ISBN: 0297854399
(ISBN13: 9780297854395)
Condition: Near Fine Book in Near Fine DJ.
Although
this book is ghost-written, it retains more of the voice
of the author
than it does of the ghost writer, which isn't always the case.
Ghost
writer James Fox does a fantastic job of catching his master’s voice.
No doubt Keith was sat down in front of a microphone and told
to talk
about his life into tape after tape after tape—but from there
Fox has
managed to create a seamless narrative whilst rendering
the subject’s
personality. It really does seem as if Keith Richards
is talking to you,
sharing all his best anecdotes in his avuncular growl –
all the time
throwing around such terms as ‘cat’, ‘babe’, ‘bitch’ and so on.
Life
is absolutely brimming with all the Rolling Stones stories a
fan could
hope for. It starts with a humorous and tense drug story,
then it
reverts to a more innocent time when Richards was a sort of
part-time
hooligan, a kid of the East-end streets. This was easily the best
part of the book, this and the Rolling Stones' formation.
Basically everything
before the money and fame enters the picture.
But
the best part is when Richards is talking about music.
He might be crazy, he might be a recovering junkie, but this man loves music.
He loves playing
music, listening to music, and talking about music.
Keith goes into detail about chords and playing techniques that is incredible.
Reading about how Keith Richards feels
about music is
what makes this book worth reading - when he stops
talking about
Mick drama and drugs and chicks, and just focuses on the
music.