly depressed man who she "knew" was going to kill himself. Cross makes a mockery of his own credibility with this book, as anyone with just a small knowledge on Kurt's life can verify. If you want to learn more about the life of Kurt Cobain, this is the last book you want to read.
Rating:
Summary: Terrible book, should be labeled fiction
Review: This is probably the worst book on Kurt Cobain ever written; it's even worse than Sandford's. The author gets many things completely wrong, things that can be checked easily and verified. He comes up with an elaborate ending for the time when Kurt died, when no one really knows what eactly happened. There are many more books that are better than this, such as Come As You Are. Don't waste your money on this; if you need to read it check your local library.
Rating: 
Summary: Widow's "Heavier than Heaven" influence obvious on author
Review: This book is filled with factual tidbits that are mixed with drama, romance, and, disappointingly, fiction. I think the award it received must have been for the dramatic-romantic content, I don't know, but I found what was missing in the book to be even MORE notable than its dramatic conclusions. Until I began reading it, I pretty much bought the story that Cobain's death was a suicide. Now, I'm not so sure.Courtney's controlling influence on this author is so obvious, it hurts the author's credibility, as well as the presumption of Cobain's death as suicide. For one, it's well known that Courtney granted interviews to the author and made Cobain's journals available to him, and it appears that he repaid her for the privilege in kind, by making absolutely NO MENTION WHATSOEVER of the murder theories. (How could something like that just be completely ignored?) Granted, the evidence that his death was a murder is entirely circumstantial, but so was the evidence of a suicide. There are so many interesting and curious facts that are noticeably omitted. For example, the public records show that the police formed their opinion of "suicide" prior to a full investigation, which is a disservice to the public as well as to Kurt Cobain. The author fails to mention how the Seattle Police Department concluded "suicide" within just a few hours of arriving at the scene, BEFORE the autopsy report (which reported enough heroin in his blood to not only kill him, but to make his handling of a shotgun very difficult and unlikely), and BEFORE the crime lab examined the gun (from which "illegible" prints were taken almost an entire month later!). Instead of including these interesting facts, we are afforded a rather dramatic, detailed fictional account of what Cobain "did" just moments before his death. Why not just present the readers with facts and let us draw our own conclusions about how he died? Why try to sell the suicide theory at all? The chapter on Cobain's assumed demise really ruined the book's integrity. What's worth studying are the events Cross reports of the month prior to, and immediately following, Cobain's death. No doubt this was included in order to "set the record straight", providing excuses for some of the [] lies and confusion surrounding his feigned "disappearance". Notes that were written, things that were said, staged, and happening between L.A. and Seattle, all indicate that confusion surrounding his "disappearance" was deliberately created. This actually is the best part of the story since Cross doesn't attempt to hide or explain the dishonesty. This is especially why the book becomes all the more [] when it's followed by the fictional account of Cobain's presumed last moments. This book is still worth reading, if only to carefully dissect and compare notes with known facts and the public record.
Rating: 
Summary: From Felony Flats to Nirvana~
Review: Congratulations to Charles Cross who has obviously done his homework concerning the Aberdeen scene during the Cobain era. This walk down memory lane was an accurate recollection of the culture, its problems, and the landscape of Aberdeen. Although the problems ran much deeper and worse, Charles Cross indicates the essence of the struggles faced by families during this very difficult time of mill closures and dwindling timber sales. Many were directly and indirectly affected by the painful contraction of this timber town's economy that gave birth to grunge and its icon, Kurt Cobain. Considering the lack of opportunity and loss of economic stability that families experienced first-hand, Kurt Cobain's struggle and eventual success is an incredible feat. These are the success stories I can identify with because it bears witness to the persistence and determination of the human spirit to overcome against all odds. He dared to dream of success, had the courage to pursue his dream, and left a legacy for all times despite the turmoil in his life. As the life of Kurt Cobain can attest to, it's not always easy growing up especially for children of divorce. It is, however, this triumphant belief in yourself that makes the difference, not the wins and losses of everyday life. As a resident of "Felony Flats" during this time, I smiled, nodded, and grew nostaligic while sitting in a well-known downtown Portland book store reading these crisp descriptions of the streets in my former neighborhood, the ratio of churches to taverns, the history of brothels, friends' names, and the references to Longshoring that was family employment for a few of our family members. One was the mayor during this time. It is an accurate recollection of Aberdeen that can be trusted. Although I continue to remember the people in this community, I also found the road to financial success was the same road leading out of Aberdeen. To leave feels like exile. Rest in peace, Kurt Cobain.
Rating:
Summary: Cross cashes In on Nirvana Tragedy
Review: A suck up book if ever ne was. Cross said nothing to displease Courtney Love and got a big advance and royalties for selling out his editorial post. Now I am convinced the Rocket (Crosses Seattle alternative paper) has no street cred. He makes Kurt look bad and makes Courtney look good so how can we trust the other cute stories? TW
Rating:
Summary: Yes, this book is one that pulls at you.
Review: an abosolute great read. Impossible to read ending that wouldn't let me continue in fear of crying my eyes out. Kudos
Rating:
Summary: Truly Facinating
Review: This is the first book I've reviewed, so forgive me if it's not the best. This book looked deeply into the mind & life of a great artist: His highs(sometimes literally), lows, and really just what it was like to have been there day by day with him. Takes you from his early days as a child, just wanting to go down the hills on a sled w/ his family on a winter weekend, to his finnal hours of composing his finnal suiside note, and taking his finnal steps to the greenhouse. A great book, just like a novel in that you are always wondering what's coming next. A book to buy for anyone who loved or liked Nirvana, Kurt Cobain, or just wants to hear the life story of a troubled boy who never grew up.
Rating: 
Summary: A very good Book
Review: I really did love this book, but I am also a big fan of Kurt Cobain and Nirvana. It really went into the life of Kurt, how he got started, how he grew up, and how he met the people who were so prominent in his life. This book also gave insight to Kurt's personality from the perspective of people who knew him. The only thing that I didn't like about this book was how the author constantly acted like he was with Kurt all the way. The author wrote as though he watched all the things that happened to Kurt while standing right beside him, and that he was able to read Kurts mind as well. In my opinion, I think maybe a few of "Kurts thoughts" that were used in this book were made up. But altoghether it was good solid reading, and even if you are not a Kurt Cobain fan or a Nirvana fan this book is an interesting book to read.
Rating:
Summary: Too much left out!!!
Review: With the publishing of "Journals," I decided I had to go back and read this book but having done so I must say; "Please, as a Kurt devote, don't buy this book! If you are curious about the contents, get it from a library. I did and I'm glad. The author may have done a lot of research and interviews but the book still comes up short. I didn't care for the authors style and how he represented Kurt (basically as a pathological liar) albiet he softens it by calling him a "storyteller." He repeatedly tells of how Kurt avoided conflict, couldn't be direct with people. Funny, when I read or see interviews with him he seems like one of the most open, authentic and direct famous people there ever was. This is something I appreciated about him.
The author does some really corny writing in parts and seems to be a vehicle for others biased opions. I thought his credentials would lend a sense of legitimacy to the book. It didn't. Why doesn't someone who was really there in the "inner circle" write a book. Most of his choice of incidents included in the book and most of his conclusions about Kurt seem really disparaging.I think he construes Kurt's personality complications and contradictions as calculated maneauvers. I don't believe that. As for the end of the book, it portrays Kurt as this drug crazed, out of control maniac. Having lived with many out-of-control addicts who never thought they could/would get clean it seems to simple to make that the reason for his death.I suggest fans of Kurt read all the interviews with with him and the band posted on Nirvana fan sites and "Come as You Are" rather than this partly fictional book! I want more of Kurt(the truth, positive and negative) but not in the manner of this book.
Rating:
Summary: Inside Kurt's head.
Review: This book made me feel that I had lived inside Kurt's head; it was that detailed and intimate. Things were revealed that I never read or heard anywhere, even in COME AS YOU ARE. I did notice that this book doesn't vituperate Courtney Love as much as other publications do and seems to cast her in a positive light. Though it rambled at times, making it difficult for me to wade through, you will read in minute detail virtually every aspect of Kurt's life, from his growing up in Aberdeen to the difficult years of his life that followed his parents' divorce to the rudimentary beginnings of Nirvana, the band that would forever change music and the way we thought about it. It also summarizes his final days and the thoughts in his troubled mind that led to his alleged suicide. If you've read COME AS YOU ARE, HEAVIER THAN HEAVEN makes an excellent companion piece. CAYA is significant in that it was written before Cobain's death and bears no eerie presentiment of doom, as this book does (the preface is about the gun shop in which Kurt purchased his suicide weapon). However, this foreshadowing does not, in my opinion, mar the flow of the story. All in all, I would say this book deserves a place on every Nirvana fan's bookshelf.
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