In 1989, Rob Sheffield moved to Charlottesville. It was here that he met and married Renee, “a real cool hell-raising Appalachian punk-rock girl.” They shared a love of music that they expressed by making mix tapes for every occasion.
Tragically, and suddenly, Renee died at the age of 31. Sheffield has written the story of their love and his grief as evoked by the music of their years together. The result is Love is a Mix Tape. On Tuesday, January 22, 2008, Sheffield appeared at the New Dominion Bookshop to read from his memoir. He also took questions from the audience about the book and his life with Renee.
This book had me from the first sentence.
I had laughed out loud and shed tears by the end of the first chapter.
I started reading it on a Friday evening and by Friday night when I was out with my friends, after hearing a song that zoomed me back to high school, I was trying to explain to a 22 year-old new acquaintance (I am well over 22), what a mix tape was and the beauty of them. I told her to read this book.
It was an inspiring piece of writing that makes me appreciate my loves (my husband and music) all the more.