The Sun & the Moon & the Rolling Stones

For Cohen, a cocreator of the HBO series Vinyl, contributing editor at Vanity Fair and Rolling Stone, and author (Tough Jews; The Fish That Ate the Whale), the Rolling Stones have been a profound influence. The author worshipped the band in his youth, met and wrote about them as a journalist, and formed relationships with group members many fans would covet. Here Cohen interweaves his personal experiences with a history of the Stones. This group biography offers glimpses into the band's development—playing in small blues clubs, breaking big in England and the rest of the world, etc. The account isn't comprehensive and says little about their music after the late 1970s. As such, the author focuses on the band's more famous (or infamous) moments: recording at Chess Records, the firing of Brian Jones, and the disastrous 1969 concert at Altamont. Stones fans will be aware of these events but will appreciate the fresh perspective Cohen brings to this storied enterprise.