This is a monster book, and I honestly didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did. But by the end of it, I felt like I had a pretty solid insight into the characters of the four Stones represented in this book: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, and Ronnie Wood.

Written to coincide with the band's 40th anniversary--I truly believed they did it then because they didn't expect to have a 50th, yet here they are, 53 years later--it's a mostly high-level glimpse into their full history. They cover all the hotspots - the drug bust at Richards' house, Richards' Toronto drug bust, Mick and Keith's falling out, Brian Jones' self-destruction, the murder at Altamont. It's all here, but most of that isn't front and centre.

What is is the interplay between the four of them, with some asides to Brian Jones, Mick Taylor, Ian Stewart, Bill Wyman, Andrew Loog Oldham and others, and, of course, the music.

And what you get a sense of, more than anything, is that this is a band that has been doing this longer than any other band on the planet (discounting, of course, those nostalgia bands that still go by the same name, but perhaps have a single remaining member, and haven't released an album of new content in decades). As one of the commentators at the end of one the chapters says, the Rolling Stones wrote the book. They may be old, but no group has ever--or likely will ever--attain and maintain the level of success these guys have.

It's a good book. Well worth the time. ( )

Ugh I hate interview books… I didn’t even bother attempting to read this one, and just settled for looking at the pictures! ( )

As the title would suggest, this book is the story of the world’s most enduring rock ‘n’ roll band, the Rolling Stones – in their own words.

In 2002/2003, the Rolling Stones celebrated 40 years together, by embarking upon the ‘Forty Licks’ world tour (I was lucky to see them in amazing form in Prague). During that tour, a team of four interviews, including Sir Tim Rice and Down Loewenstein (son of the band’s financial advisor of three decades), interviewed the group at length, and this book is the result.

The book is divided into chapters, with each chapter covering one period in the Stones’ career. The four members of the group relate their memories, and the narration chops and changes between each member, so that it comes across as a conversation between them, rather than four separate interviews. At the end of each chapter is an essay by somebody who has had some dealing or interest in the band’s career, including Don Was, who has produced some of their albums; Sheryl Crow, who has supported them on tour; and author Carl Hiassen, an avid fan who was lucky enough to meet the band and spend some time with them.

There are mostly good and a couple of not-so-good parts to this book. I liked the fact that the interviews were obviously informal, and each member of the band’s personality came across really well – Mick Jagger being sensible and businesslike, Keith Richards being unconventional and uncompromising, Charlie Watts being always polite and reasonable, and Ronnie Wood leaping about with boundless enthusiasm. Also, the short, ‘choppy’ style of the writing (each excerpt from each member’s interview is no longer than two pages, and sometimes no longer than one sentence, although they all generally have several entries in each chapter). This makes is very easy and quick to read.

However, there is no input whatsoever from Bill Wyman, who was a member of the band for a very long time, and also no input from Mick Taylor who had the unenviable task of becoming guitarist after Brian Jones was sacked, and who subsequently remained in the band for 5 years. It would have been interesting to get their perspectives.

This is not as involved and detailed as other biographies I have read of the band; however it is told in the words of the band members themselves, so is therefore obviously very credible.

It probably goes without saying that, as with all biographies, this is really a book for fans only, but I would add that even if your interest in the band is only a passing one, you would probably find something to enjoy here. ( )

HIghly recommended for all Stones fans ( )