Praise for Forever in Bloom

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"My fondest, most lasting memory of Kurt is the slight, yet profound and intelligent smile he would share with you. He could be sullen, bedraggled, and troubled but that smile would always arise like a gentle ray through a thicket. It would even shine through his eyes like some holistic essence. It allowed you to feel his genuine kindness and concern for all the misfits of the world, those victimized by any aspect of injustice. Kurt exemplified their voice, a raging, heart-struck, beautiful tenor. Thank you Kelly Catlin for celebrating this remarkable boy in such a loving, passionate book."

—Thurston Moore, Sonic Youth

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"More than just a traditional reframing of a legendary icon, Kelly’s work emerges as a vital beacon of hope...Operating as a genuine mental health manifesto cleverly disguised as a biography, the book anchors its emotional and cultural impact deep in the real world rather than in distant mythology...After reading Kelly’s book, we are challenged to strip away the sensationalized, tabloid-driven narrative of Kurt Cobain entirely. In its place, we let a brilliant life, marked by courage and growth, teach us one simple, radical truth: look closely at the people right beside you in the trenches of everyday life, and actually give a damn. It is a call to action that transforms tragedy into a collectively shared human solidarity."

—Chris X, Spill Magazine

 

"Exceptionally informative and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, this detailed and in-depth biography of Kurt Cobain by Kelly Catlin is a 'must' for the legions of Cobain fans. 'Kurt Cobain: Forever In Bloom' is especially and unreservedly recommended addition to community and college/university library 20th Century American Biography/Memoir collections."

—Midwest Book Review

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"She (Catlin) began developing a book that would not romanticize his (Cobain's) death or treat suicide as the inevitable conclusion to a troubled life. Instead, she wanted to challenge the idea that anyone is somehow destined to die that way. That decision separates Forever in Bloom from many previous examinations of Cobain. This isn’t presented as another investigation into April 1994. It isn’t built around solving mysteries or reopening arguments about his final days. Catlin deliberately moves away from that territory and asks readers to look at everything that came before — and everything that remained afterward. His creativity. His humor. His empathy. His contradictions. His support for outsiders. And, of course, the music...

Maybe the most interesting thing about the book is that its title captures exactly what Catlin is trying to accomplish.

Kurt Cobain’s life stopped in 1994. His influence didn’t...Kurt Cobain: Forever in Bloom isn’t asking people to forget the painful parts of his story. It’s asking us not to forget the rest of it."

—John Beaudin, Rock History Book/Music 

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"The result is not another attempt to solve the mysteries surrounding Cobain's final days. Catlin explicitly rejects that approach, refusing to sensationalize his death or treat his private life as public property. Instead, FOREVER IN BLOOM asks readers to reconsider the cultural tendency to reduce Cobain to addiction, depression, and suicide. But more importantly, to remember everything that came before...At its heart, KURT COBAIN: FOREVER IN BLOOM is about legacy rather than tragedy. It revisits pivotal moments in Nirvana's history while reframing a story that has too often been told backward: from Cobain's death toward his birth. Through the voices of those who remember him and those who continue to draw inspiration from him, Catlin presents Cobain not as the doomed 'tortured artist' of popular mythology, but as a complicated, gifted human being whose artistry, decency, and influence continue to reverberate across generations. Kurt Cobain was more than the way he died. FOREVER IN BLOOM is about everything he left behind."

—Rachel Stone, BroadwayWorld

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"Kelly Catlin's book, Forever in Bloom, takes a look at Kurt Cobain in a vastly different way than the dozens of other books about my friend Kurt Cobain. It showcases the compassionate and thoughtful human being that he was rather than the cliched depictions of Kurt as a vastly depressed genius. This amazing book on Kurt Cobain will be remembered forever because of its pure empathy and humor within its pages! Catlin pulled out all the stops on how down-to-earth that Cobain actually was! Genius!"

—Carlos "Cake" Nunez, Kurt's friend and writer for fLiPSiDE Fanzine

 

"Forever in Bloom: I usually don't endorse a book about a subject I know nothing about but guess what? I know about this and I've got to say it's a pretty good read and you should pick up a copy."

—Original Nirvana drummer, Aaron Burckhard

 

"This book remembers my friend Kurt as the kind, funny, compassionate person he truly was. It's nice to see something that finally celebrates him. Read this book if you want to know just how important Kurt was and still is to so many people."

—Greg Hokanson, Kurt's friend and drummer for his first band, Fecal Matter 

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"Kurt Cobain exists like a silhouette in this book. His presence and persona casts a shadow that you can almost feel exuding from these pages."

—Raymond Flotat, mxdwn.com

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"You would expect a book about Kurt Cobain to make you cry. But Kelly Catlin’s Kurt Cobain: Forever in Bloom pushes it a notch up by making you feel hopeful, too. Released on what would’ve been Cobain’s 58th birthday, this rock biography has become a tribute that reckons and rehumanizes...Through interviews with people who knew him before and after fame, his bandmates, indie artists, and childhood friends, Catlin turns “Cobain” into “Kurt.” She writes about his vulnerability, his humor, and his empathy with subtle reverence...If you’ve ever loved Nirvana, questioned the cost of fame, or needed a reason to believe in people again, this book is for you. Forever in Bloom roots for the mourned star, keeping it burning and blooming alive forever."

—Illustrate Magazine

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