Killing Yourself to Live: 85% of a True Story

Chuck’s stuff is a “can’t miss.” I read this book several years ago, and although I enjoyed it immensely, for whatever reason, this time it resonated even more so. Likely it’s simply growing older and more aware of my own mortality. Regardless, I’m happy this guy makes art.

Chuck Klosterman is an acquired taste. But like a fine scotch or even an unfiltered cigarette, once you acquire that taste, you may find yourself inexorably addicted to his musings. This book isn't a story about the life and death of rock stars. It's not even a story about rock and roll really, it's a story about being a guy that loves music, sees his relationships through tunes and can't quite get out of the mindset of a teenage boy, even after crossing the age divide that is "being 30."To be fair, Chuck's affinity for KISS and his turns of phrase when talking about the important ladies in his life is something all too familiar to this reader, but that's the kind of thing that makes this book essential. This book is like a road trip in itself, but more than that, it's kind of like meeting a new best friend in college - and you stay awake all night in your dorm, like for no reason - just because if you go to sleep, you won't be having this intense connection and friendship with them. So your focus drifts, you don't stick to the thesis of the conversation, your synapses fire and they find you tangentially relating the quintessential live recordings of Bruce Springsteen when you initially started talking about movies that you love and High Fidelity gets mentioned and there you go - Bruce is there.But that's the beauty of this book. It's the relationships, insight to a lack of insight and emotionally stunted anecdotes of someone you want to meet when you meet someone new.As a writer, reader and ultimately a massive KISS fan, I can't recommend this book enough... Though I know that it's not as cohesive as a book maybe should be... and he did bail on LA, which would have made for some good chapters... I still can't help but love this book. I enjoyed every page and I am sad that I'm not reading it anymore. So it's a 5/5... Yeah, I started it at a 4/5, but that empty want for more makes me think that it should be a 5/5.Put on a good record, pour yourself a cocktail and turn on the lamp... This book is gonna hang out with you for a while.

Dude was clearly having some women problems while he was writing this book

Why do we care about Chuck Klosterman? There is nothing truly remarkable about his life. I disagree with 97 percent of what he has to say about music. The way he holds his political cards close to his chest makes me suspicious. And yet, once I start one of his books, I can’t put it down. Killing Yourself to Live is no exception. It takes us on a drug-fueled odyssey across the United States with stops at famous rock and roll death sites (the seedy hotel where Sid Vicious did himself in; the burnt patch in Rhode Island that used to be a bar where dozens lost their lives thanks to Great White’s trying to re-live their, ahem, glory days; the patch of ground Buddy Holly’s plane collided with; Cobain’s death room, etc.). As is the case with many young-ish writers today (to wit: Sarah Vowell), Klosterman’s book’s stated purpose serves merely as an ostensible vehicle for the author to write about himself, his life, his loves, etc. One might be tempted to write this off as narcissism or myopia, but Klosterman somehow manages to wrest insights into the human condition out of the twisted, emotional menagerie that is his psyche. Yes, he’s self-absorbed, but in such a fashion that his sharing it with us feels like a gift…of sorts.

If I wrote a book I'd expect it would be a lot like this one. The reason being that when I'm left to my own musings I'm just not a linier thinker. It's not that I go in all different directions. It's that the road to my destination goes serpentine. I'm distracted with thoughts that apply on the fringe and so I'd certainly want to stop and describe where my brain is meandering. That's exactly what Klosterman does here.I do not have author Klosterman's excuse for such mental behavior as I am not a recreational drug user. If this writing technique of ours is actually one that readers appreciate then I should be grateful to my mother for allowing me to skip the inevitable depression that comes of drug and alcohol abuse (and in giving me a timely advantage) by dropping me on my head as a child. I don't actually remember being dropped on my head, but given the unexplained upper forehead scar, my non-drug addled brain, and yet having a Klosterman-esque propensity to mentally wander, I expect she did.Now I must add a, "buyer beware!" One would normally expect that if an author takes a roundabout course to get where he's going, and if he has a lot to say about his actual topic, then you're going to have a fairly lengthy read. This book is a tiny read. It follows then that Klosterman doesn't end up writing very many pages on topic; that is if his topic is suppose to be dead rock stars.I bought the book because I wanted to read about dead rock stars and I wanted to be entertained by Klosterman's wit. What we get is a little of both.

You could easily be tricked by the cover of this book, but you really should read the back of the book and maybe I don't know flip through some pages before buying any book.If you have never read Klosterman before he's a funny writer who is scattered everywhere with his thoughts. Kind of like...I don't know...a REGULAR person.The book mainly is about Chuck's relationships with women from his point of view. This book is about a man being alone with his thoughts for an extended amount of time while 'working' for Spin Magazine.There are tons of great pop-references and things that will jog your memory. If you like books that are tying to get a deep meaning out of a single life then you'll like this book. It's all about one man's experience.A thinker for those who want to think about trivial things in life that actually matter.

Excellent.

Gran decepción. Conozco a Klosterman de algunos de sus artículos en Esquire y de sus participaciones en Podcasts como el de Bill Simmons. Es un tipo agudo y con ideas un tanto locas. Desgraciadamente esas ideas se quedan sin desarrollar y para rellenar las páginas de este libro usa todo tipo de clichés. Muchos pasajes huelen a post-adolescente tratando de escribir su vida antes de suicidarse para que todos sepan lo guay que era. Sobre el Rock, la cultura Popular Americana y la América Rural poco o nada se aprende en este libro.

I began reading this book as a Kindle sample and the first chapter that dealt with the Sex Pistols and the death of Sid Vicious was outstanding. The idea that you be a terrible at something (i.e playing the bass) and yet be able to be terrible significantly was profound. However this is a long winded narrative about Chuck's romantic woes and it's hard to sympathize. I wish I could get my money back.