Love Is a Mix Tape: Life and Loss, One Song at a Time

I purchased this book, after little more than a cursory glance at the dust cover info, because of the title. Sheffield shares the essence of his love, loss and journey of healing through a series of mix tapes. The alt music of the 90s isn't my music, but mix tapes have a universality that transcends time and genre. As someone who has made and received mix tapes, I relate to the careful thought and ordering process behind them, and appreciate their importance. I took great delight in the revelation of Rob and Renee's relationship through the music that brought them together. Sheffield's writing is crisp and edgy enough to hold your attention. He is never maudlin, yet his despair over his wife's death is evident. Even though I knew from the beginning of the book that Renee died, I was still stunned when I actually read that chapter. Sheffield evokes such a tangible energy and vibrant personality that I found it incomprehensible that Renee could be dead. Love is a Mix Tape serves as much more than a memorial; it is an explosive celebration of life and an affirmation of the power of music to bind people together.

I sat in Lulu's Beehive this morning with my coffee and banana bundt amongst a sea of laptops, a painting of ducks that looked suspiciously like a picture in my own flickr photostream, and a friend's ex-boyfriend with another girl I knew but couldn't place. While I wasn't the only one with white buds in my ears, I was the only person cracking the spine of a book. The women that kept walking into the cafe were all cleavage and caffeine and cigarettes and a welcome distraction from the chapters about grief in this love letter to music and marriage and life. I kept catching myself staring too long at these ladies and thought, either I need to get laid or get loved. Probably both. I kind of hate Rob Sheffield for making me feel like all the relationships I've had in the past have been inadequate. I have never loved anyone like he loved his Renee. He doesn't even hide the feelings he had for her in ebullient metaphor or shlocky hyperbole. He just tells it like it is and it is wonderful and amazing and way shorter than it had any right to be. While I did blow through the chapters focused on his loss and his dealing (or not dealing) because I don't quite have the emotional armor right now to handle more mourning, it's a beautiful love story all explained in terms I totally get--song lyrics and beats and all the feelings and emotions that we associate with music. There's probably a mix tape of my own that will come out of this that includes "Symptom Finger" by the Faint, "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)" by The Arcade Fire, "Mushaboom (Postal Service Remix)" by Feist, "One More Hour" by Sleater-Kinney, "Keeping You Alive" by The Gossip, "Misread" by Kings of Convenience, and "Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometime" by Beck, almost all of which acted as my soundtrack this morning. Somehow, I don't own nor don't think I have ever even heard "One More Hour" by Sleater-Kinney and it is the one song he goes into detail about in the book that I want to know everything about. I can imagine the track in my head by his description. I can hear Carrie and Corin going back and forth. I've already attached an emotional response to it. I will love it. Even if I was deaf, I would love it. Sheffield goes into great detail about the significance of Nirvana on his life and, in particular, "Heart-Shaped Box". I decided while reading that I'd add Joe Hill's (Stephen King's son) recent debut novel of the same name to my queue. While reading, I aped a line of his that he stole from some outfit a member of Pavement was wearing for a twitter message. I took down quotes, one for me that's a truth I'm going to keep for myself about love and loss and fear and the real agreement that people make to each other when they go into a commitment like marriage and one for you: "Most mix tapes are CDs now, yet people still call them mix tapes." There's a reason for that. I leave it to you to figure out why.

Rob Sheffield's Love is a Mix Tape is a heart-breaking, uplifting, funny, sad and entirely human memoir about love and loss unified by Sheffield's love of music and his life-long penchant for crafting the mix tape. Music fans born in the 60's will recognize most of the music (and understand why, for example, the eighth grade dance mix tape had to have Free Bird and Stairway to Heaven to end the sides), but I don't think you have to know much about the music he mentions to enjoy this wonderful book because the book simply uses music as a way into his story about Renee. Renee was his wife with whom he shared an intense love and they found love through love of music as well. Renee died suddenly, tragically at a young age, but somehow Sheffield's engaging personality comes through so well in his writing that he makes this memoir overall an uplifting read, despite the undertones of intense sadness and loss. The love he has for Renee (and she for him) and the love of music, Sheffield's charming, self-deprecating humor makes this a wonderful read. I recommend this one to all, music-obsessed or not. Enjoy.

Do you know anyone who takes what life gives them but doesn't really have a plan of any kind? Actions only taken when given by a charismatic friend or when forced to by law, nature or an accumulation of unavoidable circumstances? Although this is a very touching love story and I really liked the author's direct style, I found the aimless, fatalistic existence a bit frustrating at times. The author did not make choices so much as acquiesce to events around him. He hates a song until someone tells them it's their favorite song - then, voila! He likes it too! I found the eclectic selections of music interesting and irritating at the same time. The crazy collection of disco, country, new wave, rock, etc. I always get the feeling someone is trying too hard to be uber-cool when they refer to some obscure song from a critically acclaimed but generally atonal band. What I DID like and in a way somewhat opposed to the prior comment is the appreciation for top 40 along with all the other esoteric stuff. Makes it seem more like someone who just likes what he likes irrespective of whether the music maker is from an "acceptable" genre. I thought the story, although very personal, was very touching. I won't ruin it for those who will read or listen to the book but I found the description of the relationship very moving. In my opinion, the author painted a very compelling image of what life was like with his love. I'm missing the humor part though. I've read some comments about how funny the book was. What? Did I miss a chapter or two? Funny in a kind of "oh yeah, my relatives are a little wacky too" way but not much more than that. Overall, a quick and compelling read that will make you feel and think. Maybe 3 and half stars...

I would have to post a video of me singing karaoke because that is what brought the author and his wife together. Though personal stories of great joy and sadness, the book shows how authentic music transforms. Authentic coming from the artist, and authentic coming from a karaoke club. My choices have improved and the reception of my singing has improved. Great book. Great stories of music.

"Love Is a Mix Tape" is a beautifully written memoir that really pulls at the heartstrings. The author’s storytelling makes you feel every moment of love, loss, and nostalgia, and the way music is woven into the narrative is brilliant. It’s emotional, relatable, and hard to put down—perfect for anyone who loves memoirs or music-inspired stories.

Rob Sheffield is that most unique of critics. He breaks the rule that says you shouldn’t talk about yourself because of the self-indulgence, yet manages to do so in such a way that he shines new light on both the soul of music and the soul of man. That’s probably a bit dramatic, but it doesn’t make it less true. LOVE IS A MIX TAPE is a soulful book, written as a way of understanding not only love and loss, but the role music plays in helping us achieve even the tiniest bit of understanding. His recollection of his relationship to his wife, Renée, is filled with beautiful passages about discovery of love and self. But he also uses these moments to reveal truths about the music which inspired these recollections as well—I will never listen to Nirvana the same way again. It’s the best praise I can give to say that this book opens both your mind and your heart. Enjoy the laughs, the cool turns of phrase, and the constant desire to queue up another song from these playlists, but also make sure you keep a few Kleenex on the ready.

I first read Sheffield's second book "Talking to Girls about Duran Duran" and had been meaning to pick up his first for a while, which came recommended by a friend. Both are fun reads, but "Mix Tape" is definitely my favorite. His self-deprecating account of his courtship, marriage and eventual loss of his young wife is as heartwarming as it is laugh-out-loud funny. While music lovers will get an extra layer of humor out of the book along with a trip down memory lane, Sheffield (like Nick Hornby in "31 Songs") writes about music in a way that doesn't require the reader to know every song that's referenced to enjoy a great story.

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Great book

Muy bueno para regalar

I love it 🥰🤩🥰🤩