I have been reading Life, the autobiography of Keith Richards, the leader of the Rolling Stones. On the cover Keith says: “This is the life. Believe it or not I haven’t forgotten any of it.”
I have enjoyed this book for two reasons. On the one hand, it speaks to me very personally: Keith and Mick are my contemporaries, growing up in the same social milieu in post-war London, and the first in their families to go to college. They came to the United States in 1964 as I did, and, although their lives for the last forty-seven years could not have been more different from mine, they have taken care of some business for me.
The book also provides a very entertaining backstage guided tour through the underworld of popular music of the last 50 years.
I found this book entirely absorbing, and roared right through it. “Keef’s” voice comes through so clearly that I for one would hate to lay another voice–even Johnny Depp’s–on top of it.
I really want to read this, but I’d also like to listen to the audiobook version – narrated by Johnny Depp. I’ve heard he does a great job.