Today's recommendation: "Life" written by Keith Richards (with journalist James Fox), is a frank, moving account of the rocker's life, from his youth in Dartford, an industrial suburb of London, to his rise as guitarist and co-leader of The Rolling Stones. Keith doesn't flinch from writing about the darker aspects of his life as a rock star (alcohol & drug abuse, personal losses), but there is a great amount of tenderness, humor and intelligence in this memoir. And you'll get to learn a lot about his musical style & philosophy as well. Parts of the book are virtually a Keith Richards guitar clinic. You'll also get some insider's insight into the some of the Stones classic songs, including an in depth look at the recording of the classic album "Exile on Main Street."
But what really comes through in this memoir is Keith's passion for performing and what it 's really about for him. As he says at one point "I'm here to touch other people and say sometimes in a cry of desperation: Do you know this feeling?" For all the tales of partying & drug use, what really resonates is Keith's love for music, whether it's Chuck Berry, the blues, or talking about jamming with the members of his solo band, The X-Pensive Winos. You'll enjoy this book if you're a Stones fan, or a fan of the rock music scene of the 60s & 70s. Richards really shows us what the creative process is like for a musician, and tells a lot of great stories in the process. Highly recommended. The Amazon link for the book is here: http://www.amazon.com/Life-Keith-Richards/dp/031603441X/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_1.
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