Love Is A Mix Tape by Rob Sheffield

Love Is A Mix Tape tells the story of how Rob Sheffield fell in love, got married, and lost his love to premature death. His description of Renee emphasizes all of the qualities that Rob loved about her. (I refer to them as “Rob” and “Renee” because the book is written with an honesty and personal touch that makes the reader feel like you are reading about two of your close friends – or at least two people who have now become two of your close friends.) He describes an energetic, beautiful, and unique woman. Renee sounds like a one-of-kind woman full of vivacity for both life and music.

The story is told through mix tapes. Each chapter has the listings of a TDK mix tape and the month and year the tape was created. The story chronicles Rob’s love for music and mix tapes from his childhood through recent years. These cassettes tell the story of how and what Rob learned about women, marriage, regret, growth, and solace.

I would guess that at least 5-10% of the sentences Sheffield has written are actually lyrics from the songs on his mix tapes. He throws them in the middle of his descriptions in a way that actually makes them more a part of his memories than as song lyrics – no quotes around them. If you don’t know the songs, you may not even recognize the references.

I’ve gone so far as to actually make two of the mix tapes that Rob uses as chapter headers. It seemed appropriate to start this book review by showing one of the mix tapes I made while reading this book. Who The Hell Is Dow Jones Anyway? is a mix of some of my favorite songs from the first few months of 2007. Yes, I still make mix tapes (as well as mix CDs). My girlfriend’s Toyota Corolla has a tape deck and I drive it a fair amount. I have a stack of tapes in her car and bag of backups in the trunk.

This book made me think about my relationship with my girlfriend. We met at an open mic. She traveled to SXSW with my band. Music and writing are big parts of both of our lives. I now I’m going to spend the rest of my life with her. My girlfriend and music are the two things that define my life. This book made me think about what I would do if she passed away. How would I carry on? Would I eventually move out of our house? What would I do with all of her “stupid hats,” as she calls them? How would continue listening to The Old 97’s or Bright Eyes’ “First Day Of My Life” or any of the other music that we share?

This book is as much a love story about Rob and Renee Sheffield as much as it is about the romance between Rob Sheffield and music. Both relationships have been full of tender moments. Both have changed over time, but they always remain the most important aspects of his life.

www.randomhouse.com/crown/mixtape
www.myspace.com/loveisamixtapethebook

Back to The Wheel's Still In Spin Mainpage

Submit this story to:

Del.icio.us | Digg | Blinklist | Furl | Reddit | Newsvine

Comments

[t&a]

I had a smile at the start of this, thinking about all of my own experiences with mix tapes since that first little tape player I would hold up to the radio before we got it all in one deck and then (hallelujah) the "double tape deck" player! And now a tear rolls down the cheek, the smile sticking...you've inspired music in my life and way of life in ways you'll never know.

Whether in fiction or nonfiction, you once again capture the rhythms and role of music and its parallels with relationships, experiences ... and those we share it with

[ted]

yeah same here.. quit an emotional story to me. smile sticking though.

feel free to download the music to the first chapter on my blog:
http://readersdiscotheque.blogspot.com/2009/07/love-is-mixtape.html