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What Would Keith Richards Do?: Daily Affirmations from a Rock and Roll Survivor
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.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
48 people are currently reading
275 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
January 24, 2012
Here's the best thing in this book...
Keith Richards' Mum's Shepherd's Pie Recipe
3 pounds potatoes, "Tumbling Diced"
1 tablespoon butter
Salt and pepper to taste
2 pounds ground beef
2 large onions, chopped
2 large carrots, grated
1 12-ounce can beef stock
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Place potatoes in large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer until tender. Drain. Using electric mixer or whisk, mash potatoes and butter. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Heat large skillet. Add beef and onions. Season with salt and pepper. Add carrots and stock. Mix in cornstarch, cook 10 minutes. Pour meat mixture into pie dish and top with mashed potatoes. Place under broiler until potatoes begin to turn brown.
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Just from cook's intuition I would be tempted to use one pound beef and one pound lamb plus sprinkle cheddar cheese on top. But Keith hates cheese.
As for the rest of this book, it is fun and entertaining. Advice on how to live a full life from one of the most famous screw-ups that managed to survive his mistakes and live a full life. Most of it is good common sense advice; know yourself, be honest, learn from your mistake, etc. But the attempt to compare Keith Richards to Saint Augustine is a bit of a stretch. Nietzsche I can see. Augustine...no way.
If you try the Shepherd Pie recipe, let me know how it turns out.
Keith Richards' Mum's Shepherd's Pie Recipe
3 pounds potatoes, "Tumbling Diced"
1 tablespoon butter
Salt and pepper to taste
2 pounds ground beef
2 large onions, chopped
2 large carrots, grated
1 12-ounce can beef stock
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Place potatoes in large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer until tender. Drain. Using electric mixer or whisk, mash potatoes and butter. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Heat large skillet. Add beef and onions. Season with salt and pepper. Add carrots and stock. Mix in cornstarch, cook 10 minutes. Pour meat mixture into pie dish and top with mashed potatoes. Place under broiler until potatoes begin to turn brown.
---------------
Just from cook's intuition I would be tempted to use one pound beef and one pound lamb plus sprinkle cheddar cheese on top. But Keith hates cheese.
As for the rest of this book, it is fun and entertaining. Advice on how to live a full life from one of the most famous screw-ups that managed to survive his mistakes and live a full life. Most of it is good common sense advice; know yourself, be honest, learn from your mistake, etc. But the attempt to compare Keith Richards to Saint Augustine is a bit of a stretch. Nietzsche I can see. Augustine...no way.
If you try the Shepherd Pie recipe, let me know how it turns out.
July 24, 2009
Richards is like Pooh, he just is.
March 11, 2024
It was interesting to read the book, written more than a decade ago, shortly after the release of the first Stones album in eighteen years. Conclusion: Keith's a bit older, writing the same cool hooks.
As for the book...I was entertained. As a fun read about a unique figure in music, it was great. As a book aimed at presenting an 'authentic' path through life, it was a book about a talented, angry addict who has survived.
As for the book...I was entertained. As a fun read about a unique figure in music, it was great. As a book aimed at presenting an 'authentic' path through life, it was a book about a talented, angry addict who has survived.
January 24, 2012
Um, this book was not very good. The author really just lifted a bunch of quotes from Keith's recent book and various Keith interviews and interspersed them under different headings. Come on Jessica, you got to put more effort into it than that. The book is highly recommended to people who are looking to reach their 2012 goals for a certain number of books to read because you can read this in one night, while watching America's Funniest Videos.
April 10, 2011
Judging from her name, photograph, and author's note, Ms. West is undoubtedly British. I am a fucking Irishman, and even I know that the name of the R.A.F.'s most famous ace fighter pilot was Sir Douglas Bader, not "Douglas Gader"...
January 7, 2020
As a huge Rolling Stones/Keith Richards fan, I was happy to get this gift. The first four chapters are the most interesting. Weaving in Keef’s words and anecdotes into commandments, style, philosophy. The rest is pretty much filler. Quotes repeated multiple times and a timeline of events that fans know. But I picked up a tidbit or two I didn’t know. 5/5 subject matter. 3/5 actual content.
June 9, 2009
Elvis dead, Hendrix dead, Lennon dead, Cobain dead, Keith Richards still alive! His words: "I will write all of your epitaphs" prophesy, just like he had witnessed the extinction of rock dinosaurs, that he will still be here after all the American Idols and the flavor of the months of today are gone. "I'm timeless now, I'm beyond time," he says. One thing's for sure, as this book will show you, Keith Richards has survived the perils of rock stardom and has come away unscathed and the more wiser with more lives than nine.
August 27, 2009
Most entertaining and amusing chapter was on keith and philosophy, pitting keith against the greats and then the greats on keith. Overall a good read. Don't be fooled though as the majority of this book is composed of quotes from interviews over the years and organized into categories e.g. keith on art or on regret.
May 12, 2010
Being a Stones fan might make me a bit prejudice, but the book is fun.
November 5, 2012
One of the funniest books you will ever read
June 14, 2024
Keith Richards has been my guilty crush for a long time now. So I thought what could be better than a book on how to survive and have a life as successful as his.
The book starts with the twenty six commandments imparted with Keith's life experience, wisdom and wit. The second section is the 'What would Keith do?' section. The third focuses on the philosophy of Keith. My favourites were the final chapters featuring his inimitable fashions, his daily affirmations, and a recipe for his late mother's Shepherds Pie.
Keith's definitely my new found favourite life coach.
The book is an entertaining, fun read and I will definitely be purchasing a hard copy to keep on my bedside table.
The book starts with the twenty six commandments imparted with Keith's life experience, wisdom and wit. The second section is the 'What would Keith do?' section. The third focuses on the philosophy of Keith. My favourites were the final chapters featuring his inimitable fashions, his daily affirmations, and a recipe for his late mother's Shepherds Pie.
Keith's definitely my new found favourite life coach.
The book is an entertaining, fun read and I will definitely be purchasing a hard copy to keep on my bedside table.
June 19, 2025
Ms. West has certainly done her research, trolling through "four decades of media" to cull an impressive trove of KR quotes. Amusing in parts, she really stretches credibility with the early philosophy tie in but recovers nicely with the more personal bits and amusing quotes.
January 27, 2018
When you only give 3 stars or less then you were expecting better...it’s worth the collection of Keith quotes at the back end of the book. Some would make great t-shirts...
January 4, 2022
Annoying
May 23, 2024
Keith Richards as life coach? Who would have thought it! The author did and I'm grateful for her. It's a great book to dip into when you want a taste of Keef's wit and wisdom.
June 14, 2024
Fun. Learned a few things that I didn't know about my high school crush (ongoing).
July 16, 2025
Annoying
September 5, 2009
Being a huge Rolling Stones & Keith Richards fan for decades, I was expecting alot more. Keith is known for his irreverent outlook, biting sarcasm, and outrageous quotes.
This book seemingly gathered the tamest, most ho-hum quotes, with the exception of maybe ten that lived up to Keith Richard-isms.
The author made an interesting comparison between a series of Keith quotes and statements, alongside a series of historical philosophers (Nietzsche, Plato, Aristotle, etc.), which showed remarkable similarities.
There were approximately 10 or 15 quotes and/or statements that appeared at twice in the book.
Here are my favorites, which reflect the kind of Keith-isms I like so much:
On Mick Jagger: "He's rock. I'm roll."
"I've never had any problem with drugs. Only with policemen."
"I ain't gonna live in the box people want to put me in. That's their trip, not mine."
"To me, life is a wild animal. You hope to deal with it when it leaps at you."
"Music is a language that doesn't speak in paticular words. It speaks in emotions, and if it's in the bones, it's in the bones."
This book seemingly gathered the tamest, most ho-hum quotes, with the exception of maybe ten that lived up to Keith Richard-isms.
The author made an interesting comparison between a series of Keith quotes and statements, alongside a series of historical philosophers (Nietzsche, Plato, Aristotle, etc.), which showed remarkable similarities.
There were approximately 10 or 15 quotes and/or statements that appeared at twice in the book.
Here are my favorites, which reflect the kind of Keith-isms I like so much:
On Mick Jagger: "He's rock. I'm roll."
"I've never had any problem with drugs. Only with policemen."
"I ain't gonna live in the box people want to put me in. That's their trip, not mine."
"To me, life is a wild animal. You hope to deal with it when it leaps at you."
"Music is a language that doesn't speak in paticular words. It speaks in emotions, and if it's in the bones, it's in the bones."
August 22, 2014
Es una gran idea para una lectura rápida pero nunca alcanza la altura de su premisa.
Al principio muestra algún sentido al relacionar citas o pensamientos de Keith con las de filósofos y grandes pensadores:
"The hardest victory is over self" - Aristoteles
"I'm here today because i have taken the trouble to find out who i am" - Keith
"If a man neglects education, he walks lame to the end of his life" - Platón
"Nobody stops growing, otherwise there's no point in doing the trip in the first place" - Keith
Eso más un toque de humor parecía la mezcla perfecta, solo que con pasar una cuantas páginas se desvaneció lo interesante y se convirtió en un compendio de citas de Keith Richards y los Rolling Stones.
Al principio muestra algún sentido al relacionar citas o pensamientos de Keith con las de filósofos y grandes pensadores:
"The hardest victory is over self" - Aristoteles
"I'm here today because i have taken the trouble to find out who i am" - Keith
"If a man neglects education, he walks lame to the end of his life" - Platón
"Nobody stops growing, otherwise there's no point in doing the trip in the first place" - Keith
Eso más un toque de humor parecía la mezcla perfecta, solo que con pasar una cuantas páginas se desvaneció lo interesante y se convirtió en un compendio de citas de Keith Richards y los Rolling Stones.
January 12, 2015
Thought this was going to be so much more fun than it was. After reading Keith's book I expected a lot more from this. I know it's unauthorized and really unaffiliated with Keith, but I just expected more. The first 40 pages or so are ok and kind of interesting, but the rest of it is pretty repetitive. And if you've read Keith's book, you really don't have to read the last 50 pages or so because it's all information that you already read in more detail.
Couldn't read it fast enough.
Couldn't read it fast enough.
July 16, 2009
I'm loving this book. It really makes you understand why Keith Richards lasted so long. It also underscores so much self-help stuff that relates to attitude, humor, knowing yourself, etc. Plus, the guy is hysterical. Really funny. It's so understandable why Richards was voted THE most fan-obsessed Living rock star (even more than Jagger!) :)
October 28, 2011
Keith is one of my personal heroes. A friend moved to London for a while and brought me back a copy of this book when he returned, and I just loved it. Keithism is a way of life that leads to wisdom, creativity and survival - or to severe alcohol poisoning.
Keith is a legend and an example to all, mostly to our currently misguided "Z" Generation.
Keith is a legend and an example to all, mostly to our currently misguided "Z" Generation.
May 21, 2009
This is a very good book. My friend recently wrote it!
July 18, 2009
Very interesting! At times the author sounded like an obsessed teenage girl, but pretty good overall.
September 24, 2009
dumb, but funny
January 6, 2011
the life of a rich, self-indulgent heroin addict.
February 17, 2011
A great idea; you're bound to have far more fun using taking Keef as your inspiration than someone like, for example, Jesus.
August 5, 2011
Super fun read. I enjoyed getting to know Keith Richards better. Anybody can benefit from knowing Keith Richards a little better.
November 7, 2011
Funny. Expected more. But, I always do for Keef.
December 14, 2011
loved it!
for the Rolling Stone fan...:)
for the Rolling Stone fan...:)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews