Life

By Keith Richards & James Fox

Life - Keith Richards & James Fox
  • Release Date: 2010-10-26
  • Genre: Biographies & Memoirs
Score: 4.5
4.5
From 1,400 Ratings

Description

The long-awaited autobiography of Keith Richards, guitarist, songwriter, singer, and founding member of the Rolling Stones.

With The Rolling Stones, Keith Richards created the songs that roused the world, and he lived the original rock and roll life.

Now, at last, the man himself tells his story of life in the crossfire hurricane. Listening obsessively to Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters records, learning guitar and forming a band with Mick Jagger and Brian Jones. The Rolling Stones's first fame and the notorious drug busts that led to his enduring image as an outlaw folk hero. Creating immortal riffs like the ones in "Jumping Jack Flash" and "Honky Tonk Women." His relationship with Anita Pallenberg and the death of Brian Jones. Tax exile in France, wildfire tours of the U.S., isolation and addiction. Falling in love with Patti Hansen. Estrangement from Jagger and subsequent reconciliation. Marriage, family, solo albums and Xpensive Winos, and the road that goes on forever.

With his trademark disarming honesty, Keith Richard brings us the story of a life we have all longed to know more of, unfettered, fearless, and true.

Reviews

  • Awesome!

    5
    By Slatts11
    Not a big Rolling Stones fan, but don’t need to be to love this book! Entertaining, fun and some really touching/inspiring words in there as well. Loved it!
  • Great collection of stories and I can only hear it read in Keith’s raspy voice.

    5
    By Dion Myers
    I’d read another book by Keith Richards no matter the subject!
  • Behind the guitar

    5
    By Maureen.Anastasia
    A riveting combination of introspection and egotism. Drug addict, family man, violent, dedicated friend, careless and careful. He keeps your head spinning.
  • Good, solid read.

    5
    By Freddie Tanaka
    The stories are great, and the prose moves along briskly. If you’re a Stones fan, you should check this out.
  • Writes as good as he plays.

    5
    By JoeInJamaica
    I'd half expected a simple rhyme on "sex, drugs and R &R", but not so. At half way through the reading of it, this book works as well as Mr. Richard's playing, and that's pretty good in a stylistic way. He seems to work well with a back and forth with others, so i'm not sure which of the authors is responsible for what, but the book was more than i expected, both in terms of insightful stories told with a nice conversational tone, some decent self reflection and insightful perspectives. Great passages on music, society, personal journeys, enough else. "Good show", at least if you've any interest in the topic of rock as a subject of prose. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that he/they write so informatively, since, from the reading, it seems Mr. Richards kept "journals" throughout his life and, as with music, writing "demands practice".
  • Good about the band, but then ...

    1
    By Jobar_12
    "When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me" ... but wait, what if you didn't? You'd be the subject of "Life." If you ever played in a rock band, took it on the road, enjoyed some regional popularity, played a stadium, or spent hours dialing back records to figure out who's playing what (especially if it never crossed your mind that the guitar wasn't in standard tuning), you'll like this book for the parts about the band. Then there's the parts, seemingly endless narratives about drugs and other stuff. It gets tedious. Yet another person addicted to fame writing about addiction to drugs and especially with so little insight to the havoc in the lives of others. Skimming helps, but you have to watch for a nugget slipped in here and there.
  • Keef...Oh Keef, unguarded and mind blowingly open.

    4
    By Todd610
    The best book I've read this year....one of the few memoirs that surpassed my expectations and a roller coaster from start to finish. After reading the first few chapters I had the feeling that maybe the stories would get less crazy as Keef aged and matured.......ah,......not so much!!! Loved it and reread it ....it would make a great movie.
  • Excellent if you're a Stones fan

    4
    By Newshound 472
    Being a Stones fan since the late 60's this review might be a bit biased. The only downside for me was at times the writing was a little confusing. Going in and out of stories. But the substance was there. The fact that he can write and remember some of that time is remarkable with the aid of a diary. One thing i found particularly interesting was the way some songs came about. From the ideas to the lyrics. I can see why Mick would be upset at some of the things said but like Keith explains it was his perspective. And most of what he said was probably true. And the fact of the matter is Mick would be a nobody without Keith and vice versa. He admits some non flattering things about himself as well. Which is oddly commendable. Explaining why he survived heroin and his love affair with the stuff and his anger problems. His stormy relationship with Mick. But he didn't talk too much about Mick's womanizing and family life so Mick should be happy about that. He's a one of a kind which is not a particularly a good thing but an interesting one. Definitely worth a read.
  • :)

    5
    By MonkeyJoe
    Great to know
  • Rock's Best Memoir

    5
    By Orlando Local
    It's an engaging story behind one of the biggest rock & roll bands in history. Unlike some other rock memoirs, it's well written without losing his own voice. I learned things about Keith I never knew, and it helps me understand him better, why he made some of his choices, and how it affected his music. I love this book.