Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Review of Love is a Mix Tape and Little Heathens


Yesterday I finished reading "Love is a Mix Tape," and I would recommend it to anyone that remembers making mix tapes for their friends and potential love interests. If the hum of the cassette tape is familiar to you, and you recall rewinding your favorite song a thousand times, or recall wearing bulky and mostly flimsy, headphones before Ear Buds were around, you might enjoy this book. Rob writes about the various mix tapes he had created and the stories behind it. Also, about falling in love with his wife Renee, and what it was like to lose her.

Rob Sheffield is a writer for Rolling Stones magazine and knows a LOT about music- but the fact that many of his tapes include Prince, The Go-Go's and The Cure will tell you what decade his tale takes place in!I'm about halfway though this book- and so far it is a very interesting read. I picked it up at an independent bookstore which is (sob) going out of business today. Farewell Book-Nook! >>sigh<<

Mildred writes about her experience on her Grandparent's farm during the Great Depression. One pair of socks were worn by every kid in the house- when the toe wore through, it was cut down, stitched up and then passed on to the next youngest child. Clothes were worn and remade untill they couldn't be useable, then would be turned into doilies or rags. Sheets were made into bandages when they were no longer useable.

I was a bit enchanted by the thrift of this family- they were very resourceful and knowledgeable about home remedies and self-reliance. At the same time though, a lot of this knowledge didn't pertain to life today. Most of us don't live on a farm, are expected to buy nice clothes (living in cities and suburbs makes us contstantly exposed to the scrutiny of others) and go to the doctor or drug store when we are sick- coming up with home remedies isn't valued as thrifty, but rather, ruthless. In addition, many of us don't have such large families, or have enough property to grow our own fruits and vegetables.

Regardless, it's been a very good read and it reminds me that I need to go outside and plant my cauliflower, broccolli and beets. Yum.

1 comment:

Andy, Beth and Jennah, too! said...

girl... do you remember a cassette tape!? I can remember how cool I thought I was when my "walkman" had auto reverse on it... which meant I didn't have to take it out and flip it over. How cool am I?... This makes me feel old.