Killing Yourself to Live: 85% of a True Story

by Chuck Klosterman

Book Overview

Building on the national bestselling success of Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs, preeminent pop culture writer Chuck Klosterman unleashes his best book yet--the story of his cross-country tour of sites where rock stars have died and his search for love, excitement, and the meaning of death.

For 6,557 miles, Chuck Klosterman thought about dying. He drove a rental car from New York to Rhode Island to Georgia to Mississippi to Iowa to...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0743264460
• ISBN13: 9780743264464
• Release Date: June 2006
• Publisher: Scribner Book Company
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.62 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.8" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Don't Judge a Book by its cover

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.

Klosterman at his best

I find it funny that most of the people who wrote scathing criticisms of this book had never read a Chuck Klosterman novel before. If you didn't know what you were getting into before you read the book then, of course, you'd hate it. This being said while disregarding the fact that any summary or professional criticism of this book mentions some sort of basic theme on self discovery along a trip of famous death sites of musicians or something along those lines. For those of us who know full well what we were getting into, this is Klosterman at his finest. He is a pop culture junkie and a great writer who doesn't pretend that his experiences, as weird as they might be, are any different from most readers, and often times he is right. There is an almost voyeuristic quality to the enjoyment of this book. Chuck is unbelievably candid when it comes to his personal life, and whether narcisistic or not, its, once again, very easy to relate too. I read a lot of books and I have re-read none of them, never feeling the need to. This is the first book I have ever considered reading a second time, and probably will once I get it back from a friend.

Don't Expect It To Be 100% Music

Because it is not. Actually it is probably 40% music and 60% Klosterman's life and if you walk into reading this book knowing that, then you will fall in love with it. If you expect it to be overfilled with "insider's notes" on dead rockers (which on some pages it is) then I'd put it back. That said, let me get on to my review. Klosterman has a way of writing that makes you want to agree with every single word he says or make you want to hit him upside the head with his neverending CD collection. I for one like to agree with him and not just because I'm a fan, but because most of what he says isn't judgemental, its truth taken from a standpoint that doesn't let what society says determine what he thinks. And I like that. Then again he also compares his entire love life history to that of KISS's history, so, it may be a bit of a conundrum, but as he says, its just the way he sees things. The book is mostly about Chuck's love life (or love square as he is torn between loving three women). He is traveling the country, in search of something that he doesn't know and in his alone time he thinks. He thinks of these women and their impact on his life and why he loves each of them. So, no, this book is not entirely about the rockers' demise, but rather it is an AUTOBIOGRAPHY of the man searching for an answer as to why we ask the question, "Why is the best career move a rocker can make to die?"

you'll either love it or hate it

I love Chuck Klosterman, I make no bones about it. I didn't understand half of Fargo Rock City (the music part) and still liked it. Sex, Drugs and Coco Puffs is a minor masterpiece of cultural criticism. This book, is only marginally about rock and roll (yet important). What rock critic actually say rock critics mean nothing? Chuck is more concerned with past loves and trying to get on with his life. Chuck does drugs, drinks, drives (not together), sees much of the country. He will definately annoy many readers. Yet, to this reader, there is something poignant about a man (only 2 years older than me) trying to come to terms with himself and his past. The passage that describes "terrifying nostalgia" is incredible and resonated with me. This review might not help you (I expect the unhelpful votes), but it is vote in favor Chuck. Give 'em Hell, Buddy.

Great new volume from Chuck Klosterman

As a rule, I don't buy hardcover books. They're too expensive, and kind of a pain in the butt, since I do most of my reading on the El train. There's never anything I absolutely NEED to read right away where I can't wait for the paperback edition. That rule has been broken twice, both times with Chuck Klosterman books. "Killing Yourself to Live" is Klosterman's most personal and introspective work, which in this day and age, means it's his most depressing book. Following the loose outline of a travel across the country to visit the sites where famous musicians have died for a purpose that can only be determined after the journey is complete, Chuck's travels really serve as a time for him to leave the trappings of his life - his work (more or less), his friends, his usual bars - and figure out what's important to him. There's no time like coming face-to-face with death to think about this, even though Chuck is not (physically) on the verge of death (though he does eat a lot of gravy). Klosterman's personal life is on display, though this is doled out to the reader with a heavy helping of the culture commentary Klosterman is known for from previous books "Fargo Rock City" and "Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs." In fact, there's one passage late in the book where Chuck equates the women that he has had relationships with to the personnel of KISS, his favorite band. These two pages provide a clear display of what makes Chuck such an interesting writer, but (one could imagine) a complete a**hole in real life (especially if you're one of the foxy ladies he has pursued). If you're looking for a book that details the role death plays in the celebrity of rock stars, this book really only touches on that topic. If you're a fan of the author's previous works, though, this book is completely recommended.