Letters to Kurt
 | |
| Author | Eric Erlandson |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Poetry, essays |
| Publisher | Akashic Books |
Publication date | April 10, 2012 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Pages | 120 |
| ISBN | 978-1-61775-083-0 |
Letters to Kurt is a collection of poetry and essays by musician Eric Erlandson, published in April 2012 by Akashic Books.[1] The book largely reads as a meditation on suicide idols, and as an elegy to Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain,[2] whom Erlandson was acquainted with through Courtney Love; Erlandson served as a founding member and lead guitarist of Love's band, Hole, for eleven years.
Release
[edit]Letters to Kurt was announced for release in December 2011 on Erlandson's Facebook profile. The book was released on April 10, 2012 and published by Akashic Books. A limited edition pre-order package includes an advanced hardback copy of the book, a signed copy of Cock Soup—a collection of 52 photographs that serves as a visual accompaniment to the book—, a signed individual snapshot, and a CD including the soundtrack to the book.[3]
Reception
[edit]Kirkus Reviews wrote that, "a friend and fellow musician not only continues to mourn [Cobain's] suicide, but also rages against the culture that he holds responsible. These 52 'letters' combine the subject matter of the Byrds' "So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star" with the fury of Allen Ginsberg's Howl" and described it as "a catharsis for the writer and perhaps for the reader as well."[2] Fellow musician, Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth described how "Eric expresses how enchanting Kurt was, how the whole scene was, with his thoughtful, radical adult/prose love"[2] and author Everett True called the Letters to Kurt "beautiful, brutal, brief. Happy-sad eloquence. Boy Scouts playing with the complimentary cologne in the heart of the ghost town. Listen to the man. He knows."[2]
References
[edit]- ^ "Amazon.com: Letters to Kurt (9781617750830): Eric Erlandson: Books". Amazon. Retrieved February 26, 2012.
- ^ a b c d "Akashicbooks.com - Indie | Literary | Books". Akashic Books. Archived from the original on February 9, 2012. Retrieved February 26, 2012.
- ^ "Letters to Kurt by Eric Erlandson (limited edition preorder)". Akashic Books. Archived from the original on February 10, 2012. Retrieved February 26, 2012.
