Fargo Rock City

By Chuck Klosterman,

Book cover of Fargo Rock City: A Heavy Metal Odyssey In Rural North Dakota

Book description

Powered by a sharp and wholly original voice, Chuck Klosterman delivers a real-life High Fidelity in this savvy, deliriously funny memoir of growing up a shameless heavy-metal devotee in 1980s North Dakota. The year is 1983, and Chuck Klosterman just wants to rock. But he's got problems. For one, he'sā€¦

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

2 authors picked Fargo Rock City as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

The cutest book Iā€™ve ever read about being a fan. Warm and softhearted, Chuckā€™s writing is literary comfort food.

A music and sports journalist turned memoirist, this is his misty-eyed look back at childhood. Like an episode of The Wonder Years all about Hair Metal. You can substitute Hair Metal for anything chronically un-cool that you ever fell in love with.

Itā€™s a gleeful defence of the dork inside, a reminder that taste is subjective, that fashions come and go, that when we poo-poo things weā€™re denying ourselves potential enjoyment. Thereā€™s no such thing as a guilty pleasure. Pleasure isā€¦

From Christopher's list on for headbangers.

Klosterman was brought up in a very different locale to Seb Hunter and myself ā€“ the tiny (population 498) town of Wyndmere, North Dakota ā€“ and Fargo Rock City provided an interesting juxtaposition to our UK stories.

The thing we all shared, though, was a passion for big riffs and bigger hair. While he didnā€™t want to be a rock star per se, Klosterman did immerse himself in the culture and ended up writing about it, earning his place on this list. Though some of his opinions wonā€™t win him many feminist friends, his passion and enthusiasm for the genreā€¦

If you love Fargo Rock City...

Ad

Book cover of Tap Dancing on Everest: A Young Doctor's Unlikely Adventure

Tap Dancing on Everest by Mimi Zieman,

Tap Dancing on Everest, part coming-of-age memoir, part true-survival adventure story, is about a young medical student, the daughter of a Holocaust survivor raised in N.Y.C., who battles self-doubt to serve as the doctorā€”and only womanā€”on a remote Everest climb in Tibet.

The team attempts a new route upā€¦

Want books like Fargo Rock City?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like Fargo Rock City.

Browse books like Fargo Rock City

Book cover of The Dirt: Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band
Book cover of Heart-Shaped Box
Book cover of Hell Bent for Leather: Confessions of a Heavy Metal Addict

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,893

readers submitted
so far, will you?

Ad

šŸ“š If you like Fargo Rock City, you might also like...

Book cover of The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever

The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier,

The coaching book that's for all of us, not just coaches.

It's the best-selling book on coaching this century, with 15k+ online reviews. BrenƩ Brown calls it "a classic". Dan Pink said it was "essential".

It is practical, funny, and short, and "unweirds" coaching. Whether you're a parent, a teacher,ā€¦

Book cover of American Daredevil: Comics, Communism, and the Battles of Lev Gleason

American Daredevil by Brett Dakin,

Meet Lev Gleason, a real-life comics superhero! Gleason was a titan among Golden Age comics publishers who fought back against the censorship campaigns and paranoia of the Red Scare. After dropping out of Harvard to fight in World War I in France, Gleason moved to New York City and eventuallyā€¦

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in North Dakota, heavy metal, and rock music?

North Dakota 18 books
Heavy Metal 14 books
Rock Music 248 books