I have a theory. Dave Grohl is such a genuinely nice guy that people want to be around him.

The Storyteller was birthed of necessity. Grohl had to do something while unable to travel and tour during the global pandemic—so why not write a memoir? Storyteller is a walk through Grohl’s life from his childhood discovering punk music to his Whitehouse shows and award galas. He shares what life was like in Scream, Nirvana, and of course, Foo Fighters.

Let me be honest. I bought this because I love his music and figured there would be some fun behind-the-scenes stories. I wasn’t disappointed. But this book is more than your run-of-the-mill rock memoir. Grohl has something to say—and he says it well.

Grohl’s life revolves around gratitude and joy. Those two themes ooze out of every page. That’s what led me to my ‘theory.’ Time after time, Grohl is amazed that his heroes were actually pretty cool people who loved to hang out with him. That may be true, but I’m convinced that it’s Grohl’s character—marked by joy and gratitude—that makes those encounters so memorable and lasting.

After purchasing the book I heard that Grohl actually narrated the audiobook version. If you love music, a good memoir, or just good stories, you should pick yourself up a copy and listen to the master storyteller himself.

Grohl, Dave. The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music. William Morrow, 2021.