∎ PDF Free Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl A Memoir Carrie Brownstein 9781594486630 Books

Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl A Memoir Carrie Brownstein 9781594486630 Books

Download As PDF : Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl A Memoir Carrie Brownstein 9781594486630 Books

Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl A Memoir Carrie Brownstein 9781594486630 Books

If you want me to tell you all about Sleater-Kinney, Riot Grrrl, and Portlandia...I can't. I know nothing about any of these topics. I know that S-K were a band (and are, as they've reformed), and I have heard the term "Riot Grrrl" thrown around in books about music in the Nineties. And Portlandia is some show that I've heard of only in passing. So maybe I'm not the ideal audience for this book...but then again, maybe I am.

"Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl," by Carrie Brownstein, was the subject of a review on the Onion's AV Club that I came across recently. The review piqued my interest in a book written, admittedly, by a musician whose work was (and still is) unknown to me. In much the same way that I let curiosity steer me towards Questlove's memoir without really knowing much about the Roots, I found myself interested in reading this book even though I was in the dark about Sleater-Kinney or Brownstein's other endeavors.

For a non-fan, this is actually a really interesting, enjoyable book. The subject is not so much Brownstein's life (though it is the main thrust of it) as it is creativity, and her search for artistic fulfillment and meaning. Having a voice, having something to say, is the noblest reason to pursue artistic success, and Brownstein shows that she found that voice and that message through her work inside and outside of music. She shines a light on the music scene in the Northwest circa 1992, when Nirvana was hitting big and any band with a Seattle zip code and a wardrobe of flannel could find success (even though S-K, according to her, always remained on the margins of commercial success, they did find a rabid fan base that exists to this day). She also addresses the sexism that rock music has ingrained within it (reading some of the reviews S-K got that she includes in the book is cringe-worthy, even from the journalists who meant well). This memoir might be written for the S-K fan, but even non-fans like me can find their way through without too much of a map to navigate the various ups and downs of the band's history.

I may not be the go-to guy on Sleater-Kinney or Carrie Brownstein's other projects, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy her memoir. And I will likely be checking out S-K in the near future.


Tags : Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl: A Memoir [Carrie Brownstein] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. <b>From the guitarist of the pioneering band Sleater-Kinney, the book Kim Gordon says everyone has been waiting for and a New York Times</i> Notable Book of 2015-- a candid,Carrie Brownstein,Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl: A Memoir,Riverhead Books,1594486638,Genres & Styles - Rock,Biographies,Brownstein, Carrie,Rock musicians - United States,Singers - United States,Singers;United States;Biography.,Sleater-Kinney (Musical group),Women rock musicians - United States,Women rock musicians;United States;Biography.,Women singers - United States,Women singers;United States;Biography.,Autobiography: general,BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY Music,BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY Personal Memoirs,BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY Women,Biography,Biography & Autobiography,Biography & AutobiographyMusic,Biography & AutobiographyWomen,Biography Autobiography,BiographyAutobiography,Composers & Musicians - General,GENERAL,General Adult,MUSIC Genres & Styles Rock,Non-Fiction,Personal Memoirs,ROCK MUSIC,Sleater-Kinney; Sleater Kinney; Portlandia; rock and roll; memoir; punk; Riot grrrl; feminist; Pacific Northwest; Heavens to Betsy; Wild Flag; Excuse 17; feminism; biography; autobiography; biographies of famous people; music; musician; biographies; family; coming of age; biographies and memoirs; autobiographies; memoirs; autobiography books; biography books; historical biographies; biographies of women; womens biographies and memoirs; hollywood; actor; celebrity; friendship; pop culture; country music; photography; jazz,Sleater-Kinney;Sleater Kinney;Portlandia;rock and roll;memoir;punk;Riot grrrl;feminist;Pacific Northwest;Heavens to Betsy;Wild Flag;Excuse 17;feminism;biography;autobiography;biographies;autobiographies;biographies of famous people;biographies and memoirs;memoirs;autobiography books;biography books;historical biographies;biographies of women;womens biographies and memoirs;music;musician;hollywood;actor;celebrity;friendship;pop culture;country music;coming of age;photography;family;jazz,United States,WOMEN IN THE U.S.,Women,Women rock musicians - United States,Women rock musicians;United States;Biography.,Women singers - United States,Women singers;United States;Biography.,BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY Music,BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY Personal Memoirs,BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY Women,Biography & AutobiographyMusic,Biography & AutobiographyWomen,Composers & Musicians - General,MUSIC Genres & Styles Rock,Personal Memoirs,Women,Biography Autobiography,Rock Music,Women In The U.S.,Biography & Autobiography,BiographyAutobiography,Autobiography: general

Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl A Memoir Carrie Brownstein 9781594486630 Books Reviews

I've been a fan of Sleater-Kinney since I first heard them in 1995, and wrote rave reviews of most of their albums through their career. My admiration for Carrie Brownstein has continued to grow as she explored side projects, blog writing, and of course blossomed into a sketch comedy genius with Fred Armisen in Portlandia.

Those wanting a detailed account of how she got into music and who her influences are (Richard Baluyut of Versus and Christina Billotte of Slant 6) won't be disappointed. She explains why they picked the name Sleater-Kinney, which sounds like a law firm or a hospital. "But in the moniker could be whatever we wanted it to be. It could embody whatever and whoever we were."

Yet in her memoir, she doesn't readily spill all the goods. Meaning, she still holds some cards close to her chest, reluctant to share all of her private matters. That's her right, but I feel putting "memoir" in the title is a bit of a misrepresentation, as it's pretty much exclusively about the band. Yes, she discusses her relationship with bandmate Corin Tucker in the early days and their breakup. She touches on her family history, her father's absence and belated coming out years later. Her being unceremoniously outed in a major music publication. I've always admired how Brownstein's demeanor navigated a wobbly balance between an awkward, gangly young woman and a strutting, badass gender neutral guitar hero. Yet she never actually discusses whether she's gay, bi or gender fluid, and does not talk about any relationships after Tucker. "Here's my memoir, but my life is none of your damn business." Okay, so Carrie is all business all the time it appears. She also talks about dealing with frequent panic attacks, but we never find out what the cause is, if she ever got a handle on it, or anything. So many questions unanswered.

Apparently everything worked out, at least as far as Sleater Kinney had a trimphant reunion, album and tour, she wrote a book, and had several successful seasons with Portlandia. However not a word is mentioned about the show, nor of Fred. Not a single word. I don't know if Fred didn't want to be included, or she's saving it for her next book, but I feel slightly cheated. Nevertheless, Carrie is awesome, so I don't have the heart to dock more than one star.
Without seeing Carrie Brownstein on a television talk show, I can guarantee my library list would never included "Hunger Makes Me a Modern WomanA Memoir." However, seeing her guest appearance on theLate Night Show with Stephen Colbert revealed Brownstein as an intelligent, funny, articulate woman that I wanted to know more about. I am not a musician; I detest punk rock; know very little about the girl bands and the indie musical movement in the Northwest begun in the 1990s. Sure, I was familiar with the names Nirvana and Kurt Cobain, but that was the extent of my knowledge about the world of Carrie Brownstein, guitarist for the all-girl band Sleater-Kinney. I had never even heard of a band by that name, or the many other bands she mentions throughout her book. However, as I read this memoir, I became impressed and fascinated by her vocabulary and use of language. As a reader I connected more with her sharing herself as an avid reader, her disfunctional home life, and her deep introspection as she searched to understand herself where she had been and where she was going. The string of evidently "well-known" bands and individual artists within this genre meant nothing to me. Yet, I found her word smithing compelling and most intriguing. For that reason, this book is worth reading. I never glimpsed the total woman I saw on the talk show, but saw glimmers of her here and there. The work certainly burst my stereotypical vision of punk rockers and busting stereotypes is always a good thing. I would love to see Brownstein pursue a literary career; if her use of language could keep me reading through all the material in this book that completely disinterested me, just imagine how enjoyable she could make a good fictional story!
If you want me to tell you all about Sleater-Kinney, Riot Grrrl, and Portlandia...I can't. I know nothing about any of these topics. I know that S-K were a band (and are, as they've reformed), and I have heard the term "Riot Grrrl" thrown around in books about music in the Nineties. And Portlandia is some show that I've heard of only in passing. So maybe I'm not the ideal audience for this book...but then again, maybe I am.

"Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl," by Carrie Brownstein, was the subject of a review on the Onion's AV Club that I came across recently. The review piqued my interest in a book written, admittedly, by a musician whose work was (and still is) unknown to me. In much the same way that I let curiosity steer me towards Questlove's memoir without really knowing much about the Roots, I found myself interested in reading this book even though I was in the dark about Sleater-Kinney or Brownstein's other endeavors.

For a non-fan, this is actually a really interesting, enjoyable book. The subject is not so much Brownstein's life (though it is the main thrust of it) as it is creativity, and her search for artistic fulfillment and meaning. Having a voice, having something to say, is the noblest reason to pursue artistic success, and Brownstein shows that she found that voice and that message through her work inside and outside of music. She shines a light on the music scene in the Northwest circa 1992, when Nirvana was hitting big and any band with a Seattle zip code and a wardrobe of flannel could find success (even though S-K, according to her, always remained on the margins of commercial success, they did find a rabid fan base that exists to this day). She also addresses the sexism that rock music has ingrained within it (reading some of the reviews S-K got that she includes in the book is cringe-worthy, even from the journalists who meant well). This memoir might be written for the S-K fan, but even non-fans like me can find their way through without too much of a map to navigate the various ups and downs of the band's history.

I may not be the go-to guy on Sleater-Kinney or Carrie Brownstein's other projects, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy her memoir. And I will likely be checking out S-K in the near future.