Wed. Jan. 30

Before the iPod, there was the mix tape. I made dozens of these during the punk/new wave era, as there were so many great singles and obscure album tracks - and I had a car cassette deck that needed constant feeding of new material. (That until it was stolen and my it, I mean several "its" - it was the street sport of the era, before the auto manufacturers and audio makers made those in-dash wired units that "will not work if removed." My decks were all too removable. Once,living in the nice burb of Newton and parked in my driveway, I had a deck, a box of tapes and a case of beer removed. Those were the days.) But back to the mix tape. We loved 'em. Primarily for the our own pleasure and that of lucky passengers. But another kind of mix tape was the one you'd make where you picked out the special songs that were able to better explain how you felt about a certain woman. For me, the Who's "Can't Explain" started off those kind of tapes. Rob Sheffield, one of Rolling Stone's contributing editors, has got a book out now that certainly appeals to those of us who've done that - and maybe today's iPod generation too. It's called "Love Is a Mix Tape: Lie and Loss, One Song at a Time," and it's a memoir of relationships remembered through Sheffield's own mix tape collection. This had to have been joyful and painful to write. I know I listen to songs that meant so much - and recalled someone so special - that are now distant memories and it always takes me back. Sometimes good, sometimes not. But Sheffied will be airing out his book and taking questions at Brookline Booksmith tonight Wed. Jan. 30 at 7. Some of these will no doubt concern his late wife, Robin Renee. Sheffield's discovery of a box of tapes made during their time together spurred this book. Share your stories with him. It's free.

279 Harvard St., Brookline, 617-566-6660 www.brooklinebooksmith.com