First published 2010
Keith Richards opens his life to readers in this candid memoir. The Rolling Stones guitarist recounts his journey from obsessively spinning Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters records to forming a band with Mick Jagger and Brian Jones. Richards details the band's rise to fame and the drug arrests that cemented his outlaw reputation. He describes creating the riffs that powered "Jumping Jack Flash" and "Honky Tonk Women." The book covers his romance with Anita Pallenberg, Brian Jones's death, and years of tax exile in France. Richards writes about grueling American tours, his struggles with addiction, and finding love with Patti Hansen. He chronicles his bitter split with Jagger and their eventual reunion. The memoir spans his marriage, children, solo work with the Xpensive Winos, and decades of touring. Richards delivers his story with brutal honesty, holding nothing back about the highs and lows of rock stardom.
Genres: 20th-century, autobiography, biography-memoir, music, 21st-century, musicians
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: rags-to-riches, redemption
Setting: France
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
564 pages · Hardcover · Little, Brown and Company
Content warnings: addiction, drug-use