Two Books (2025)

Being housebound these past 6 years has presented some problems I never expected to encounter. One of the most challenging has been how to keep myself supplied with fresh reading material. Sue has, as with most things, made it very easy for me. She simply brings home 6 books at a time for me to choose from, in addition to reserving which I specifically request on line from the 3 different County Libraries near where we live. (Cabarrus, Iredell and Mecklenburg) Those books come from Municipal and County Libraries as far away as Louisiana! 

In addition to that she buys me books from the Discontinued pile. Some branches simply give them away. All in all I read about 2/3 of them. And many of those are out of print. Some real gems, as with Desi Arnaz's autobiography titled "A Book." His friends were always asking him when he was going to write a book, and so he did. 😀 That one sells for about $80 on line in poor condition, and much, much more in new condition. 

Anyway, here are 2 new books (2025) which I never would have picked, and didn't intend on reading, but turned out to be real gems. 

The first, "Concrete Dreamland" by Patrick Dougher, is a wild ride by an independent artist who actually went to my high school, James Madison in Brooklyn, in the early 1980's. It deals with his struggle to find his place in life amid much hardship. But, he prevails. And that's not a spoiler because the story isn't in the end, it's in how he got there. 

The next book, by Barry Diller, is about the author's life as the son of very wealthy and detached parents. If you read the screen credits on many of the films you see you will know his name. He pioneered, actually invented, the TV miniseries in the late 1970's. And he also brought the TV series "Star Trek" to the big screen. His struggles were with himself, trying to find out which "hat" fit him. He eventually became the President of Paramount Pictures. And once again that is not a spoiler because, just as with the first book, the story is in how he got there. 

And, today, in addition to 6 new books, Sue brought home 2 shopping bags filled with memoirs from the discard pile, which will keep me occupied for a few months!

"Brian Jones" by Paul Trynka (2014)

Brian Jones is almost the “forgotten” Rolling Stone; and yet he was the founding member. A strong case can be made for Ian Stewart holding that position, but it was Brian Jones relationship with Alexis Corner which spawned the Rolling Stones. It was also Brian who named the band after the Muddy Waters hit of the same name.

A devoted champion of the blues way before Clapton or even John Mayall; an early explorer of the sitar at same time as George Harrison; and  even the open tunings which Keith Richards uses today and credits to Ry Cooder ; all came from Brian Jones. You can listen to the early albums and hear for yourself. And the African drums on Midnight Rambler; just a few months before his death; were his, in idea as well as execution.

He virtually wrote the final music for “Ruby Tuesday”, “Under My thumb” and “Paint It Black”; never receiving written credit or royalties for any one of those iconic recordings; which would both become smash hits and earn millions for Jagger-Richards. The early Nanker-Phlege musical collaboration; which was named by him and incorporated all of their musical efforts; was conveniently abandoned, further diminishing his perceived role in the group; and marginalizing him in his own eyes, as well as the public’s.

Slide guitar playing was the provence of African-American blues up until that time.  Championed by Jones long before anyone else was doing it in Europe, he influenced everyone around him and set the course for pop music’s entry into serious blues. He even introduced Howlin’ Wolf on American TV during prime time on “Shindig”.

Style wise, his clothes sparked the fashions of Oxford Street as he exchanged clothing with anyone; male or female; he met during the day. This resulted in an array of styles which became iconic of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, as well as the uni-sex fashions which emerged at the time. His “pageboy like” haircut was the basis for The Byrds hairstyle; not the Beatles. Even Ringo Starr copied that long pageboy look from Brian Jones for a short while in 1965. And let’s not forget to mention the granny glasses and vests predating Sonny Bono’s.

But in the bands history; chronicled for the 5oth Anniversary of its founding; his influence has been minimized, and in some cases erased altogether. Even in the book “Life” by Keith Richards; which is one of my favorite autobiographies; he is reduced to almost a side note; never receiving his just due.

The celebrated drug busts by Detective Sgt. Pilcher and the Flying Squads; who counted John Lennon and George Harrison among their other celebrity conquests; also hit the guitarist in a hard way. The harassment of Mr. Jones by Scotland Yard rivals any of the later problems faced by Keith Richards.

The controversy surrounding his death and the resulting conspiracy theories are explored and debunked. The deathbed confession of the man who claims to have drowned him in the swimming pool does seem to be as Mr. Richards describes it in “Life”; just something that can never be verified.

Jones had 4 children; all born out of wedlock.  Linda Lawrence; who was pregnant with Jones child when she married Donovan; provides some interesting insights into the way the guitarist dealt with relationships at the time. How he avoided paternity suits and legal actions concerning support for those children is a mystery to me. He even had one father coming to his house demanding money for support of one of his children. Surely, this is no flattering portrait of Mr. Jones, which makes the book all that more credible.

If you enjoyed Keith Richards “Life”, then you owe it to yourself to read this book. They belong side by side. It will not detract from the former; rather it will give you a clearer picture of what happened to one of the most talented of the original Rolling Stones; the one who actually put the ad in the paper which resulted in Ian Stewart meeting Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, and which gave birth to the band.

"Who I Am" by Pete Townshend (2012)

Art schools, or colleges, in England during the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, produced some of the most influential musicians of the modern age. From the Beatles to groups such as the Kinks, Rolling Stones and even the Who, these “art schools” played a tremendously important part in the cultural upheaval that defined the 1960’s. With it came the friction between 2 generations; one tested by 2 world wars and an economic Depression; the other born after those hard days were over. It’s almost as if, after fighting for so long, the older generation had to fight with someone, and so the new enemy became the new youth culture.

“A Quick One”, performed on “The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus”, was the initial influence for the later creation of the rock opera “Tommy”. The song had been born of necessity as the group had 10 minutes left to fill an album, prompting Pete Townshend to write the 10 minute “mini-opera”. It is largely autobiographical, as were parts of “Tommy.” This was a very fascinating section of the book for me, as I have always been a fan of “A Quick One”, and having its meaning explained in terms of the author’s own experiences growing up makes it even more enjoyable to listen to. The story involves Mr. Townshend’s growing up in a very dysfunctional home, with his mother having an intense affair, which split the family apart and had Pete living with his grandmother, who was also equally dysfunctional. It was during this period of his youth that he was molested. These early years would come to define much of his life and the choices he made regarding his expressions of anger and violence in his work.

Exploring the early work of bands such as The Small Faces; later The Faces with Ronnie Wood and Ronnie Lane; Mr. Townshend is able to paint a vivid picture of the arts scene in England at the time, and which would then reverberate around the world. His work on his solo albums, as well as the story behind his all too brief collaboration with Ronnie Lane on “Rough Mix” was of special interest to me. That album, which is one of my favorites, encompasses folk, country, rock and even a wonderful number called “Street in the City”, in which Mr. Townshend accompanies an orchestra with his acoustic guitar to create a musical portrait of a city street on a “working day.” I was surprised at the many characters in that song who come from the author’s own childhood.

This is also the story of Jim Marshall and the creation of the Marshall Stack amplifiers, which were a great leap forward as they allowed the musician to recreate, in person, the power formerly relegated to the studio.  Also of great interest are Mr. Townshend’s own contributions to the fusion of light and sound in order to bring to life the visions in his own head and create a “new” form of musical expression.

In so many ways The Who enabled the arrival of bands such as Led Zeppelin, and even Jimi Hendrix, who first came to Pete Townshend for help in creating his sound using the Marshall Stack system. But the music scene was a two-way street, and Mr. Townshend freely admits his admiration for groups such as The Kinks, and their early attempts at rock operas such as “The Village Green Preservation Society” and their later album “Arthur-The Fall of the British Empire”, as influences on his own work.

From Mods and Rockers, and on through “Quadrophenia”, Mr. Townshend hacked out a new avenue of approach to the music of a younger generation. His destruction of musical instruments as a form of aggressive expression became a mainstay of the earlier Who performances, and the author credits the beginnings of his hearing loss to the explosion on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour in 1967.

Through his manic depression, drinking, and limited use of LSD, the author is honest and candid about his own failings, and unflinching in his criticism of others when they deserve it. In exploring his beginning interest in the teachings of Meher Baba; which eventually became his spiritual haven; he lends a unique insight into one of the world’s most well-known rock icons.

Surprisingly, though they were all close friends, they never did seem to share the camaraderie of let’s say the Beatles, or even the Rolling Stones. Mr. Townshend puts that down to two things; the first being that he is, by nature, a loner; the next being that he has never been comfortable with co-writing anything, let alone a song. In spite of their many differences over the years, the 4 men remained close until the untimely deaths of both Keith Moon and John Entwistle.

The author has penned one of the better rock autobiographies, and this book stands tall, right alongside them all. Being a rock star has a certain allure, but beneath it all, they suffer from  the same insecurities which afflict us all.

"Man Made" by Joel Stein (2012)

From the moment that Joel Stein sees the small smudge on his wife’s sonogram, signaling that they are going to have a boy, he is thrown into a panic attack of epic proportions. In reaction to this, and much to his credit, the author sets out to find what it really means to be “a man.” He is not alone in his insecurities about his own manhood. Many men, myself included, have gone to great lengths to discover the true meaning of term, and come up with some surprising conclusions.

In a most entertaining style, Mr. Stein recounts his own insecurities, and then comes up with a novel idea. He will confront his self-doubts by becoming all of the things he thinks he is not.  So, accordingly, he begins his journey into perceived “manhood”, by joining the Boy Scouts for an overnight camping trip; doing a stint of duty as a firefighter; and training with Major League Baseball Star Shawn Green. In addition to these testosterone laden exploits, he manages to find the time to take on Ultimate Fighting Champion Randy Couture; joining a stock firm as a day trader; and also doing some time in Boot Camp for three days with the Army. These are only some of the exploits which the author undertakes in his misguided quest for “manhood.”

For the record, the Fire Captain tells him via e-mail, prior to his tour with the firefighters, “Not to dismiss your entire premise, but none of the activities or skills you plan on doing define becoming a man. A man is honest, kind, and courageous, protects women, is humble, bold, moral, seeks truth, loves children, and fights for what is right.”

While battling to convince himself that he is truly “a man”, he also recounts some humorous adventures with his feminist leaning wife, and explores the societal roots of what we have come to think of as “manhood.” All of this results in a highly readable and entertaining book, which in some ways mirror my own self-doubts as a young man. Indeed, one of the reasons I joined the Navy many years ago mirror the authors own perceptions of himself as being “less than a man.” Some of those doubts can be attributed to a lack of talent in sports, or the lack of a bond formed with one’s father. I can identify with those facets of Mr. Stein’s thoughts.

This book works on so many levels; humor, self-analysis, and introspection all combine in the author’s vibrant and creative style, to bring us face to face with just what it takes to be a man in today’s world. And when all is said and done, this is a very entertaining, and uplifting book.

"The Billy Bob Tapes" by Billy Bob Thornton with Kinky Friedman (2012)

This is a very well written, and organized, account of the life of Billy Bob Thornton, who is surprisingly “normal”, whatever that is. With a foreword by Angelina Jolie, and some guidance by co-author/editor Kinky Friedman to keep him on track, the book is the result of the audio tapes which Mr. Thornton made in lieu of “writing” an autobiography. It’s kind of like Harry Truman’s “Plain Speaking”, which is a true “oral” autobiography.  Interspersed with commentary from his close friend Tom Epperson, as well as peppered with some recollections by the likes of Dwight Yoakam, and Robert Duvall; with whom the author feels a deep kinship; this is a very upbeat and honest look at the life of the author.

Written candidly, and talking about his likes and dislikes, as well as his own disabilities; he is severely dyslexic; this book beguiles the reader into a sense of camaraderie with author, it’s almost as if we have made the journey with him. It’s just nice to have had company, albeit unknown.

One of the most enjoyable chapters in this book concerns the making of “Sling Blade”; which Mr. Thornton wrote; and his experiences with John Ritter and Dwight Yoakam. Mr. Yoakam’s understanding of his own character in that film is quite remarkable for its insight into the dark side which inhabits us all. And the story of John Ritter’s haircut, done just days shy of his Public Service Announcement being filmed, is hilarious.

Living in a rural town in Arkansas during the 1950’s and 60’s was a very sparse existence. Perhaps this helped shape the author’s thirst for life outside of that small world. Who knows? But his accounts of playing in “garage” bands, and his subsequent brief foray into, as well as his continued interest in,  life as a musician, all speak to the wanderlust which eventually lead him to Hollywood. Along the way there are trips to New York, sleeping in the car as they crossed the country on $500 coast to coast, eating donuts for a week while waiting to get paid at the pizza place, all filled with the characters we have all known; the characters who shape our individual worlds.

And that’s the best part of this book. Mr. Thornton becomes aware at an early age that he has a special talent.  He “sees” all those characters, and then effortlessly portrays them. Initially encouraged by a high school drama teacher; and later an acting coach, as well as Billy Wilder; he is able to get in touch with his own abilities to really “act”. And along the way he has given us some very memorable characters, all of whom will live forever.  This was a fast, and entertaining read.

Keith Richards - Mailer Award Winner

"This is one for the books, if you get my drift - you hacks," the 67-year-old Rolling Stones guitarist joked Tuesday as he accepted the Mailer Prize for Distinguished Biography, a prize earned by his million-selling memoir "Life." Wearing tinted glasses, a long scarf around his neck and a wide red band around his sprawl of salt and pepper hair, Richards stood before hundreds dressed in suits and gowns at the Mandarin Hotel in Manhattan and loosened up as if presiding over a celebrity roast. He chuckled. He swore. He reasoned that since he had been writing - songs - since age 16, his appearance at a literary event was not a total "intrusion."

Read the entire article here;

http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/industry/publishing/keith-richards-life-wins-mailer-book-prize-1005490752.story

It always pleases me when I have read a book which goes on to win an award. It makes me feel as if I really do know a good book when I read one. Keith Richards, who just last week won the Mailer Award for his autobiography "Life", is a good example. I reviewed that book last January, a few months after its release. It was a very credible work. So, I was not too surprised to see that it garnered the Mailer Award last week in New York City. The Mailer Award, is of course, named after Norman Mailer, the iconic news columnist, and author, who passed away in 2007. I grew up on his columns in the New York Daily News. He was the workingman's writer, a journalist who saw more of the underbelly of New York City than almost anyone else in the 1960's.

In case you missed that review, and to give myself a day of rest, I am re-posting it. If you still haven't read this book, give it a whirl. It's well worth the time.

"Life" by Keith Richards

One of the hardest, and most enjoyable aspects of reviewing this book by Keith Richards, is the enormous amount of information he has to impart to the reader. There are, for instance, the names of many musicians who influenced Mr. Richards, but who are totally unrecognizable to those of us on this side of the Atlantic. Take "Wizz" Jones as an example. Mr. Richards cites him as an early influence. Mr. Jones was a British folk singer along the lines of our own Bob Dylan, and he used to drop by the toilet at the art school where all the kids would hang out and play guitar. This was in Chapter 2, so I had to stop reading and get acquainted with "Wizz" Jones. And thanks to our good friend You Tube, it's not that hard to do. Here is Mr. Wizz Jones, on BBC in 1960;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDsQSOf6_ow

Don't take me wrong, I'm not complaining. This is just the type of book I love! One that will stretch my knowledge of the music I love and where it came from. And this book starts giving on page one! Then it keeps on delivering until the very last page.

I have been a Keith Richards fan since I first heard him singing "Connection" with the Stones in 1966. And when he wrote and sang "You've Got the Silver" on "Let It Bleed" in 1969, I was hooked on Keith Richards for life. The man is a human musical note. He sees most things musically, lyrically. That he is able to then translate these visions and craft them into music that rocks the entire world is amazing. That he has done it for almost 50 years is astounding!

I won't bore you with a review of this book and a rehashing of some of the wilder exploits. It would only cheapen this incredible work by Mr. Richards. Let's just say that there is enough sex, drugs and rock and roll in the book to keep the more voyeuristic amongst us very happy. And to that end, the book delivers very well.

But for those looking to read a more serious side of the man known to millions as "Keef", this book is THE place to be. The author explores every aspect of his life, from growing up in post war England, which was still on rations through 1954, his days at art college, an examination of how the British primary schools worked at the time, and everything else you will need to know in order to measure the man.

Musically, the book is a treasure. Mr. Richards explains his method of guitar playing and song writing, right down to the five string open G tuning which he uses on many of The Rolling Stones records, as well as in concert. This portion of the book was so inspiring that I immediatley retuned one of my guitars so that I could check it out myself. I'll keep you posted on that one!

Exploring his sometimes volatile relationship with Mick Jagger is also a very interesting part of the book. How fame affects different people is fascinating, and even more so when told by someone who has lived it.

From the early Bohemian days of the Rolling Stones, founded by Ian Stewart, to the chaotic days of Brian Jones death, and then on through the politics and drug scandals of the late 1990's and beyond, this book is a ticking bomb. Each page explodes with information about the music business, touring, and the petty differences that can plague old friendships on the road.

Many people will be interested in the history of Keith Richards drug use, and on this subject, once again, he dishes up the full story. He does not, as I have read in other reviews, glorify drug use at all, rather he just tells it the way it is. You make the choices for yourself. This whole topic of hard drug use is an education in itself, and written honestly by someone who has been through it all, several times.

The legal problems of the 1970's, when Mr. Richards was under indictment in Canada for trafficking, is of special interest. It is the typical story of a Government catching a tiger by the tail and not knowing what to do with it. And the story of the blind girl, who helps to influence the decision of the judge, will really let you in on who Keith Richards is beneath the surface. I'm no spoiler, so you'll have to read the book if you want to hear that one.

This book holds nothing back. Mr. Richards is completely candid about his family life and the book contains just enough photos to let you peek inside of that world. When dealing with the loss of his infant son Tara, in 1979, he moved me to tears, no exaggeration, and I'm a pretty hard case when it comes to that sort of thing.

His stories are, at times, interspersed with an account of the same event, told from someone else's point of view. This lends credibility to many of the more amazing stories. And there are many!

There are a couple of extra special portions of the book for me. One is the description of the making of the film "Hail, Hail, Rock and Roll", made in 1988. Keith Richards had always been a big fan of Chuck Berry's, but felt that Chuck had been touring for so long, using only "pick up" bands in each town, that he had lost his edge. So he put together a group to back Chuck Berry, with Jesse Ed Davis on guitar, Bobby Keys on sax, and a host of others, including Chuck Berry's original piano player, Johnnie Johnson. Actually, it had been Mr. Johnson's band until Chuck Berry took it over. That film has always been very special to me and it was nice to hear how it all came together.

But the most impressive thing to me was the phone call from Hoagy Carmichael, the man who wrote "Stardust" and a million other songs back in the 1930's through the 50's. The man who was friends with Bix Biederbicke. The man who co-starred with Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall in "To Have and Have Not." He called to say that he had heard a version of Keith doing "The Nearness of You", which had been written in the 1940's. It was a slow song, but Keith had done a tape of it for his lawyer, and had stepped it up to a barrelhouse piano number. He was knocked for a loop when Mr. Carmichael told him that this was the way he originally had envisioned the song.This was only 6 months before Hoagy Carmichael died, and Mr. Richards relishes that call to this very day.

I could go on and on about this book. But it would be better if you'd just read it. This is the side of Keith Richards that so many of his fans have embraced over the years. It is also a side of him that many do not know. Great book.

"Shifty's War" by Marcus Brotherton

This is a very unusual book. It is written as a biography in the first person. Technically, that makes this a "faux" autobiography, but having been pieced together from interviews with "Shifty's" comrades, as well as his family and their letters from him, it is accurate. In addition, the author, who has previously written "Company of Heroes", interviewed Shifty himself, by phone.

The book takes the reader on a first person account through the years leading up to the Second World War. Life in a small town is displayed in almost a sepia tone. In the years leading up to the war, Clincho, Virginia was as rural as it gets. In the hands of the author, the era comes to life as we follow "Shifty" through High School, the Depression, and then the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, which ushered the United States into the war.

Growing up, "Shifty" learned to shoot well at an early age, bagging squirrels and other small game for food. When Pearl Harbor was attacked, "Shifty", like so many other Americans, wanted to be in the fight. His shooting skills would serve him well in the next few years.

His volunteering for an all new outfit, paratroopers, makes this a very different read than most other war memoirs. It is a very personal account of a completley candid and typical young man of his generation. There was a job to be done, and everybody pitched in to do it.

The Invasion of Normandy was the monumental task for which these men trained. They would drop in behind enemy lines, forcing the Germans to fight a rear guard battle, even as the tanks and men rumbled ashore on the beaches at Normandy. The actual combat is somewhat different than we have all seen in the epic films, such as "The Longest Day." The confusion, the errors, and the problems faced by these men during the invasion, as well as after, are all laid bare for the reader to process.

Another fine aspect of this book is the way the author has followed up on "Shifty's" life after the war ends. Some of the men from his unit were still holding re-unions as recently as 2009. Some are gone now, victims of time, which respects no accomplishments. It simply marches on over us.

This is an engaging read, nuanced with the memories of not only "Shifty" Powers, but those of the others who fought by his side.

"The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls

A few years ago I bought Sue this book for Christmas, intending to read it myself at a later date. That was in 2006. Last week I was at the Mooresville Town Library, I can usually be found there several times a week, pouring through the biographies on the rear shelves, and something seemed familiar about the first few pages, I could have sworn that I had read them before. And I had. When picking a book to read,I generally go by the cover, and if I like it I read the first page. If I turn the page to keep reading I assume that I have found a book which I will enjoy. It's a pretty good system that works well for me.

Upon arriving at home I told Sue all about this wonderful book and how it began. She gave me one of those wifely looks that roughly translates into, "What kind of idiot did I actually marry?" It was then that she informed me that we already own this book, and moreover, that I had purchased it. What can I say? When she's right, she's right.

This is a gem of a book. A memoir written out of the pain that comes from being raised in a dysfunctional family. And boy, was this family ever dysfunctional!

The book opens with Ms. Walls in New York City. She is standing outside of her building waiting for the doorman to hail a taxi for her when she sees a woman rummaging through a trash bin. It was her mother. Just how she got there, and how the author dealt with growing up with such unusual parents, is the crux of this beautifully written, no holds barred book.

The authors parents were exceptional people, there is no doubt about that. They teach their chidren to do math in binary numbers prior to 1st grade. They learn to read all the classics before they turn 10. They are children blessed with astute minds and a thirst for learning. They are also burdened with two of the strangest parents one could ever hope to conjure up.

Ms. Walls mother was an aspiring artist who would stop the car in the middle of the desert to paint a Joshua tree. The house was filled with flies because she felt that the chemicals in bug sprays were more dangerous than the flies themselves. This was previous to Rachel Carlson's "Silent Spring."

Mr. Walls was a mechanical genius, always on the verge of inventing something that would pull the family out of the poverty they lived in. His theories were all correct, and would be proven by others, with time and money that he himself would never possess. He was also a hopeless alcoholic.

Bouncing around from the deserts of Arizona to the hills of West Viginia, the family experiences many different hardships. Hunger was a constant companion. There was never any real Christmas holiday celebrated in the usual fashion. The children were almost feral in their lifestyles, roaming wherever they pleased, encouraged by both their mother and father.

The most striking thing about this book is the lack of shame, or even anger towards her parents, that the author feels about her unusual beginnings. This is no "poor me" book. Instead it is an exploration about what happens to the children of those adults, who are too busy fighting their own demons, to be "normal" parents. No matter how strange they may have been, they gave this author the "grit" that she would need to survive. That the author manages to find her own voice, and create a productive life, is a tribute to both her, as well as her parents.

A striking read that was in my house for the last 3 years, or so, and I had to get it from the library! I'm sure to hear from Sue on this one...

"Life" by Keith Richards

One of the hardest, and most enjoyable aspects of reviewing this book by Keith Richards, is the enormous amount of information he has to impart to the reader. There are, for instance, the names of many musicians who influenced Mr. Richards, but who are totally unrecognizable to those of us on this side of the Atlantic. Take "Wizz" Jones as an example. Mr. Richards cites him as an early influence. Mr. Jones was a British folk singer along the lines of our own Bob Dylan, and he used to drop by the toilet at the art school where all the kids would hang out and play guitar. This was in Chapter 2, so I had to stop reading and get acquainted with "Wizz" Jones. And thanks to our good friend You Tube, it's not that hard to do. Here is Mr. Wizz Jones, on BBC in 1960;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDsQSOf6_ow

Don't take me wrong, I'm not complaining. This is just the type of book I love! One that will stretch my knowledge of the music I love and where it came from. And this book starts giving on page one! Then it keeps on delivering until the very last page.

I have been a Keith Richards fan since I first heard him singing "Connection" with the Stones in 1966. And when he wrote and sang "You've Got the Silver" on "Let It Bleed" in 1969, I was hooked on Keith Richards for life. The man is a human musical note. He sees most things musically, lyrically. That he is able to then translate these visions and craft them into music that rocks the entire world is amazing. That he has done it for almost 50 years is astounding!

I won't bore you with a review of this book and a rehashing of some of the wilder exploits. It would only cheapen this incredible work by Mr. Richards. Let's just say that there is enough sex, drugs and rock and roll in the book to keep the more voyeuristic amongst us very happy. And to that end, the book delivers very well.

But for those looking to read a more serious side of the man known to millions as "Keef", this book is THE place to be. The author explores every aspect of his life, from growing up in post war England, which was still on rations through 1954, his days at art college, an examination of how the British primary schools worked at the time, and everything else you will need to know in order to measure the man.

Musically, the book is a treasure. Mr. Richards explains his method of guitar playing and song writing, right down to the five string open G tuning which he uses on many of The Rolling Stones records, as well as in concert. This portion of the book was so inspiring that I immediatley retuned one of my guitars so that I could check it out myself. I'll keep you posted on that one!

Exploring his sometimes volatile relationship with Mick Jagger is also a very interesting part of the book. How fame affects different people is fascinating, and even more so when told by someone who has lived it.

From the early Bohemian days of the Rolling Stones, founded by Ian Stewart, to the chaotic days of Brian Jones death, and then on through the politics and drug scandals of the late 1990's and beyond, this book is a ticking bomb. Each page explodes with information about the music business, touring, and the petty differences that can plague old friendships on the road.

Many people will be interested in the history of Keith Richards drug use, and on this subject, once again, he dishes up the full story. He does not, as I have read in other reviews, glorify drug use at all, rather he just tells it the way it is. You make the choices for yourself. This whole topic of hard drug use is an education in itself, and written honestly by someone who has been through it all, several times.

The legal problems of the 1970's, when Mr. Richards was under indictment in Canada for trafficking, is of special interest. It is the typical story of a Government catching a tiger by the tail and not knowing what to do with it. And the story of the blind girl, who helps to influence the decision of the judge, will really let you in on who Keith Richards is beneath the surface. I'm no spoiler, so you'll have to read the book if you want to hear that one.

This book holds nothing back. Mr. Richards is completely candid about his family life and the book contains just enough photos to let you peek inside of that world. When dealing with the loss of his infant son Tara, in 1979, he moved me to tears, no exaggeration, and I'm a pretty hard case when it comes to that sort of thing.

His stories are, at times, interspersed with an account of the same event, told from someone else's point of view. This lends credibility to many of the more amazing stories. And there are many!

There are a couple of extra special portions of the book for me. One is the description of the making of the film "Hail, Hail, Rock and Roll", made in 1988. Keith Richards had always been a big fan of Chuck Berry's, but felt that Chuck had been touring for so long, using only "pick up" bands in each town, that he had lost his edge. So he put together a group to back Chuck Berry, with Jesse Ed Davis on guitar, Bobby Keys on sax, and a host of others, including Chuck Berry's original piano player, Johnnie Johnson. Actually, it had been Mr. Johnson's band until Chuck Berry took it over. That film has always been very special to me and it was nice to hear how it all came together.

But the most impressive thing to me was the phone call from Hoagy Carmichael, the man who wrote "Stardust" and a million other songs back in the 1930's through the 50's. The man who was friends with Bix Biederbicke. The man who co-starred with Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall in "To Have and Have Not." He called to say that he had heard a version of Keith doing "The Nearness of You", which had been written in the 1940's. It was a slow song, but Keith had done a tape of it for his lawyer, and had stepped it up to a barrelhouse piano number. He was knocked for a loop when Mr. Carmichael told him that this was the way he originally had envisioned the song.This was only 6 months before Hoagy Carmichael died, and Mr. Richards relishes that call to this very day.

I could go on and on about this book. But it would be better if you'd just read it. This is the side of Keith Richards that so many of his fans have embraced over the years. It is also a side of him that many do not know. Great book.

"You Don't Know Me" by Ray Charles Robinson, Jr.

This is an extraordinary book written by Ray Charles oldest son, Ray Charles Robinson, Jr. Coupled with his fathers wonderfully candid autobiography "Ray", this book completes the Ray Charles story. What began as his fathers story in "Ray", becomes the story of a family, sometimes riding high on the wave of celebrity, and at other times a victim of it's more cruel face.

The author re-iterates and re-examines the major points of his fathers life, from the death of his brother George, and the subsequent loss of his own sight. He also gives more insight into the early years on the road where his father formed the signature style that would come to define him for millions of fans worldwide.

The darker side of his fathers life is also lain bare here. The 20 year heroin addiction, covered so honestly in "Ray", is looked at from the point of view of the family, who were often the real victims of the elder Mr. Charles heroin habit. The result of this introspection is probably the closest insight you will ever gain to the life of, and effects upon a family, that stem from drug addiction.

In 1965, after using heroin for 2 decades, the elder Mr. Charles quits "cold turkey" after being charged with transporting heroin on his private plane coming back from Canada. Coming on the heels of his previous arrests for drug possession, he was facing 20 years in prison. He was in the hospital 4 months "getting clean."

Also examined more closely here than in "Ray", is the effect that Mr. Charles' numerous affairs and the children born of these unions, had on the Charles family. If there is any real hero in this book, it is surely Mrs. Charles, who was able to deal with all this insanity while raising a family in as normal way as possible.

The story of the authors mother, Della Beatrice Antwine, would be a great book all on it's own. Born in Richmond, Texas she was the lead tenor with Cecil Hawkins Gospel Group. When Ray Charles heard her voice singing lead on "Pray On, My Child", he was smitten. How he came to be with this woman is a story worthy of a mini-drama. It also serves to underline the unique singlemindedness with which Mr. Charles pursued all of his interests.

The stories told by Mr. Charles in his book "Ray" are all given creedence here as his son recounts, and in a sense, validates, the episodes of his father driving cars, motorcycles and even his own planes. You might say he enjoyed "flying blind."
A lifelong "mechanic" in his own right, you will delight in Mr. Robinson's tales of his father tinkering with everything from a bicycle, a tape recorder and even fixing the cowling on his own airplane after the mechanics said that it couldn't be done.

Mr. Robinson recounts the effects all of this had upon the family, and his parents subsequent divorce, in a respectful and honest narrative. He talks freely of his own drug addiction and recovery, his relationships with his half brothers and sisters, and how he has come to terms with his tumultous legacy as the namesake of one of the world's greatest performers. This book is a gift, given to the reader, by the only person who could have written it.