"Southie"(South Boston) native Michael Patrick MacDonald's book documenting his life in one of Boston's poorest neighborhoods, and how he found sanctuary in the emerging punk rock scene and culture of the late 1970's and 80's has been published and quickly become a best-seller.

I'd often heard adults and commentators on TV saying how music like this could destroy kids' lives, for once I thought they might be right. But to me that didn't feel like a bad thing.

McDonald's book emphasizes on the turmoil caused by the sudden and unexpected deaths of several siblings, most from suicide or violence, and how he was able to find a home in a scene where he could feel "weird" and not be expected to fit in. Discussed are his experiences with a culture that many in his community deemed inappropriate, and his first-hand counts of active participation in the punk rock scene during the primes of such highly regarded bands as the Ramones, the Clash, Sex Pistols, the Specials and countless others.

The book has already sold 265,000 copies, and has spent 34 weeks on The Boston Globe's best-seller list. For the full story, head on over to MSNBC.