What Would Keith Richards Do?: Daily Affirmations from a Rock and Roll Survivor [Hardcover]

Jessica Pallington West (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 28, 2009

The perfect gift for the legions of fans of the Rolling Stones: timeless wisdom and spiritual beliefs inspired by one of the world’s great survivors, Keith Richards.

What is a wise man? What is a prophet?

Someone with a strange, unflappable demeanor. Someone who speaks in cryptic koans, words whose meanings take years to unravel. Someone who has confronted death, God, sin, and the immortal soul. Someone unfit for this world, but too brilliant to depart it. Someone, in short, like Keith Richards.

Here, at last, the wisdom of this indefatigable man is recorded and set forth. These are his visionary words: “I would rather be a legend than a dead legend.” Or “Whatever side I take, I know well that I will be blamed.” And—indeed—“I’ve never had a problem with drugs, only with policemen.”

Not merely a compendium of wisdom, this book is also a complete guide to the inner workings of a complex and inspired belief system, and the life of a man sanctified by fame. What Would Keith Richards Do? reminds us to learn from our mistakes, let our instincts lead us, and above all, do what Keith has done better than anyone—survive.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jessica Pallington West is the author of Lipstick. Her writing has been featured in the Daily Telegraph, BBC-TV and BBC Radio, and About.com. She is a die-hard Stones fan.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA (April 28, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1596916141
• ISBN-13: 978-1596916142
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #53,021 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

96 of 96 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Go Keith! Loved it!, April 29, 2009

By 

Molly Peacock Jones "CrackerPaints" (New Hampshire) - See all my reviews

This review is from: What Would Keith Richards Do?: Daily Affirmations from a Rock and Roll Survivor (Hardcover)

Not only is the most comprehensive book of Keith quotes and his wit and wisdom, it's also funny. The Keith information is pretty comprehensive-- it's a novel concept of how to tell the Keith Richards story outside of a traditional biography. Plus- you have this format of a making-fun-of-self help books that actually has a lot of pretty good self-help advice. Living life the Keith Richards way, while a humorous concept, actually makes a lot of sense, because so much of what he has to say is surprisingly smart and wise-- and you get it why he survived this long. Especially liked the Keith timeline that put forth the full biography of Keith in a way not seen before. There's some not-often seen facts about his childhood (his first gig as a teen where he got stranded at a bus stop over night, his early job demonstrating refrigerators), the run-down of his fight with "Brenda" Jagger, and the timeline of his arrests, car-crashes, and Ron Wood-related disasters. A lot of these quotes will be familiar to the rock n roll fan, and some of them will be surprising and new. And- you get Keith's mum's recipe for Shepherd's Pie. An original concept, fun, and recommended-- especially for a Stones fan.

62 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars LOVE this book!, April 30, 2009

By 

Bobbi Sox "Bobbi" (San Francisco) - See all my reviews

This review is from: What Would Keith Richards Do?: Daily Affirmations from a Rock and Roll Survivor (Hardcover)

I love how this book pokes fun at self help books, but at the same time is the best self help book you'll ever need. It's funny, witty, and thought provoking. All the wisdom you ever need can come from Keith Richards. I have this book out on the kitchen table and read a few pages or a few lines every day. It offers me just the right amount of wisdom and advice when I need it. It is well written and full of facts, too. It is a must for any Stones fan, but even those who are remotely familiar with Keith and the Stones would appreciate it, too. Get this book, you'll love it!

39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Book of Keef, May 7, 2009

By 

Dustii Spaydz (Houston. tx) - See all my reviews

This review is from: What Would Keith Richards Do?: Daily Affirmations from a Rock and Roll Survivor (Hardcover)

Wow this girl did her research. If you're a die hard Keith Richards or Stones fan pick this up! Fun and interesting read...It's essentially a Keith Richards Bible :)