Larry's 100

memoir

Neko Case – The Harder I Fight the More I Love You: A Memoir (2025)

Most will start this expecting Neko's tales of Rock & Roll, only to read a memoir about poverty, family pain, and generational trauma. Case presents a stark look at growing up poor and neglected in North America.

There are some music business bits, but they feel like addenda to her rich story. Music helped save her, but it's only part of her narrative. Her quest to find her Slavic heritage resonated with me, from horse-riding women warriors to lady wrestlers to The Muffs.

Her writing crackles with verve. She dashes off analogies, deploying wordplay with a songwriter's touch. Listen to it.

Neko Case

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