20 Books About Green Day
If you want to read about Green Day, there are quite a few books to choose from: unofficial biographies, books about the East Bay punk scene, collections of fan stories, and even photobooks. Whilst the biographies have some factual errors (some more than others), many of them are still worth reading. There are also a couple of books in other languages. Hopefully you'll find something to read on this list!
This is "the" classic Green Day book. If you know a long-time fan who's only read one of them, it will be this one. It starts at the beginning and covers Green Day's career and lives up to the American Idiot era. Marc Spitz interviewed many of the most influential people around Green Day, including family members. There are many interesting (and crazy) facts in the book that are no longer common knowledge, as well as several pages of black and white photos in the centre.
It does have some factual errors, but not as many as some of the others on this list. Some fans have complained that the writer made misogynistic remarks about female fans. I don't remember that, but it's been a while.
Best for: Fans who are invested in the band themselves as well as their music.
Like Nobody Likes You, this unofficial biography follows the band from the beginning up until the American Idiot era. It has a few more factual errors, but different interviews with other musicians and fans. There are some black and white photos in this book too.
This has a higher rating on Goodreads, for what that's worth.
Best for: Fans who want to read about Green Day's career.
This zine was written by Aaron Cometbus, a former roadie and the drummer in one of Billie Joe's side projects, Pinhead Gunpowder. It's his personal recap of the time he spent in Asia with Green Day on the 21st Century Breakdown Tour. There's a lot of talk about their past (especially with Billie Joe) and some candid recollections of events and conversations on the tour, including Scrabble games and a moment when Tré almost choked on a live octopus. As it reaches its conclusion, there's a poetic scene in which Billie Joe pulls Aaron in for a kiss that, if I remember, is likened to a plane taking off (don't quote me on that). Pretty wild ride.
It has also been a while since I read this, but I do remember thinking Mr. Cometbus was a misogynistic arse. Don't let that put you off though. It's very highly rated by fans and it's unique because it was written by someone who actually knew the band and was on tour with them.
I remember buying this from GDA back when it came out! You can still get a paper copy and e-book.
Best for: Fans who want to read a more intimate, personal account from someone close to the band.
Another unofficial biography, written by a British author who's also a fan of the band. It was published in 2005, so it covers the time period from the beginning to the American Idiot era. It also has some photos and quotes. It does mention other bands, but Green Day are the focus.
Again, this one has quite a few errors, including the occasional "Billy."
Best for: Fans who want an alternative to Nobody Likes You and/or want to read a bit about other bands.
This book includes an interview and 50 "never before seen" photos from the show at Slim's in San Francisco in February 1994. A few of them had been seen, but most hadn't, because they were taken for a magazine feature and never used... until this book was published in 2017. It's now out of print.
Best for: Fans who enjoy looking at old photos and reading interviews.
Another book by the author of Rebels With a Cause from the Treasures series. It's a full colour book that includes replicas of flyers, ticket stubs, setlists and more.
Best for: Fans who like colour books and old memorabilia.
I guess it figures that I could say "yet another unofficial biography from 2005" so many times. So there you go: it's another unofficial biography from 2005. It has some full colour photos.
Best for: Fans who want to read every Green Day book, or those who want an alternative to Nobody Likes You.
A large book that goes a bit further than the American Idiot era. It was published in 2012 and includes the Broadway musical. As well as text, it has full colour photos, flyers, vinyl covers and more.
Best for: Fans who like full colour books and those who want to read slightly further (but don't mind that it's not that much further) than the American Idiot era.
This is a more recent one, published in 2023. It dives deep into every song and album with some quotes and other information.
Best for: Fans who enjoy analysing songs.
Larry Livermore is the founder of Lookout Records, Green Day's first record label. He also played in Tré's first band, The Lookouts. This is his own book about the history of the label which, of course, includes Green Day and the scene they came from.
Best for: Fans who are interested in the history of Lookout Records and East Bay punk.
Another book about the history of Lookout Records and, by extension, Green Day. It tells the story through hundreds of interviews and has been called "parallel" to Larry Livermore's book.
Best for: Fans who are interested in interviews from various people who were around in the times of Lookout Records. If you enjoyed Larry's book, you'll enjoy this one.
Yet another unofficial biography that was published in 2009. It includes a discography, a list of awards won, and some photos. There are interviews but they weren't done by the author.
Best for: People who haven't read any of the other biographies, or those who want one that includes the release of 21st Century Breakdown.
A big, hardcover photobook by the renowned rock photographer Bob Gruen. There's nothing much to read, but it's great to flick through if you like looking at photos of the band or appreciate photography in general.
Best for: Fans who only want to see photos.
Best for: People who've already read the other unofficial biographies and really want to read another one.
The title says it all. It's an oral history of the Bay Area punk scenes, told by the people who were there. There's quite a bit about Maximumrocknroll and a chapter on selling out. It has some of the best reviews of all the books on this list.
Best for: Fans who want to read about the scene Green Day came from.
OK, I'm biased because I made this book. It was part of a documentary I did about Green Day fans from 2017-2018. So many amazing people contributed from England, Portugal, Greece, the USA, Venezuela, China, Australia, the list goes on... there are stories that will make you laugh, art that will make you say "wow," and then there are some stories that will make you cry.
It isn't currently available to buy because printing is expensive, but I'll make it available as an e-book at some point.
A book about alternative bands who signed to major labels. It has a chapter on Green Day. Other bands include My Chemical Romance and Blink-182.
Best for: People who are interested in punk ethos and the morals of signing to major labels.
Green Day are only briefly mentioned in this Maximumrocknroll book about the first 18 years of 924 Gilman Street. It focuses on the culture and running of the club.
Expect to pay a lot if you want to get hold of this one... especially a copy that's not falling apart.
Best for: Only for people who REALLY want to do a deep dive into the history of 924 Gilman Street and how it was run.
An unofficial biography written in French. Like the English ones, it only goes from the beginning to the American Idiot era.
Best for: Fans who want to read a biography in French.
A book of Italian translations of Green Day songs from the beginning to International Superhits. It has a short intro about the history of the band.
Best for: Fans who want Italian translations of Green Day songs.
Have you read any of these books? Planning to pick any of them up? Discuss it with other fans on the Green Day Community forum.
Nobody Likes You: Inside the Turbulent Life, Times, and Music of Green Day by Marc Spitz
This is "the" classic Green Day book. If you know a long-time fan who's only read one of them, it will be this one. It starts at the beginning and covers Green Day's career and lives up to the American Idiot era. Marc Spitz interviewed many of the most influential people around Green Day, including family members. There are many interesting (and crazy) facts in the book that are no longer common knowledge, as well as several pages of black and white photos in the centre.
It does have some factual errors, but not as many as some of the others on this list. Some fans have complained that the writer made misogynistic remarks about female fans. I don't remember that, but it's been a while.
Best for: Fans who are invested in the band themselves as well as their music.
Green Day: Rebels With a Cause by Gillian G. Garr
Like Nobody Likes You, this unofficial biography follows the band from the beginning up until the American Idiot era. It has a few more factual errors, but different interviews with other musicians and fans. There are some black and white photos in this book too.
This has a higher rating on Goodreads, for what that's worth.
Best for: Fans who want to read about Green Day's career.
Cometbus #54: In China With Green Day by Aaron Cometbus
This zine was written by Aaron Cometbus, a former roadie and the drummer in one of Billie Joe's side projects, Pinhead Gunpowder. It's his personal recap of the time he spent in Asia with Green Day on the 21st Century Breakdown Tour. There's a lot of talk about their past (especially with Billie Joe) and some candid recollections of events and conversations on the tour, including Scrabble games and a moment when Tré almost choked on a live octopus. As it reaches its conclusion, there's a poetic scene in which Billie Joe pulls Aaron in for a kiss that, if I remember, is likened to a plane taking off (don't quote me on that). Pretty wild ride.
It has also been a while since I read this, but I do remember thinking Mr. Cometbus was a misogynistic arse. Don't let that put you off though. It's very highly rated by fans and it's unique because it was written by someone who actually knew the band and was on tour with them.
I remember buying this from GDA back when it came out! You can still get a paper copy and e-book.
Best for: Fans who want to read a more intimate, personal account from someone close to the band.
Green Day: American Idiots & the New Punk Explosion by Benjamin Myers
Another unofficial biography, written by a British author who's also a fan of the band. It was published in 2005, so it covers the time period from the beginning to the American Idiot era. It also has some photos and quotes. It does mention other bands, but Green Day are the focus.
Again, this one has quite a few errors, including the occasional "Billy."
Best for: Fans who want an alternative to Nobody Likes You and/or want to read a bit about other bands.
Green Day Rising: Before the Dookie Flew by Michael Sharon and Tim Kenneally
This book includes an interview and 50 "never before seen" photos from the show at Slim's in San Francisco in February 1994. A few of them had been seen, but most hadn't, because they were taken for a magazine feature and never used... until this book was published in 2017. It's now out of print.
Best for: Fans who enjoy looking at old photos and reading interviews.
Treasures of Green Day by Gillian G. Gaar
Another book by the author of Rebels With a Cause from the Treasures series. It's a full colour book that includes replicas of flyers, ticket stubs, setlists and more.
Best for: Fans who like colour books and old memorabilia.
The Story of Green Day by Doug Small
I guess it figures that I could say "yet another unofficial biography from 2005" so many times. So there you go: it's another unofficial biography from 2005. It has some full colour photos.
Best for: Fans who want to read every Green Day book, or those who want an alternative to Nobody Likes You.
Green Day: The Ultimate Unauthorized History by Alan di Perna
A large book that goes a bit further than the American Idiot era. It was published in 2012 and includes the Broadway musical. As well as text, it has full colour photos, flyers, vinyl covers and more.
Best for: Fans who like full colour books and those who want to read slightly further (but don't mind that it's not that much further) than the American Idiot era.
Green Day On Track: Every Album, Every Song by William E. Spevack
This is a more recent one, published in 2023. It dives deep into every song and album with some quotes and other information.
Best for: Fans who enjoy analysing songs.
How To Ru(i)n A Record Label: The Story of Lookout Records (Punx) by Larry Livermore
Larry Livermore is the founder of Lookout Records, Green Day's first record label. He also played in Tré's first band, The Lookouts. This is his own book about the history of the label which, of course, includes Green Day and the scene they came from.
Best for: Fans who are interested in the history of Lookout Records and East Bay punk.
Punk USA: The Roots of Green Day & the Rise & Fall of Lookout Records by Kevin Prested
Another book about the history of Lookout Records and, by extension, Green Day. It tells the story through hundreds of interviews and has been called "parallel" to Larry Livermore's book.
Best for: Fans who are interested in interviews from various people who were around in the times of Lookout Records. If you enjoyed Larry's book, you'll enjoy this one.
Green Day: A Musical Biography (The Story of the Band) by Kjersti Egerdahl
Yet another unofficial biography that was published in 2009. It includes a discography, a list of awards won, and some photos. There are interviews but they weren't done by the author.
Best for: People who haven't read any of the other biographies, or those who want one that includes the release of 21st Century Breakdown.
Green Day: Photographs by Bob Gruen
A big, hardcover photobook by the renowned rock photographer Bob Gruen. There's nothing much to read, but it's great to flick through if you like looking at photos of the band or appreciate photography in general.
Best for: Fans who only want to see photos.
Green Day: The Secret History by Alan Cross
Yet another unofficial biography that goes from the beginning to the American Idiot era (with some factual errors). This is a more obscure book. Two of the three reviewers on Goodreads didn't seem that impressed.Best for: People who've already read the other unofficial biographies and really want to read another one.
Gimme Something Better: The Profound, Progressive, and Occasionally Pointless History of Bay Area Punk from Dead Kennedys to Green Day
The title says it all. It's an oral history of the Bay Area punk scenes, told by the people who were there. There's quite a bit about Maximumrocknroll and a chapter on selling out. It has some of the best reviews of all the books on this list.
Best for: Fans who want to read about the scene Green Day came from.
We Are Revolution Radio: A Collection of Green Day Fan Stories and Art
OK, I'm biased because I made this book. It was part of a documentary I did about Green Day fans from 2017-2018. So many amazing people contributed from England, Portugal, Greece, the USA, Venezuela, China, Australia, the list goes on... there are stories that will make you laugh, art that will make you say "wow," and then there are some stories that will make you cry.
It isn't currently available to buy because printing is expensive, but I'll make it available as an e-book at some point.
Sellout: The Major-Label Feeding Frenzy That Swept Punk, Emo, and Hardcore (1994-2007) by Dan Ozzi
A book about alternative bands who signed to major labels. It has a chapter on Green Day. Other bands include My Chemical Romance and Blink-182.
Best for: People who are interested in punk ethos and the morals of signing to major labels.
924 Gilman: The Story So Far... by Brian Edge
Green Day are only briefly mentioned in this Maximumrocknroll book about the first 18 years of 924 Gilman Street. It focuses on the culture and running of the club.
Expect to pay a lot if you want to get hold of this one... especially a copy that's not falling apart.
Best for: Only for people who REALLY want to do a deep dive into the history of 924 Gilman Street and how it was run.
Green Day: Une conscience américaine by Laurent Ducastel
An unofficial biography written in French. Like the English ones, it only goes from the beginning to the American Idiot era.
Best for: Fans who want to read a biography in French.
Green Day: Tutti i testi con traduzione a fronte
A book of Italian translations of Green Day songs from the beginning to International Superhits. It has a short intro about the history of the band.
Best for: Fans who want Italian translations of Green Day songs.
Have you read any of these books? Planning to pick any of them up? Discuss it with other fans on the Green Day Community forum.
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