Once a confessional form of punk rock that was as emotional as it was loud, emo is now an undeniable cultural phenomenon with its own accompanying language, style, and ideology.

By tracing the scene's angst-y roots from William Shakespeare to bands who dress like William Shakespeare (cough—Panic! at the Disco—cough), coauthors Leslie Simon and Trevor Kelley have created the definitive handbook for the heart-on-your-sleeve set.

Touching on topics such as fashion and the Internet, music and movies, and eating habits and adulthood, Everybody Hurts successfully identifies what it means to be emo in the present tense.