The Paths We Choose

Godsmack has never been boring. And Erna, the contemplative frontman for the North Shore metal outfit, ignites his foray into prose with a similar flair for intensity—opening his memoir with the moment he thrust a sawed-off shotgun into the mug of some knife-wielding mook at a party in Lawrence. From there, it’s standard coming-of-age fare, except with more fights (one with a sledgehammer). On the way, he shows how a little local band blew up. Erna’s no Updike, but his tale is gripping stuff. —Geoff Gagnon.