Brooks on Books: Love Is a Mix Tape by Rob Sheffield

If you're only familiar with "Rolling Stone" writer Rob Sheffield through his snappy, pop-culture-laden record reviews and "American Idol" summaries, you might be wary of reading a whole book of his. I know I was. Sheffield is a clever guy, but his style can be a little much.

Well, let me tell you, "Love Is a Mix Tape" is an excellent read, a moving experience that will have you not just admiring the guy as a writer, but feeling for the guy as a guy. It's an intimate--almost embarrassingly so at times--account of Sheffield's love and marriage to his dream girl, Renee, who died suddenly at the age of 31.

The book looks a lot more gimmicky at first than it is. Each chapter begins with a sample of a handwritten cassette tape insert--remember those?--listing the songs of a mix tape the couple shared. Early on, Sheffield discusses the tapes and their composition in some detail, sometimes writing about specific songs and drawing parallels to where he was in life at the time. However, this approach becomes less prevalent as the book goes on. While he continues to hint at the theme expressed by the title, and he does tie it all together at the end, the narrative becomes less explicit about music and more about simple emotion.

Having said that, fans of pop music--especially the 80s/90s--will find a lot to enjoy in here, as the guy IS a music writer, after all, and the songs played a big part in his and Renee's lives. Comments are interspersed throughout about musicians and albums that don't necessarily appear on the tapes or aren't highlighted there. Sheffield mentions an early stage in the relationship when he notices she likes XTC and he thinks they'll have to work on that. The music and cultural references, though, come off as more organic and charming spread out through the book-length story than they sometimes do in Sheffield's shorter-form writing.

You feel good for the guy for a while, but you know he's building to a great loss, and when it happens, hoo, boy. His account of wandering around department stores trying to feel a connection to humanity is almost heartbreaking. The saga of the relationship is more effective than the saga of the aftermath. Sheffield's grief makes for often-difficult reading, and to some it may drag a bit. However, it's HIS story, and his candor makes it worthwhile. I feel kind of ghoulish saying this, but his perspective as a (very) young widower is unique, at least to me, and it's interesting seeing how he handles or doesn't handle some of the mundane and extraordinary aspects of a loved one's death.

while reading this book, you get the impression he needed a lot more help--a LOT more--than he got and/or was willing to seek out. Ultimately, he got through it to some extent--he's still around and successfully writing at "Rolling Stone"--but I feel sorry for whatever woman has to compete with these memories.

"Love Is a Mix Tape" is clever, funny, and entertaining, with some sharp commentary on music, but it lingers because of its emotional honesty. It's a gripping account of lost love, a book that is sad, inspirational, and memorable.