3.75 *s
I feel so complete I've finally read/listened to it.
And I'm not sure what I've gained.... But it was worth it!

Bret Easton Ellis on Chuck Klosterman: 'I can't think of a more sheerly likeable writer...big-hearted ....optimistic and amiable'.

Not the same Chuck I met on this dead rock star ridden road trip.

In the beginning there was Chuck and his admirable road soundtrack - Drive-By-Trucker's Southern Rock Opera and Bowie's Hunky Dory. YEP, we got along fine. The writing was energetic and genuinely funny.

Then the incessant pop-culture references, clever to be clever quips and the navel gazing.

Partway through I finally get what the book is actually about. It's about a love. Of course!
The love of several (if not many) women and a lonely, sad narcissist who believes Rod Stewart has the best male rock voice. Did he also vaguely imply that Joy Division were Beatles wannabes? WTF?

And yet, all bitterness aside there were times when Chuck was so relatable it became frightening to read on.

Somewhere under all that 'trying too hard' and jaded wisdom is a decent, entertaining guy with an undeniable love for music (just not the 'sleepy' Blues apparently).

Chuck Klosterman makes you think, probably none of which is significant thought but it's good exercise, fast and entertaining.

I read this for a college class so that we could analyse it in terms of Ironic Living.
1. The depth of this book, and the material that it dealt with was very interesting and complex. There was a lot of metaphor and a whole level of thought I did not see by just reading through casually.
2. there was a lot of inappropriate material for young adults in here--it is certainly an adult book. That mainly comes from the fact that the author is an adult talking about his life. But, in the end, I do would not recommend you read it, unless you have very specific reasons to do so, or if it is required for a college class.