The True Adventures of the Rolling Stones

Starred review from October 15, 2013

First published in 1984 as Dance with the Devil and reappearing to commemorate the Stones' 50th anniversary, this is both an insightful firsthand account of the legendary band's epochal 1969 American tour and a thorough history of the group to that point. The tour journal portion is rife with debauched anecdotes, while the biographical half covers the band's bluesy beginnings, Keith Richards and Mick Jagger's combustible, hit-making chemistry, and, best of all, founding member Brian Jones's changing role within the group and eventual ousting. The parallel narratives both end in controversial deaths--Jones's tragic drowning and the stabbing of a concertgoer at the disastrous Altamont show. Booth proves to be both an engaging storyteller and a skillful journalist, giving fans an insider's view of who the Stones were and how they behaved on tour while also chronicling their formative years and early success. The updated edition includes a new afterword by Booth, who describes his personal struggles upon returning from the drug-addled, life-changing tour. Narrator Nick Sullivan capably conveys a variety of accents and personalities. VERDICT Highly recommended to anyone interested in the highs and lows of the Stones' first decade.--Douglas King, Univ. of South Carolina Lib., Columbia

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