For anyone who’s spent countless hours trying to make the perfect mix tape for a party, or to give it to a new crush, or for when you are feeling blue, then this book is for you. Each of the book’s 22 chapters is introduced with a track list of songs to describe Sheffield’s story of growing up, falling in love and surviving loss through music.
There were a lot of funny anecdotes and I laughed out loud when Sheffield describes putting together a mix tape for his eighth-grade school dance. "That night, I learned the hard way: If the girls keep dancing, everybody's happy. If the girls don't dance, nobody's happy."
The heart of this book though is about Sheffield meeting a “cool hell-raising Appalachain punk-rock girl” and falling in love with her. Renée and Rob are total opposites but they shared a passion for music. Their road trips, wedding ceremony and married life is all set to the beats of their favorite songs.
Even though from the start we know that Renée dies from a pulmonary embolism, it is still a shock to read about it, and Sheffield’s account of losing her and the next few years without her is very moving.
The book is loaded with musical references from the 90s. I enjoyed those and it was quite fun to be reminded of music I hadn’t heard in a long time, but if that wasn’t your favorite music decade you might find yourself a bit lost. Still the book is a sweet testament to love and finding someone who shares your same passion.
Added 02/07