Who Killed Kurt Cobain?
 First edition cover | |
| Author | Ian HalperinandMax Wallace |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Birch Lane Press |
Publication date | 1998 (first edition) 2000 (second edition) |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (paperbackandhardcover) |
| Pages | 214 (first edition) 248 (second edition) |
| ISBN | 978-1559724463 |
| Followed by | Love and Death |
Who Killed Kurt Cobain?: The Mysterious Death of an Iconis a 1998 book that explores the premise that the death ofKurt Cobain,frontman of American rock bandNirvana,was a case of murder and not suicide.[1][2]It is a collaborativeinvestigative journalismbook written byIan HalperinandMax Wallace.[3]It went on to be an internationalbestseller.
Premise[edit]
The book explores the theory that Cobain's wife,Courtney Love,had been involved in his death and that he died of a heroin overdose before being shot, contrary to the official police report that he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.[4][5]The authors present evidence from Tom Grant who was the private detective initially hired by Love to monitor Cobain,[6]as well as a man namedEl Ducewho claims he was hired to kill Cobain.[1]The latter claimed that he was offered $50,000 to kill Cobain and allegedly passed a lie detector test in this statement that was carried out by the world's toppolygraphist.[7]The second edition of the book, released in 2000, also details how Love tried to stop the book being released as well as trying to stop the 1998 documentary,Kurt & Courtney,from being released which also explores the possibility that Cobain's death was murder, not suicide.[8][9]
In an interview withThe New York Times,author Ian Halperin said that he had received a lot more than just letters trying to deter him from writing the book, and that "I've been dogged for two years" and that "I've had private investigators follow me. They've showed up in my back yard and broken into and ransacked my home. I couldn't be bought or shut up".[10]
Reception[edit]
The book was an international bestseller.[11][12][13]A brief but negative review by British newspaperThe Independentstated that "Speaking of tragedies, Who Killed Kurt Cobain? by Ian Halperin and Max Wallace, reveals the shocking truth that the Nirvana singer's middle name was Donald. Oh, they also conclude that he might have been murdered and that Courtney Love might know who did it (so that's saved you reading the thing)".[14]In a review byDeseret Newsthe book is described as having a patchwork of evidence assembled by the authors which "suggests" but does not state "otherwise", and that the book is simply about suspicion, implication and possibility.[15]
Sequel[edit]
The authors later published a sequel book,Love and Deathin 2004.[6][12][13]
References[edit]
- ^abMerkin, Daphne(June 8, 1998)."Endless Love".The New Yorker.p. 80.RetrievedMarch 16,2021.
- ^"Ian Halperin and Max Wallace - Who Killed Kurt Cobain - Review".socialbookshelves.RetrievedMarch 15,2021.
- ^Burnett, Richard(June 13, 2016)."Digging up dirt on Hollywood heavyweights".The Concordian.RetrievedMarch 16,2021.
- ^Kelley, Brendan Joel (July 30, 1998)."Love Story".Phoenix New Times.RetrievedMarch 16,2021.
- ^"Something in the Way: The Conspiracy of Kurt Cobain".thesoundtrack.ca.RetrievedMarch 16,2021.
- ^abCatucci, Nick (April 13, 2004)."Milk It".The Village Voice.RetrievedMarch 16,2021.
- ^"Who Killed Kurt Cobain?: The Mysterious Death of an Icon".Goodreads.RetrievedMarch 12,2021.
- ^Who Killed Kurt Cobain?: The Mysterious Death of an Icon.Carol Publishing. 1999.ISBN978-0-8065-2074-2.RetrievedMarch 15,2021.
{{cite book}}:|work=ignored (help) - ^Who Killed Kurt Cobain: The Mysterious Death of an Icon.Carol Pub. 1999.ISBN978-0-8065-2074-2.RetrievedMarch 15,2021.
- ^Strauss, Neil(April 8, 1998)."The Pop Life; Celine Dion Says No on All Points".The New York Times.RetrievedMarch 16,2021.
- ^"Max Wallace - About the Author".Simon & Schuster.RetrievedMarch 15,2021.
- ^ab"Love and Death: The Murder of Kurt Cobain - About the Author".Bookshop.org.RetrievedMarch 12,2021.
- ^abWallace, Max; Halperin, Ian (29 March 2005).Love and Death: The Murder of Kurt Cobain - About the Author.Atria Books.ISBN9780743484848.RetrievedMarch 12,2021.
- ^Moreton, Cole (November 29, 1998)."Christmas books: Pop - A couple of thousand Pink Floyd fans can be wrong".The Independent.RetrievedMarch 15,2021.
- ^"Books: Leisure reading 'Who Killed Kurt Cobain: The Mysterious Death of an Icon".Deseret News.August 6, 1998.RetrievedMarch 16,2021.
