Synopses & Reviews
Best known for his Oscar-nominated song "Miss Misery" from the
Good Will Hunting soundtrack, Elliott Smith was catapulted to the status of indie rock star after performing at the 1997 Academy Awards. Some of his albums,
XO and
Either/Or among them, would become '90s classics, helping to define an understated aesthetic that owed as much to the melodic emphasis of the Beatles as it did to punk.
In the afterglow of the success of "Miss Misery," Smith's fame grew alongside his struggles with depression and substance abuse. First relocating to Brooklyn, and then finally to L.A., he fell into a downward spiral evident to friends and fans alike, even as he continued to write such beautifully realized songs as "Waltz #2 (XO)."
Drawing on new interviews with those who knew and loved Smith, and focusing on the crucial interplay between Smith's life and music, Ben Nugent compellingly and sympathetically portrays an enormously gifted, yet troubled, artist.
Review
"Nugent sheds new light on what has previously been perceived as a dark existence....The author understands the magnificently thick atmosphere of Smith's music intimately, and submerges us in it." Salon
Review
"Nugent's book has a rushed feel to it not the product of an opportunist cashing in on a beloved cult figure so much as a devoted fan crystallizing his thoughts while they're still fresh." The Oregonian (Portland, OR)
Review
"Nugent does a fine job of getting to the heart of Smith's craft and...the pop culture moment in which he flourished." New York Press
Review
"Fascinating for its depth of reporting and detail." Willamette Week (Portland, OR)
Review
"[Nugent] did his research and left few stones unturned in telling Smith's relatively short and very sad story." Chicago Sun-Times
Review
"Big Nothing does open a window of insight into our reluctant hero." Austin Chronicle
Review
"Smith's heartsick fans may be grateful for this effort." New York Times Book Review
Review
"Nugent is able to reveal the man's charm, sense of humor and often-frustrated optimism throughout this well-written and researched book." Buffalo News
Review
"Nugent has done a solid job of research and reporting in this worthwhile biography." Glorious Noise
Synopsis
The only biography of the late Grammy-winning, Oscar-nominated singer-songwriter.
Synopsis
The first biography of the musician Elliott Smith, whose heartbreaking songs were rendered all the more haunting by his tragic death
About the Author
Benjamin Nugent is a former music and film reporter for Time magazine. He has written for New York Magazine and has appeared on CNN, Fox News, the BBC, and NPR. Like Elliott Smith, he has lived in Los Angeles, Portland, Oregon, and Amherst, Massachusetts. He now resides in New York City.