Springsteen’s life informs his work so much that the two are almost inseparable. His career relies on his reputation as a spokesperson for the working class and the marginalized—and because he grew up in a working-class family that often struggled to make ends meet, his music has the credibility of one who not only observed that life but lived it.

The narrative traces his roots as a starstruck rock and roll fan to an aspiring musician who rose to fame—and the characteristic that separates him from many of his peers: his work ethic. He credits the Italian side of his family with that relentless pursuit of the American Dream, an aspiration that built much of the country but also failed to reward those workers. The other part of the equation for young Springsteen is a lack of options. He’s a musician because he doesn’t know what else to do. Failure isn’t an option, because the alternative—a nine-to-five job—is anathema to his entire rock and roll sensibility, a sensibility that bleeds into his art and his prose.

Another hallmark of the memoir is Springsteen’s candor. He has no stake in burnishing his image or hiding his flaws, so he lays his soul bare, frailties and all.