Cobain Journals Due in November

Riverhead Books, an imprint of the Penguin Putnam Publishing Group, has purchased the rights to publish Kurt Cobain's notebook journals in a reported multi-million dollar deal. The hardcover volume will reach bookstore shelves in November.

The collection of twenty-three notebooks includes more than 800 pages of lyrics, other writings, lists of favorite musicians and drawings, made its first rounds among book publishers last week, before landing with Riverhead.

"The journals are an intimate, unadulterated portrait of an artist of great influence," said Julie Grau, co-editorial director of Riverhead. "They reveal Cobain's vision and design, they document his creative and personal struggles. They are insightful, provocative, moving, funny and show him to be very smart and very aware."

The Riverhead book won't be the first peek at the late-Nirvana frontman's journals. Cobain's widow, Courtney Love, granted writer Charles R. Cross full access to the notebooks for his biography, Heavier Than Heaven, which was released last year.

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Song Stories

“Youth Knows No Pain”

Lykke Li | 2011

“Like on 'Youth Knows No Pain' — we are the ones that should demonstrate, because we can take it,” Likke Li said. “We can pierce ourselves, take Ecstasy, dance all night and still go to work at our McDonald's jobs.” Despite the hedonistic sentiment in the song, the Swedish singer also admitted in hindsight her youth had repercussions. “I remember when I was 18-19 and feeling that I know it all,” Li said. “I always feel that I know it all. But that song is about realizing you don’t, and reflecting, ‘Boy, if I only knew what would follow.’”

More Song Stories entries »

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