The True Adventures of the Rolling Stones

By: Stanley Booth

Narrated by: Adrian Mulraney

Stanley Booth, a member of the Rolling Stones’ inner circle, met the band just a few months before Brian Jones drowned in a swimming pool in 1968. He lived with them throughout their 1969 American tour, staying up all night with them listening to blues, talking about music, ingesting drugs, and consorting with groupies. His thrilling account culminates with their final concert at Altamont Speedway: a nightmare of beating, stabbing, and killing that would signal the end of a generation’s dreams of peace and freedom.

In Booth’s new afterword, he finally explains why it took him 15 years to write the book, relating an astonishing story of drugs, jails, and disasters that has been called - by Harold Brodkey and Robert Stone, among others - the best book ever written about the sixties.

©1984, 2000 Stanley Booth. (P)2012 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

Critic reviews

"Stanley Booth is one hell of a writer. The evidence is clear once you pick up his book on the world's greatest rock 'n' roll band, The True Adventures of The Rolling Stones. Many writers and Stones fans feel that Booth's tale is not only the definitive book on the Stones, but one of the definitive rock books, period." (Steven Ward, Rockcritics.com)

"If you buy one book on the Rolling Stones, you'd be a fool if this wasn't it." (Fat City)

Poetic, Hip, Great Time Machine of a book!

What made the experience of listening to The True Adventures of the Rolling Stones the most enjoyable?

The author painted wonderful pictures of the times!

What did you like best about this story?

I didn't want it to end! I especially appreciated the way the author really made Brian Jones an active part of the book, which is so important.

What aspect of Adrian Mulraney’s performance would you have changed?

This particular narrator was not a good choice for the material. An Englishman reading a book written from the perspective of a man from Waycross, GA isn't a good fit, unless he's imitating Mick Jagger's cockney accent. Unfortunate choice for such a cool book with great moments and characters that required a little more southern flavor at times.

Difficult to Continue

What was most disappointing about Stanley Booth’s story?

The jumping between times made it hard to follow.

How could the performance have been better?

This is the worst Audio Book I have bought. The intonation used by the reader often made no sense of the text an really spoiled the listening experience. I suspect the story is more enjoyable than my experience of it.

Couldnt finish!

The story telling and narration are quite poor and it makes it hard to enjoy. Seemed to be full of alot of "you had to be there" moments. Wouldnt recommend. I haven't had much luck with Rolling Stones books! Mick's "Life" was crap as well :(