Richards, Keith. Life.

Keith Richards, a musician and bibliophile who was greatly inspired by the Chicago Blues, recounts with an impressive candor and humor his journey with one of the most important rock’n’roll bands of all times, the Rolling Stones.  The focus is not on each of the band’s albums or how every song came about, but it centers on the Richards’ childhood poverty, struggle with heroin addiction, and marriages to actress Anita Pallenberg and later, model Patty Hansen--whom many believe saved his life. The often turbulent, brotherly relationship between the band members is fascinating. The book also contains many photographs, and even the Richards' famous recipe for Bangers and Mash.  It also provides an interesting perspective on how the music industry as a whole has evolved, from the days of single vinyl records up to to mega stadium concerts.

Richards’ lengthy memoir is sure to please even those who are not big rock’n’roll fans, from 18 to 80. Even if your primary genre is fiction, you will enjoy Richards’s frank and insightful, conversational narrative.