COURTNEY LOVE: THE REAL STORY

Rating:
Summary: A fan's book
Review: I am a CL fan so I reALLY ENJOYED THE BOOK. IT WAS THE RIGHT LENGTH AND QUITE WELL WRITTEN. IT IS NOT FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T ABSOLUTLY LOVE LOVE.

Rating:
Summary: BORING BORING BORING
Review: This book really glosses over anything and everything interesting that has been written about Ms. Love. There is no description as to Ms. Love's struggles, her own creative process. How did she learn to play guitar? It's never mentioned. Things like her stripping are only glossed over, there is no details around the grittiness and heartbreak that accompanies the abuse bestowed upon women in these profession. Her relationship with Kurt is refered to in only the most general of terms. The writing is dull and the overall tone is saccharine, as if aimed at naive 12-14 year olds, who would be hard-pressed to like such a book. If you read it, you'll finish it in less than two-three hours. Stick to fiction, Poppy, there at least, you're doing something a little more interesting. As for Ms. Love, in this book, she is neither someone to be idolized or put down. The countroversy is gone. Just another boring media commodity.

Rating:
Summary: This is really Courtney's book
Review: I believe the question of "objectivity" is moot concerning this book. It seems pretty certain -- both from media coverage and from reading between the lines of the bio itself -- that Courtney Love was a silent partner in this book. If this is true, Poppy didn't really have the chance to provide objective coverage, as Courtney probably would have cut it! It's a tradeoff...the book loses a certain critical edge, but how else would Poppy have gotten access to Courtney's letters, diaries, etc.? I think it's best to look at _CL:TRS_ as a book Poppy more or less ghostwrote for Courtney Love ... it's not her best work, but it surely made her a lot of money to finance the writing of more great fiction.

Rating:
Summary: But is it objective?
Review: I got the impression that most, if not all, information came from CL which gives it value as source material but doesn't make for a very objective study. The uncritical way Brite repeated Love's story about an "affair" with Trent Reznor (which he has steadfastly denied) doesn't strike me as the way to treat a neighbor.

Rating:
Summary: Brite branches into bio biting off success in the process!!!
Review: Poppy Z. Brite, better known as New Orleans' hip alternative to "you know who" (even though she never really has worked in the same genre) branches out into biography with a bang!!! This book turned me from a Courtney Lover to a Love idolizer! Brite captures Love's childhood from hell and leaves you wondering how Ms. Love could have even survived, much less become the great success in music and film she's become. This is some of the best writing Poppy has done and is a clear indication that she can branch out from fiction with considerable success. Brite is surely New Orleans' brightest star, Rice and Reznor look out!!!

Rating:
Summary: Moving and real.
Review: This is unquestionably the best book out there on this fascinating woman and her music. Brite doesn't turn away from the ugliness, and the result is a really unflinching but ultimately sympathetic book about Courtney. It's a really fast, fun, good read, too. I'm giving it to everyone I know this Xmas!

Rating:
Summary: A HONEST POWERFUL STORY OF A VERY STRONG WOMEN
Review: THIS BOOK IS ONE OF THE BEST THAT I HAVE EVER READ ON COURTNEY LOVE. THE HONEST BRUTALITY OF HER CHILD HOOD AND HER PUBLIC HUMILIATION OVER THE 2 YEARS OF HER MARRIAGE. HER BRAVERY TO GET TO WHERE SHE HAS ALWAYS WANTED TO BE. ON TOP. BUT THROUGH IT ALL SHE HAS SURVIVED

Rating:
Summary: Recommended for those interested in "just the facts".
Review: I seldom power through a biography with as much hunger for information as I did this title. I am very much a fan of Hole, and I was glad to see this book treat Courtney Love with the respect she is long overdue. The author is a bit dry at times. I typically prefer to read Courtney's own words, as in interviews and the book "Grrrls: Viva Rock Divas", but "Courtney Love: the real story" was probably the next best thing.

Rating:
Summary: BORING!
Review: Melissa Rossi's book was more timely & interesting. It seemed as if Ms.Brite didn't want to offend Courtney Love, so she wrote a fairly tame book. This book is okay, if you haven't read Melissa's book first...

Rating:
Summary: the girl with too much cake
Review: I got my hands on this book because I LOVE Ms. Brite's horror novels, and it was actually this biography that launched me into the music of Courtney Love. The music is better than the book, though, and Brite's other books are also more well-written than this one. It's a pretty biased story, a fact that didn't bother me in any way, but I guess that real Nirvana or Kurt Cobain fans do not find this entertaining at all. If you Love Courtney Love, however, you should definitely Read Through This, since it sketches a nice picture of this enfant terrible of rock music.