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Life

By: Keith Richards, James Fox
Narrated by: Johnny Depp, Joe Hurley
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Publisher's summary

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.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

©2010 Keith Richards (P)2010 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"[A] high-def, high-velocity portrait of the era when rock 'n' roll came of age, a raw report from deep inside the counterculture maelstrom of how that music swept like a tsunami over Britain and the United States....Mr. Richards has found a way to channel to the reader his own avidity, his own deep soul hunger for music and to make us feel the connections that bind one generation of musicians to another. Along the way he even manages to communicate something of that magic, electromagnetic experience of playing on stage with his mates, be it in a little club or a huge stadium." (Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times)

"[A] slurry romp through the life of a man who knew every pleasure, denied himself nothing, and never paid the price." (David Remnick, The New Yorker)

"A vivid self-portrait and, of the Stones and their musical era, a grand group portrait....spellbinding storytelling." (Richard Corliss, Time)

Featured Article: Tune In to Our Favorite Music Memoirs


We’ve been finding solace in stories that follow our other favorite thing to listen to: music. We’ve gathered a selection of pitch-perfect memoirs from music legends in a variety of genres and styles. By turns bold, brash, and moving, these listens shed light on the sold-out shows, backstage drama, and sometimes dark underbelly of the recording industry, while highlighting the charisma, energy, and artistry that had us hooked from the first soundwave.

What listeners say about Life

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

almost like being there

For the stories that Keith Richards did write about, they were descriptive and gritty. While I wouldn't consider this a comprehensive look at his life, he does share a wide range of tidbits with us. Narration was first rate.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Great stories and well read

Overall a good book with some funny & interestings ancedotes. Suffers the fate of most auto-bios though in that the person writing it is always the "good guy". According to Keith he rarely slept around, was never the protagonist in any argument, and was usually the innocent buffetted by actions of others.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Good but too long

I enjoyed this book. some of the stories were great. but too many times the story went sideways with no structure or reason. I didn't think Johnny Depp was right for this book. Joe Hurley was awesome. this book could've been just as good with much fewer pages.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Different narrators--still great

It jars at first when Joe Hurley takes over. I presume Mr Depp didn't have time to do the whole thing and suddenly there is a noticeably different voice. After about 15 minutes I liked Joe as much as Johnny. It's strange, Johnny delivers a kind of refined Keith and Joe delivers a raunchier Keef. I imagined Mr Richards was talking to me either way. I hope Keith himself does as well!! Of special interest to me is guitar playing and recording and though I'm only up to the Exile period at this point, what I got so far was so great I'm giving it 5 stars.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

keif

too bad Johnny Depp did not narrate the entire book drug taking details too graphic....loved it otherwise.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic!! Hours of entertainment!

I don't understand all of the stupid rants about Joe Hurley!! He did a fantastic job narrating his part of the book. I thought his character voices were great, and he wasn't monotone like Johnny Depp. Depp was a great narrator, but Hurley sounded more like Keith Richard's would, so it pulled me into it more than Depp's voice did. I loved the chapters about Richards finding his open G tuning style, and hearing about his crazy experience working with Chuck Berry! Great book!!!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent!

Loved it!! Great storytelling from Keith Richards and awesome narration by Johnny Depp and the man himself. Touched.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Authorized editions on rock are @ a premium. fz

Keith deals w/ his life & music. No dirt or mud here. Truly a gentleman.


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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I want to share this with everyone in the world

the history of music..... . the world would
not be the same without Keith Richards I remember as a kid probably 10 listening to Tumbling Dice never having known all the things this man had already been through you owe it yourself as a musician to read this..... you owe this to yourself as a person to read this.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Well it was..

Guy is a horrible drug looser most the book. Stories like nodding off while driving with a 6 year old. The first half was boring as shit. The French stuff was mildly interesting, that's the Exile period. Last 4 hours not worth a damn. But the boys love this book.

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