The Uncool - a highly entertaining memoir by filmmaker and journalist Cameron Crowe.

If you've seen Almost Famous, you have an idea of who Cameron Crowe is. While the film is a fictionalized version of his early life, this delightful memoir, The Uncool, tells the true story of the remarkably talented Crowe. Most of the book focuses on Crowe's teenage and early adult years as a rock journalist. Growing up in California, his sisters instilled in him a love for music, and Crowe went from being a fan to writing about the musicians he came to love. Amazingly, he was able to get his work published while in his teens. First, it was in a local underground newspaper, but he succeeded in getting published in the ultimate rock publication: Rolling Stone. His accounts of interviews with The Allman Brothers, Led Zeppelin, the Eagles, David Bowie, Kris Kristofferson, Rita Coolidge, and others are captivating. Perhaps it was his youth, along with his uncool persona, that helped him gain the trust of some of the most talented and challenging artists of the 1970s. His film, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, was the start of his impressive career in filmmaking. 

Although Crowe was raised in a strict household, his parents provided great love and support, enabling him to pursue his dreams at such a young age. While Crowe shares some insight into his early dating life, he doesn't delve into his marriage and later divorce from musician Nancy Wilson of the band Heart. (He does include her in the Acknowledgments). This enjoyable book will hold its greatest appeal for those familiar with the musicians Crowe writes about. For this rock music fan, it struck all the right chords. 

Rated 5 out of 5 stars.

Non-Fiction | Memoir.

Publication Date: October 28, 2025.

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