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audaciaray's review against another edition
5.0
I don't read biographies or literary criticism but goddamn this book is something special. [a:Sheila Heti|183760|Sheila Heti|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1324044844p2/183760.jpg]'s blurb calls it "a gossiphy, anti-mythic artist biography" and that is really the perfect summation. Chris Krause diligently examines the fiction, myths, and fables Kathy Acker built of herself, intermixed with passages from Acker's published works and voluminous correspondence.
pipparature's review against another edition
4.0
Kathy Acker, punk poet is someone I was very interested in as a teen back in the early 90s. At that time she seemed almost impenetrably cool. Touring with rock bands, performing her poetry at gigs and festivals. She was an icon to me and some of my friends. That said, the fascination faded and I'd almost forgotten my fascination with her until I spotted this book.
After Kathy Acker is written by her close friend Chris Kraus and that friendship and affection shines through the writing. Kraus takes us back to Acker's late teens and uses her writing and performance work to provide a structure for this insight into her life. The nature of Acker's writing and the postmodern backdrop to it means that this can sometimes be hard going to read. I never got far with Acker's actual writing when I tried as a teenager but the way in which Kraus presents it actually does help me to understand it both from Acker's personal point of view and within the 'scene' she was part of.
This isn't a biography for the layman and I'd really recommend it to those who are interested in Acker and her contemporaries, or those particularly interested in writers and their methods and processes. It's a fascinating story from Acker's start as a private schoolgirl, through her surprisingly conventional early marriage and into her life as an artist. Kraus has clearly done her research and she presents her friend's story in a compelling and understanding way.
After Kathy Acker is written by her close friend Chris Kraus and that friendship and affection shines through the writing. Kraus takes us back to Acker's late teens and uses her writing and performance work to provide a structure for this insight into her life. The nature of Acker's writing and the postmodern backdrop to it means that this can sometimes be hard going to read. I never got far with Acker's actual writing when I tried as a teenager but the way in which Kraus presents it actually does help me to understand it both from Acker's personal point of view and within the 'scene' she was part of.
This isn't a biography for the layman and I'd really recommend it to those who are interested in Acker and her contemporaries, or those particularly interested in writers and their methods and processes. It's a fascinating story from Acker's start as a private schoolgirl, through her surprisingly conventional early marriage and into her life as an artist. Kraus has clearly done her research and she presents her friend's story in a compelling and understanding way.
starness's review against another edition
3.0
A deeply unsettling account of a talented but tortured artist. Kathy Acker described as a fashionable post-punk feminist novelist lived her life in extremes. Never shy in her attack on society with her unabashed sexuality her writing drips with energy, raw and powerful, sexually explicit, violent and uncensored. She aggressively and actively pursues fame and notoriety, aligning with people latching on to them, then spitting them out when they no longer serve a purpose. This was an intense read. Kathy was a true avant garde persona, her image provocative and polarising. This biography is littered which much of Kathy's writing to get a full clear picture of her artistry. A must read for true Kathy aficionados but could be a chore to sit through if not familiar or interested in her work.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advanced readers copy.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advanced readers copy.
frankie_s's review against another edition
3.0
This was very readable but I did find it a bit too blow-by-blow. I wanted more criticism, more “After Kathy Acker”, though maybe that would have turned into hagiography. 3.5 stars
thegreatestpossibleresonance's review against another edition
dark
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
3.5
fiendfull's review against another edition
3.0
After Kathy Acker is a biography of the writer and cultural icon, as told often through the words of her friends and lovers as well as her own writings. Kraus approaches the task accepting the difficulty of fact and fiction, the stories Acker created about herself and the difficulty of telling what is “truth”. What follows is a biography that combines gossip and personal anecdote with comments about Kathy Acker’s writing, charting her life up until her untimely death from cancer.
The book has clearly been carefully researched and written with passion about its subject, though it is more likely to appeal to existing fans than newcomers to Acker’s work. As someone who has only read one of her books, it was an interesting read, but not as engaging as if I could have understood better the connections between her life and her writings. At times the book becomes a who’s who of the avant garde art and literary scenes of the 70s, 80s, and 90s, though it is not always a bad thing as it shows the range of people Acker knew. Ultimately, it is clearly a well written and engaging biography, though Acker’s work itself probably won’t appeal to everybody.
The book has clearly been carefully researched and written with passion about its subject, though it is more likely to appeal to existing fans than newcomers to Acker’s work. As someone who has only read one of her books, it was an interesting read, but not as engaging as if I could have understood better the connections between her life and her writings. At times the book becomes a who’s who of the avant garde art and literary scenes of the 70s, 80s, and 90s, though it is not always a bad thing as it shows the range of people Acker knew. Ultimately, it is clearly a well written and engaging biography, though Acker’s work itself probably won’t appeal to everybody.
angrangy's review
informative
slow-paced
3.0
Ehrlich gesagt habe ich Kathy Acker vor dem Buch noch nicht gekannt. Leider kam sie hier auch nicht sonderlich sympathisch rüber, eher egozentrisch und toxisch. Die Bewertung ihrer Person tut hier im Review aber erstmal nichts zu Sache. Chris Kraus kann nichts dafür, wie nicht-sozial Acker war. Dafür kann Kraus etwas für die Rezeption dieser feministischen Schriftstellerin. Die Erzählweise war leider etwas durcheinander, ich hätte mir einen stringenteren Faden durch die Timeline gewünscht. Es muss eine immense Arbeit gewesen sein alle damaligen Bekannten Ackers zu kontaktieren, ihre Aufzeichnungen durchzuforsten, zusätzlich zu den Archiven. Das spiegelt sich auch in den Quellenangaben wieder, die positiv zu erwähnen sind.
Tldr; ich habe mich durch diese Biographie gequält und kam einfach nicht voran.
Tldr; ich habe mich durch diese Biographie gequält und kam einfach nicht voran.
benmsmith's review against another edition
3.0
A well-written, deeply-researched biography that’s made me realize Acker’s books likely aren’t my thing, and that’s okay. She lived an interesting life and this captures the heart of it well.