Nothing Feels Good: Punk Rock, Teenagers, and Emo spans 20 years of music, community, social commentary and, well, feelings that fans of emo and punk bands like Saves the Day, Sunny Day Real Estate, and Braid understand. The book describes this unique ­culture shared by confused teenagers, I'm-never-growing-old hipsters, and old-school punk rockers alike.

Andy Greenwald is thorough and observant, his brilliant articulation allowing him to put such a world into words. He is funny, and I laughed because he understands. Whether Greenwald believes it or not, he is truly one of us. Perhaps that is why Nothing Feels Good is such a riveting and worthwhile read. Surely only a true disciple (or at least a guy who really knows his stuff) could pay such a tribute to the world that punk rock and emo fans and bands have come together to create.

The book is fast-paced. As an emo and hardcore enthusiast, I was drawn in to the pages. Greenwald's degree in Victorian Literature somehow ­enables him to translate a whirlwind of screams and a whole Kleenex box worth of tears into paragraphs and sentences. He shows sincere admiration for everyone he interviewed, whether a bunch of high school kids at a Dashboard Confessional show or Chris Carrabba, Mr. Dashboard himself.

This book says everything that I thought could never be described. Finally all the feelings make sense and I realize that I am indeed part of something big. Anyone who tells you that the future of emo or punk is dim is a liar and a fool.

Nothing Feels Good is not a legacy – the fans and the bands are the legacies; this book is just a celebration.