“I Hate Myself and Want to Die”
Tom Reynolds
Hyperion

Sure everyone knows that “Love Will Tear Us Apart” by Joy Division is a depressing song, but no one sits there and asks himself or herself why it’s so damn dreary. Enter Tom Reynolds. Not only does he analyze one of the saddest tunes of all times, he goes after the entire genre of songs that could drive Miss Misery to suicide.

Reynolds tackles 52 songs with a dry wit and tongue-in-cheek writing style. Sections are broken up bases on song topics (i.e., love songs, drugs, mope songs), and music style ranges from country to metal. For people who just love manic-depressive music, this book will serve as a bible of new tracks to check out. Sure songs like Cash’s “Hurt” and “Last Kiss” (most recently performed by Pearl Jam) are obvious inclusions, but you’ll never be able to listen to Mariah Carey’s “Without You” or “All By Myself” by Celine Dion again without thinking of the massive trauma that befell the songs’ original performers.

Reynolds keeps his writing in a very conversational tone. It’s hard not to imagine sitting around a Starbucks arguing the merits of each song. The book does not inherently offer itself as a sit down and read novel. It works more as a book you pick up and hop around each song as the mood strikes you. It serves best as a resource for music fans that aren’t content to just listen to a song. Next time the Pumpkins version of “Landslide” come on the radio, pull out “I Hate Myself” and decide for yourself just how horrifying it really is.