Book Review: Talking To Girls About Duran Duran

If I can be counted under any demographic, file me under the one that's guaranteed to read a book with the title Talking to Girls About Duran Duran: One Young Man’s Quest for True Love and a Cooler Haircut.  I grew up during the 80s - the music of that era had a profound influence on my life.  Plus, I hold a special infinity for the Fab 5.

In his follow up to Love Is A Mix Tape, Rob Sheffield once again reminisces about his music collection.  Each chapter is represented by a song, and focuses on key moments of his life.  Through adolescence, growing up in a Irish Catholic family, surrounded by sisters who were on a constant crusade to help make him cool, Rob Sheffield found that music filled the gaps to the sometimes awkard moments of social interaction.  Pop sound somehow provided a key to understanding girls. He understands the importance of the timing of hand-claps in songs. Each chapter is devoted to a different song.  Sometimes the connections between the story told in the chapter and the song itself are harder to find.  One may be the soundtrack to the era, "Total Eclipse fo the Heart" may remind him of the girl with the Bonnie Tyler hair. 

The book is sweet and nostalgic. It's as if looking through his tape collection (there's even a chapter devoted to the cassingle) he finds old friends.  What I love the most about this book is that Rob Sheffield is not afraid to admit his love for pop music.  He holds a special affinity for Haysi Fantaysi, a group that even grates my girl nerves.  He bonds with his young sister through New Kids on The Block.  There's nothing pretentious here, just a guy who loved music and women (perhaps not in that order).