Boys Book Club Review: The Storyteller

In times like these, we learn to love (reading) again

This month, we’re tuning into familiar territory—another autobiography.

For this April edition, we decided to check out The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music by Dave Grohl. You know that guy who was the drummer from Nirvana. Oh and also created the Foo Fighters.

Strap in, because we’re about to see if his writing rocks as hard as his music!

Missed our last review? See what we had to say on The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Details

• Author: Dave Grohl

• Page Count: 384

• First Published: 2021

• Genre: Autobiography

• Buy The Storyteller at Indigo, Amazon and Bookshop.org

Plot Summary

The Storyteller is an account of Dave Grohl’s life in biography form. It isn’t one of those books where the subject does a few hours of interviews, finds someone else to write the thing, slaps their face on the cover, and sends it out to the masses. This is an autobiography—a first hand account of the music legend’s experiences—written in his own hand. From his childhood years living in Springfield, Virginia to his current gig as the frontman for uber successful rock band the Foo Fighters (and many ups and downs in between), The Storyteller doesn’t hold back much in its exposition of the rock star life.

The Boys’ Reviews

Evan’s Review

Let’s start by saying, as far as biography/memoir books go, this one is probably my favourite. I’ll be up front and confess that I’m a pretty big fan of Dave Grohl. His style of music composition, his hyperactive personality, and his down-to-earth nature are all qualities that I seem to gravitate towards. Hell, I often wear the same flannel shirt, sneakers, and dark beard look he does. If that makes it seem likely that I have a weird shrine at home devoted to the musician… I can neither confirm nor deny this assumption. I’ll just say that if you asked me the age-old question of “you can bring any three guests to dinner, who are they?”... he would definitely be one-third of the answer.

The book follows a pretty standard memoir format (unlike another book we reviewed previously for Boys Book Club). From chronological order, Grohl gives you his first hand account of everything that happened since his earliest days living in Virginia. What I particularly like about this book is the grounded nature in which the chapters are written. 

There is no fluff here, nor is there the braggadocious tone that some autobiographies use to paint the subject in the most favourable light possible. While there were some stories I did previously know of, like the passing of a certain band mate, and others that I didn’t, Grohl tells all of them exactly how he remembers without ever seeming like he’s bragging or making them seem better than reality. His account of drumming along to records in his childhood bedroom with drumsticks and some pillows before he could get his hands on a drum set is a particularly endearing example of this. They’re all real stories that make him more relatable and I enjoyed that aspect thoroughly.

“I stopped trying to understand fate and destiny a long time ago, but dumb luck seems to be my specialty.” 

― Dave Grohl

Another major factor in my overall enjoyment of this book was the pacing. By nature, Grohl can be classified as an often excited individual. If you’ve ever seen any sort of video, whether on-stage or off, showcasing his personality, you’d know what I mean by this. That relentless energy translates to the pages of this book and kept me captivated throughout the entirety of The Storyteller. In my personal experience with the odd biographical piece here and there, there aren’t many that come without at least a small section of less interesting pages where some additional focus is necessary in order to power through. This one really didn’t have any of that in my opinion.

Negatives? There really isn’t much to pinpoint in terms of the book itself. I have to admit that recent news has put a slight blemish on Grohl’s otherwise sterling reputation (I’ll let you Google this part if you’re unaware of the reference). However, I also prefer not to judge someone who I don’t know personally on their choices. If you like his music or are interested in learning more about an interesting person’s experiences, I give you my enthusiastic encouragement to give it a go. 

Also, pro tip: if you are a Dave Grohl superfan like me and enjoy listening to audiobooks on occasion, this one is worth your consideration. Grohl narrates it himself, so it feels like he’s just telling you about his life. Like your grandpa. But cooler.

Verdict: 🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐

David’s Review

I’ve got another confession to make… I’ve always been a fairly big admirer of Dave Grohl. Outside of his monumental achievements in rock music (just being part of two of the most iconic rock bands in history—no big deal), he always struck me as a genuinely cool guy. One of the so-called 'good' celebrities. Whenever I saw interviews with him or heard chatter online, people had nothing but positive things to say about him. Especially for someone who has lost close friends to tragedies.

Sadly, the perception I had of him has certainly been called into question with the somewhat recent news of him cheating on his wife. It also made some of the later parts of the book harder to read, but I’m getting ahead of myself.

Putting moral views on adultery aside, Dave’s personal story is truly captivating. He’s always been known as someone with frantic high energy and that is captured within each and every page. There is never a dull moment, whether he’s talking about how he learned to play drums using pillows or playing a sold-out stadium with a broken leg.

This is where The Storyteller shines the brightest. When Dave recounts stories you’ve already heard about, but from his perspective. Understanding the 'why' behind his actions and learning about how he dealt with the consequences of his decisions is exactly what most people want to know. Autobiographies pull us in because they make us feel like we’re getting the inside scoop.

That feeling of being an 'insider' is present throughout every decision made with this book. Each choice feels purposeful. Whether it’s changing the typeface to a handwritten font to emphasize his points or curating the collection of photos included in each chapter.

“Life is just too damn short to let someone else’s opinion steer the wheel.”

― Dave Grohl

As you approach the end of his journey and he reflects on fatherhood, that’s when some cracks start to form. How could someone who goes to such great lengths to be a good father and a good husband do what he did? Is everything you’ve seen online a meticulously crafted lie?

For what it’s worth, I’m a firm believer that most situations are, more often than not, grey and never black and white. While I don’t condone his actions, they shouldn’t take away from his massive impact on rock music. But I would be lying if it didn’t sour my reading experience a little. Ultimately, it will be up to you to decide how much of an influence it will have on yours.

The only other flaw (if you can call it that) I’d mention is that I wish he had written this book later in life. While he has certainly earned his roses, I feel like he has a lot more story to tell given all that’s happened since this book has been published. Perhaps we might yet see a sequel in the future.

At the end of the day, if you enjoy rock music or have a passing interest in the rockstar life, I highly recommend checking this one out. It’s not as niche as something like Kitchen Confidential, so you’ll find it much easier to connect with. As someone who has been letting his old acoustic guitar collect dust, The Storyteller has certainly reignited the urge to pick it up and play again.

Verdict: 👍👍👍👍

Final Thoughts

Evan’s Closing Remarks

How nice… Dave is inspiring David to pick up his guitar again. We’ll have to hold him to it in some way because I’m sure that instrument is getting pretty lonely in whatever closet it’s stuffed into. I find it interesting that he wishes this book was written later. I believe Grohl wrote this over the pandemic and its extended periods of boredom, so there really isn’t a better time for writing. However, it does seem fair to assume there will be more to add to this story several years from now. In any case, whether ill-timed or not, The Storyteller is a book that is worth some investment of your time.

David’s Closing Remarks

Wow, another five star rating? Evan’s handing them out like participation trophies at a sports tournament. Plus, now he’s got me curious about who the other two guests would be at that dinner (I wonder if I make the cut). Joking aside, I was tempted to give this five stars myself, if not for another book in this specific niche genre of musical autobiography that I prefer. So, that should tell you just how good The Storyteller truly is. Oh and if you’re wondering what book that is, well you’ll just have to stick around to find out.

Thanks for hanging out with the boys this month 🤙

- David & Evan

Read along with us for the next review of… The Martian by Andy Weir