Stranger Than Kindness

An internationally celebrated rock star, Australian-born Nick Cave examines his transitions as he ages through this collection of memorabilia starting from childhood and leading to the present. Coming from a sheltered loving home, this precocious youth displays his rebellious nature during school years, goes on to form bands, indulges in a drug habit, and continues to write songs, books, and movie scripts that garner awards. Darcy Steinke pens an essay that catches glimpses of this talented performer and his anguished search for identity and meaning. Most of the pages are filled with photos of notebook pages, drawings, icons that he has saved over the years and will be meaningful to his trove of idolatrous fans. Almost a compulsive writer, the replicas of the writings from his copious notebooks are filled with scribbled lyrics, corrected scripts, self-designed dictionaries with difficult words to be used in his stories, and his chronic habit to doodle naked women. He has a fondness for Elvis and Johnny Cash and wrestles with religion and the messages he extracts from biblical readings. This book captures the display mementos used for a recent Danish exhibition of his work, these keepsakes will be recognized and revered by his devotees; unfortunately for the casual reader, this book does not reveal the inner workings of the actual superstar.