Life

By: Keith Richards

Narrated by: Johnny Depp, Joe Hurley, Keith Richards

Length: 23 hrs

Publisher's summary

With the Rolling Stones, Keith Richards created the riffs, the lyrics, and the songs that roused the world, and over four decades he lived the original rock-and-roll life: taking the chances he wanted, speaking his mind, and making it all work in a way that no one before him had ever done.

Now, at last, the man himself tells us the story of life in the crossfire hurricane. And what a life. Listening obsessively to Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters records as a child in post-war Kent. Learning guitar and forming a band with Mick Jagger and Brian Jones. The Rolling Stones' first fame and success as a bad-boy band. The notorious Redlands drug bust and subsequent series of confrontations with a nervous establishment that led to his enduring image as outlaw and folk hero. Creating immortal riffs such as the ones in 'Jumping Jack Flash' and 'Street Fighting Man' and 'Honky Tonk Woman'. Falling in love with Anita Pallenberg, and the death of Brian Jones. Tax exile in France, wildfire tours of the US, Exile on Main Street and Some Girls. Ever increasing fame, isolation and addiction. Falling in love with Patti Hansen. Estrangement from Mick Jagger and subsequent reconciliation. Solo albums and performances with his band the Xpensive Winos. Marriage, family, and the road that goes on for ever.

In a voice that is uniquely and intimately his own, with the disarming honesty that has always been his trademark, Keith Richard brings us the essential life story of our times.

©2010 Keith Richards (P)2010 Orion Publishing Group Limited

Well Worth the Read

This book is one of the greatest autobiographies out there on a rock star. If you love that genre, you'll love Life.

A lesson in music history

Loved the book, a great piece of music history, so glad I consumed it. Johnny and Kieth were great but Joe had to be listened to at 1.5 speed, he dragged his words terribly. I felt as though I gained a friend when listening to this.
Long live Kieth Richards

brilliant raconteur

the narrators do such a brilliant job of replicating nuances of language and expression.
A fabulous biography with lots of depth, personal, cultural, and musical, and never self indulgent. Keith gives credit to many people who contributed to his success. The story also manages to set the scene for the sixties and beyond, in which the Stones and those who collected around them appeared to live charmed lives.
I thoroughly enjoyed this listen.

A great story, let down by the narrators.

I'm a fan of Johnny Depp but I have to say his part in the narration of an incredible life story is monotonal, deadpan and flawed with continual mispronunciations of Cockney slang. Sorry Johnny: I'm Australian, but even I know how to pronounce the London boroughs and and expressions that you continuously seemed to stumble over. Couldn't 'Uncle' Keef at least have primed you?

Joe Hurley's style is so radically different from Johnny's that I had trouble adjusting to it at first, then got comfortable with it as he went on. Then all too soon JD steps back in and that plodding style has taken the wind right out of the sails once again.

I've been unable to finish it so far: I pick it up every now and then but as much as I'm enthralled by the story of a true rock'n'roll star whose life is so far removed from the common man, Johnny's drone just distracts me from the real-life drama. My theory is that he was getting into character for 'The Tourist'.

Too long, too much rambling!

I love me a rock bio TRUST me! but I couldn't get through this to be honest. The man is a legend I admit and has had a pretty cool life but you have to wade through so much rambling that it gets hard to stay focused. Gave it a while but couldn't last. Sorry Keef!!