Book Review: "Heavier Than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain" by Charles R. Cross

For Christmas, I was lucky enough to have received a copy of Kurt Cobain's biography, Heavier Than Heaven, and needless to say I was excited to read about this rock icon the second I unwrapped it.  I started reading the book, and I was quite honestly surprised by what I read.  It's been over 15 years since Cobain died, and it had been a huge game of telephone in regards to what had actually happened to him, what his life was like, and the like.  Having not researched Kurt Cobain on my own, I was under the impression that he was a drug addict from day one and was murdered by his widow, Courtney Love.  The book, however, told a different story.

The author of the book, Charles R. Cross, conducted over 400 interviews to write this biography.  I was utterly amazed at how thorough he was when it came to getting all of the information he could.  The way the book was written made the story flow well, and though there were many details and facts thrown in there, it didn't bog down the writing.  Cross told of a young boy afflicted with the trauma of a divorce, who desperately wanted the attention and affection of his parents.  The way his brain worked was dark, and unlike anything I've read before (the author made sure to put in excerpts from Cobain's journal).  I always assumed the dark and confusing writings were caused by drugs, but turns out they were present since before he became a hard drug user.  Cross continues to talk about the many faces of the band, the dysfunctionality of the group, the climb to the top, and the people involved on his way.  Then, comes the drug problems, the rehab, and ultimately his last day on Earth.

By reading this book, I have come to the conclusion that Kurt Cobain was a man with a dark past that loved his family and friends, but didn't love himself.  I give Cross kudos to really bringing his life to light in that sense, however, there are things I'd criticize about what he wrote, particularly the ending.  I really don't think that Cross should have written about the last day Cobain was alive, as nobody but Cobain himself actually knows what happened.  At that point in the book, the story went from a truth to a tale in my opinion.  Others criticized Courtney's accounts, but I've got to say that I do believe them, and that Cobain did kill himself.  Of course, that's my opinion on the then 27 year old's death, and there are tons of theories out there on the matter.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves music.  The journey through the story was unreal, and you learn a lot about Cobain and his family and friends.  Not to mention, there are details about his songs and his music videos/interviews that come to light in the book that really make you see them all in a different light.  Pick it up, check it out, you won't be disappointed.