David Bowie: A Life

David Bowie: A Life

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  • Create Date:2021-04-07 11:56:56
  • Update Date:2025-09-06
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  • Author:Dylan Jones
  • ISBN:045149783X
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Summary

Dylan Jones's engrossing, magisterial biography of David Bowie is unlike any Bowie story ever written。 Drawn from over 180 interviews with friends, rivals, lovers, and collaborators, some of whom have never before spoken about their relationship with Bowie, this oral history weaves a hypnotic spell as it unfolds the story of a remarkable rise to stardom and an unparalleled artistic path。 Tracing Bowie's life from the English suburbs to London to New York to Los Angeles, Berlin, and beyond, its collective voices describe a man profoundly shaped by his relationship with his schizophrenic half-brother Terry; an intuitive artist who could absorb influences through intense relationships and yet drop people cold when they were no longer of use; and a social creature equally comfortable partying with John Lennon and dining with Frank Sinatra。 By turns insightful and deliciously gossipy, DAVID BOWIE is as intimate a portrait as may ever be drawn。 It sparks with admiration and grievances, lust and envy, as the speakers bring you into studios and bedrooms they shared with Bowie, and onto stages and film sets, opening corners of his mind and experience that transform our understanding of both artist and art。 Including illuminating, never-before-seen material from Bowie himself, drawn from a series of Jones's interviews with him across two decades, DAVID BOWIE is an epic, unforgettable cocktail-party conversation about a man whose enigmatic shapeshifting and irrepressible creativity produced one of the most sprawling, fascinating lives of our time。

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Reviews

Scott Langston

A complicated book, about a complicated life。 The raw journalistic is style - interview extracts strung together with almost no narrative - almost had me give up at the beginning。 I found it cold, clinical。 And then at some point, maybe when I got to the Bowie I remembered from the early 1980s, it began to read more easily。 It’s an honest account - Jones doesn’t shy away from inconvenient truths。 I guess the largely absent author’s narrative implies a lack of agenda, an objective account, and I’ A complicated book, about a complicated life。 The raw journalistic is style - interview extracts strung together with almost no narrative - almost had me give up at the beginning。 I found it cold, clinical。 And then at some point, maybe when I got to the Bowie I remembered from the early 1980s, it began to read more easily。 It’s an honest account - Jones doesn’t shy away from inconvenient truths。 I guess the largely absent author’s narrative implies a lack of agenda, an objective account, and I’m sure this was intended。 However, Jones must have chosen to leave out as much as he put in, so there’s still bias and agenda。 It does feel like a loving homage to an imperfect human being。 At the end of the day, who could ask for more than that? I’ve discovered Bowie’s music through this book, buying and listening to many albums I didn’t know existed。 It’s been quite a journey。 。。。more

Bill Currie

Endearing biography from a trusted source。Dylan Jones book on Bowie is a complex testament to a man who was both persona and private。 Built from years of interviews and curated material from collaborators, friends, family and Bowie himself, Jones presents a portrayal that is candid, guarded, respectful and celebratory。 In a world where gossipy fiction outweighs truth and facts, Jones’ book allows Bowie to once again tower over the shallow world of fame。 Must-read for fans and newcomers trying to Endearing biography from a trusted source。Dylan Jones book on Bowie is a complex testament to a man who was both persona and private。 Built from years of interviews and curated material from collaborators, friends, family and Bowie himself, Jones presents a portrayal that is candid, guarded, respectful and celebratory。 In a world where gossipy fiction outweighs truth and facts, Jones’ book allows Bowie to once again tower over the shallow world of fame。 Must-read for fans and newcomers trying to understand。 。。。more

Erin

Ugh one word: edit。 Somehow managed to take someone as fascinating as David Bowie and make him boring。 But three stars because it’s still about David Bowie。

Pete Maguire

Best music biography I’ve readA fascinating book。 More a collection of memories than any real narrative, but memories that loosely follow the timeline of Bowie’s career。 Some of which are fantastically contradictory。 I felt like I really got to know a little more of “the man who fell to earth”。

Andrew

It was fine - it's not a proper biography in that it's just a series of interviews with a whole bunch of people (Bowie included) that have been chopped up and placed in chronological order。 I got it not knowing this。 I was interested completely at first but then found it easier and easier to read something else instead of plowing through this - hence why it took me two months to get through it。Overall it's interesting enough - a lot of tidbits relating to/about specific periods in Bowie's career It was fine - it's not a proper biography in that it's just a series of interviews with a whole bunch of people (Bowie included) that have been chopped up and placed in chronological order。 I got it not knowing this。 I was interested completely at first but then found it easier and easier to read something else instead of plowing through this - hence why it took me two months to get through it。Overall it's interesting enough - a lot of tidbits relating to/about specific periods in Bowie's career - but not the kind of biography I was hoping it would be。 。。。more

Don Annand

This is a biography of sorts presented almost entirely through quotes of Bowie’s friends, acquaintances, band members, business associates and hangers-on。 There are also a few quotes from Bowie himself。 It provides insights into his ambitions, motivations, character and demons throughout his career。 What comes through is the portrait of an ambitious artist who clearly recognized the difference between himself as a private individual and the persona created as an artist, but has to deal with the This is a biography of sorts presented almost entirely through quotes of Bowie’s friends, acquaintances, band members, business associates and hangers-on。 There are also a few quotes from Bowie himself。 It provides insights into his ambitions, motivations, character and demons throughout his career。 What comes through is the portrait of an ambitious artist who clearly recognized the difference between himself as a private individual and the persona created as an artist, but has to deal with the fame related to that persona or personas。 He seems to have come to terms with it and has succeeded in living a life which embodies that dicotomy。 。。。more

Mike Balsom

A true five-star bio of the man of many identities。 Dylan Jones’ choice to publish this as an oral history rather than a traditional biography accomplishes something that I have rarely seen in a rock and roll life story。 It is summed up nicely by fellow British writer Paul Morley near the end of the book。 Morley says that “there may have been hundreds of books about David Bowie, but I had my own David Bowie and I like that history of David Bowie。” It made me realize that, unlike any other rock m A true five-star bio of the man of many identities。 Dylan Jones’ choice to publish this as an oral history rather than a traditional biography accomplishes something that I have rarely seen in a rock and roll life story。 It is summed up nicely by fellow British writer Paul Morley near the end of the book。 Morley says that “there may have been hundreds of books about David Bowie, but I had my own David Bowie and I like that history of David Bowie。” It made me realize that, unlike any other rock musician we have lost over the years, yes, even John Lennon, we all had our own relationship with the man, related to our own experience with his music and art。 That’s clear from reading the comments from the many collaborators, lovers, admirers and hangers-on compiled here。 So, while avoiding writing the definitive “biography” of the man by choosing to use the oral history format, Jones has really written the actual definitive history of what David Bowie was all about。 。。。more

Stephen

enjoyed this an oral history of the life and career of David Bowie (Jones) from his childhood in Brixton and Bromley to stardom through Ziggy stardust and his musical ties with Brian Eno and Iggy Pop

Chris Valentine

My two favourite things about this book tell you pretty much everything you need to know about my parasocial relationship with David Bowie:1。 An account of Lou Reed smacking David around in a restaurant。2。 All the people who worked on Labyrinth attesting to that yes, they knew that there was an inappropriate sexual frisson to the movie, but nevertheless David kept asking them to make his codpiece biggerWow!

Chaz Gower

How do you write a book about someone who has lived a life as full of。。。 LIFE, as David Bowie has?You let the people who were THERE during each period of the person's life tell their side of what happened。I have to say, I quite enjoy these Oral History type of biographies - I pretty clearly think I have a great sense of who David Bowie was - not always an easy thing to put together from just one person's perspective。The good, the bad, the strange, the sad - it's all here。 Not everyone agrees of How do you write a book about someone who has lived a life as full of。。。 LIFE, as David Bowie has?You let the people who were THERE during each period of the person's life tell their side of what happened。I have to say, I quite enjoy these Oral History type of biographies - I pretty clearly think I have a great sense of who David Bowie was - not always an easy thing to put together from just one person's perspective。The good, the bad, the strange, the sad - it's all here。 Not everyone agrees of course, and that's what makes these books interesting。 It's a lot of perspective, from his childhood, through his death, about everything, and I enjoyed it from beginning to end。 The Ziggy Stardust phenomenon, the Thin White Duke years, the massive cocaine, living in Germany with Iggy Pop, making his way through the late 70's, the pop rebirth on MTV - Bowie just kept going and going。。。One of the great artists of my lifetime。。。 。。。more

Rebecca Martin

So cleverly done。 I fairly knew Bowie’s life story before starting this, and had read another book specifically covering his time in Berlin。This book was wonderfully executed, with accounts from those who knew, lived with, loved, worked and admired Bowie gathered and arranged to tell the story of his life。 It took me a while to finish, as non fiction often does, but it was glorious and a really well rounded telling, as it wasn’t just people who loved him who provided the memories。

Ken Mitten

Definitely enjoyed this。 Oral history so interviews conversations grouped by stretches of time from Bowie's early years, when he was Davy Jones to his death and beyond。 Highly recommended Definitely enjoyed this。 Oral history so interviews conversations grouped by stretches of time from Bowie's early years, when he was Davy Jones to his death and beyond。 Highly recommended 。。。more

David Boddy

Probably 50 excess pages。 Shame, really。

Bagus

“An oral biography?” was the question on my mind after reading the acknowledgements part。 It was uncommon to see an oral biography。 At first, I was just thinking that it might be the laziness part of Dylan Jones in constructing this book。 Upon reading it further, my viewpoint has changed that this is a biography that is written out of love, much like Anthony DeCurtis’ Lou Reed: A Life。 It’s just that, there are no other forms of biography which would do an artist in Bowie’s stature more justice “An oral biography?” was the question on my mind after reading the acknowledgements part。 It was uncommon to see an oral biography。 At first, I was just thinking that it might be the laziness part of Dylan Jones in constructing this book。 Upon reading it further, my viewpoint has changed that this is a biography that is written out of love, much like Anthony DeCurtis’ Lou Reed: A Life。 It’s just that, there are no other forms of biography which would do an artist in Bowie’s stature more justice rather than an oral biography。 Dylan Jones is creative, and he sure knows a lot about Bowie to be able to construct this biography, knowing fully well how secretive Bowie was in the last few years of his life。 This book is not as polyphonic as oral history works crafted by Svetlana Alexievich, however, it’s rich in perspectives。 As much Bowie fan I was before reading this book, it still uncovers many details that are previously unknown to me about Bowie。 The strength of oral history is that each person interviewed could testify their own statements uncensored by editors in the conventional sense of book-publishing。 There might be contradictory remarks given by people who were close to Bowie in particular periods of his life, yet those sentences leave up to the readers to figure out “who is the real Bowie” in this sense。Born David Robert Jones on 8 January 1947, Bowie has sparked a lot of influences during the brief period of his life。 He tried a lot of things to find his own voices, personas, ways to express himself fully。 He tried folk music, before finally setting out with the theatrical persona of Ziggy Stardust in the early 1970s。 He had ups and downs。 He revived Lou Reed and Iggy Pop, giving them a new life to restart their careers in the 1970s。 He went to Berlin during the Cold War, giving birth to the so-called Berlin Trilogies。 He fought to keep his relevance in the 1980s, that we could see from Let’s Dance。 This inspires me a lot that there is only one constant thing in life, and that’s “change”。 I have read various rock star biographies, but none felt as intimate as this oral history work of Dylan Jones。 History is full of subjectivity。 Much more if that history concerns a person as the main subject, that is a biography。 As an artist, not only Bowie has introduced us to many new phenomenons that weren’t in the mainstream viewpoints, he also in some sense liberated many people from historical limitations。 His courage to appear as Ziggy Stardust paved way for many people who question their sexuality to finally come to terms with that。 His Berlin Trilogy shows the Westerners to see Eastern Europe beyond the Iron Curtain during the Cold War。 And even his death was staged really well, with the release of Blackstar。 The “limitless” deserves a limitless approach to be analysed, and therefore presenting many viewpoints through oral history is something that Bowie deserved in this book。However, I’ll say that you have to really be into Bowie’s music in general, and into the musical acts surrounding Bowie in order to really “get” the message in this book。 This is not a book for the faint-hearted, as it omits some introductory explanations that would be helpful for readers who are unfamiliar with Bowie。 If you’re new to David Bowie, I would suggest to opt first for Paul Trynka’s works or supplement your knowledge about the various people mentioned in this book through Wikipedia。 I might be biased, but this biography is surely a gem to understand the complexities that constituted David Bowie, albeit its rather weird form。 。。。more

Jan Crackfeed

Incredibly disappointed to discover that this was not a biography but an 'oral history' - which is just a pretentious way of saying excerpts from interviews。The book is very pompous and comes across more as boastful anecdotes and self-indulgent 'I know this or that famous person' claims。I chose it because everywhere it's proclaimed as the 'Definitive Book on Bowie' - but it's not a biography, it's far from definitive, and it's about many other people who knew Bowie, but there is no structured na Incredibly disappointed to discover that this was not a biography but an 'oral history' - which is just a pretentious way of saying excerpts from interviews。The book is very pompous and comes across more as boastful anecdotes and self-indulgent 'I know this or that famous person' claims。I chose it because everywhere it's proclaimed as the 'Definitive Book on Bowie' - but it's not a biography, it's far from definitive, and it's about many other people who knew Bowie, but there is no structured narrative that tells the tale of his life。 It is in essence a very long Bowie fan magazine。 。。。more

Diane

I knew nothing about Bowie until I read this book and I think it presented a true and full portrait of the man but it did get a bit too long and could have been edited better。

Stephen Bacon

The best kind of biographies (and autobiographies) offer a personal insight into the career of a particular individual and allow us to embark on their journey through life with them。 They give intimate details about that person, allowing us to build up a picture of what they were like, so much so that the reader should feel they know them personally。 I’m very pleased to say that Dylan Jones manages to achieve this aim with BOWIE: A LIFE。 It’s a book made up of hundreds of separate interviews wit The best kind of biographies (and autobiographies) offer a personal insight into the career of a particular individual and allow us to embark on their journey through life with them。 They give intimate details about that person, allowing us to build up a picture of what they were like, so much so that the reader should feel they know them personally。 I’m very pleased to say that Dylan Jones manages to achieve this aim with BOWIE: A LIFE。 It’s a book made up of hundreds of separate interviews with David Bowie, as well as the people who knew him and worked with him。 It’s a rather original method, and one that works perfectly well in a way that builds up an impression of the man from multiple viewpoints。 Very few of the opinions contrast, which suggests that there’s an honesty to the interviews that accurately inform upon the chronology of events – and our ultimate impression of Bowie – that isn’t skewed by the author’s single viewpoint。 The anecdotes are often fascinating, and build together to shape the image of a man who was a true artist, whether it be through his music or his fashion or even in the way he inspired others that followed。 It’s difficult to overstate Bowie’s cultural influence, and after reading this book it’s easy to see why。 He comes across as an intelligent but extremely driven individual who constantly recreated different personas in order to achieve his artistic goals。 The stories and observations give me the impression of someone I would very much liked to have met (something that doesn’t always happen in biographies)。 And there’s a nice balance to the sentiments – this isn’t simply a hagiography, there are moments where Bowie’s flaws are discussed and there are is a cold objectivity to some aspects of his behaviour。There’s a nice balance to the interviews, which are painstakingly organised into small sections which tell the chronology of Bowie’s life, from his earliest beginnings in Bromley, through the highs and lows of his career, right up until his far too-early death at the age of 69。 The fact that he was working right up until the end (his final album Blackstar – a superb record – was released on his birthday, literally days before he passed away) shows how his unwavering artistic drive was not diminished。 He left an outstanding body of work and this book is a very fitting tribute to both the artist and the man known as David Bowie。 Highly recommended。 。。。more

David

At times, I thought I must have read this book before, only l knew for a fact that I hadn't! I think it was because so many of the interviews were familiar from other volumes on Lou, Iggy and Bowie himself。Nevertheless, this is an excellent retelling of a familiar story with the final section, covering the period from his 2004 heart attack to his eventual death in 2016, being particularly moving。 A recommended read with a jarring final comment which really leaves you wondering。。。 At times, I thought I must have read this book before, only l knew for a fact that I hadn't! I think it was because so many of the interviews were familiar from other volumes on Lou, Iggy and Bowie himself。Nevertheless, this is an excellent retelling of a familiar story with the final section, covering the period from his 2004 heart attack to his eventual death in 2016, being particularly moving。 A recommended read with a jarring final comment which really leaves you wondering。。。 。。。more

Chelsea Atchley

Beyond the format, this was an interesting read about Bowie。

Mark Nutting

The multiple voices work in the context of telling Bowie’s life story as there were so many aspects to him that were open to a multitude of interpretations。 A fascinating read。

David

It's taken me a long time to finish this book, as I've mostly been dipping in and out of it。 I have to admit I knew very little about David Bowie before reading the book, but his music has regularly been a part of my life, at least those few popular tracks that get the most attention anyway。 So when he died and I heard so much about his influence here, there and everywhere, I decided I needed to learn a bit more about him。 This book seemed to be consistently one of the highest rated and I can se It's taken me a long time to finish this book, as I've mostly been dipping in and out of it。 I have to admit I knew very little about David Bowie before reading the book, but his music has regularly been a part of my life, at least those few popular tracks that get the most attention anyway。 So when he died and I heard so much about his influence here, there and everywhere, I decided I needed to learn a bit more about him。 This book seemed to be consistently one of the highest rated and I can see why。This isn't a single narrative, this isn't one person's opinion, although there's no doubt editorial influence。 Reading through the book I feel that you get a real 360° view of Bowie。 The early chapters of the book feel particularly like building a sculpture in 3D by adding a layer, rotating the sculpture a little and then adding on the next bit。The work that must have gone in to collect, collate and index all the interviews and then arrange them into something so readable shouldn't be underestimated。 This is a labour of love, no doubt。I have a real understanding and appreciation of who Bowie was, and why he meant so much to so many people。 In that respect the book did it's job perfectly。 。。。more

Kimberlie Perry

It took me a while to slog through this one。 The book reads like a documentary with interviews/snippets by people who were there with Bowie during the moments cataloged in the book。 Too many time I asked myself, 'how important is it to get yet another persons view of the same exact moment in time?' and 'why is this important to the overall life of David Bowie?'I put the book aside and read other things while I worked thru it。 What came out clearly is Bowie's work ethic and how involved he was in It took me a while to slog through this one。 The book reads like a documentary with interviews/snippets by people who were there with Bowie during the moments cataloged in the book。 Too many time I asked myself, 'how important is it to get yet another persons view of the same exact moment in time?' and 'why is this important to the overall life of David Bowie?'I put the book aside and read other things while I worked thru it。 What came out clearly is Bowie's work ethic and how involved he was in the creative process of not only his but the music of many people during his lifetime。 I am glad I read the book but it really needed to be edited down。 I would gladly watch or listen to the tapes of the interviews。 However, without the visual context of who the person speaking is, I felt that the story was disjointed。 Perhaps someone more aware of the bit players in Bowie's life would have an easier time of it。 I did find that the details regarding his life, prior to crossing the pond。 to be enlightening but incoherent given the sources of that information。It is very important to read the book through to the end。 Some information that was written about prior to his death has been updated and corrected。 。。。more

Angela

As much as I loved reading about the intimate details of Bowie’s life, I found the format absolutely insufferable。 It’s obvious that a lot of research went into the book but clipping pieces of interviews together makes for more of an incomprehensible quilt of people’s opinions rather than a biography。

Andrea

Great for Bowie fans, real insight into his musical creativity and personality。 Love how book was comprised all of interviews with family, colleagues, rock stars, etc

Kelly

I remember the first time I heard the song "Heroes。" I was in high school and was truly beginning to get into Bowie's extensive discography。 Bowie was in the middle of his "techno/industrial" era, and the furthest I had gone back, music wise, was "Let's Dance。" There's a part in the song where Bowie sings, "We can be heroes forever and ever" and he follows it up with an almost subtle,"What you say?" Those three words were the most important to be because I interpreted them as an invitation。 I wa I remember the first time I heard the song "Heroes。" I was in high school and was truly beginning to get into Bowie's extensive discography。 Bowie was in the middle of his "techno/industrial" era, and the furthest I had gone back, music wise, was "Let's Dance。" There's a part in the song where Bowie sings, "We can be heroes forever and ever" and he follows it up with an almost subtle,"What you say?" Those three words were the most important to be because I interpreted them as an invitation。 I was invited to become who I was meant to become。 I was invited to be an individual。 I was invited to wave my own flag and not care if those around me didn't get it, and in high school that is a valuable lesson to learn。 Those three words opened doors to a world many are invited to, but some just don't enter。 When I was a kid "Let's Dance" and Labyrinth piqued my interest in Bowie, but "Heroes" ushered teenage me in with open arms。 I never had the chance to see Bowie live, and I've heard that it's never good to meet your heroes because you'll be let down。 Dylan Jones offers various portraits of David Bowie in this book that can both confirm and deny Bowie's hero status。 Dylan Jones is a respected music journalist, so his collection of stories from those who knew/encountered David Bowie are well-organized and easy to read。 This is not a book I would recommend for someone who wants to learn more about Bowie, but rather, a book for seasoned fans who are more interested in the intricacies of the man。 (Paul Trynka's biography is good, but avoid Wendy Leigh's!) Each chapter focuses on a specific period in Bowie's life, and this book captured more personal experiences of friends and loved ones。 I felt like I wasn't reading something that was written from the outside looking in, but rather someone who respectfully gives readers the good, the bad, and the ugly in regards to a man I still consider to be quite the enigma。 I wasn't as interested in Bowie's early days as I was his time in Berlin and all that fell afterwards。 I knew Bowie was a flawed human being, and this book doesn't sugar coat the fact that many mentioned he was someone who could "ghost" a person just as well as a seasoned player。 I appreciated how even Bowie acknowledged that some of his albums were just plain bad and have not aged well at all。 (I'm looking at you Tonight, Never Let Me Down, Hours, and Reality。) I was especially thankful for the commentary about Bowie's with Lori Mattix in the '70s。 I was always troubled by the power dynamic of this situation, and I'm so glad that it is brought to the reader's attention given the MeToo era we are currently in。 I feel like the last two chapters were the best because they gave new insight into the recording of his final two albums。 I truly enjoy The Next Day, and to read about the secrecy that went on during the recording process was interesting。 Bowie was at a point in his career where he didn't feel the need to promote his work, give interview after interview, and complete a world tour, so he let the work speak for itself。The final chapter focused on the last few months of his life and the process of recording his final album, knowing it would be his last。 I didn't understand as I listened to that album days earlier (it was released two days before his death) that he was saying goodbye to us all。 To this day I still can't listen to Blackstar in full。 The symbolism in the music videos for "Blackstar" and "Lazarus" that I couldn't piece together before his death all became crystal clear in their symbolism after January 10th。 As I read that chapter, I relived the day I learned of Bowie's death with every vignette I read。 I've told many that I lost a family member that day because that is truly what it felt like, and I took comfort in reading the accounts of those whose lives were changed for the better because of Bowie's music or films。 It's sobering to realize that our heroes are mere mortals, and this chapter showed that I wasn't the only one who had trouble processing it。This book is an essential for any hardcore Bowie fan。 I've found myself going back in the Bowie catalog and rediscovering albums like Outside and Heathen that I don't automatically go to like I do favorites like Low and Diamond Dogs。 Jones did a great job sharing the experiences of many, and like Bowie's final album, this book is a gift to those of us who discovered who we are because of Bowie。 。。。more

Vitória Orsi

Super riqueza de detalhes, mas ler em alemão foi um desafio !

Sarah Newton

"David Bowie - A Life" by Dylan Jones。 One of the best biographies I think I've read。 Its "polyphonic" structure almost hides the author behind a series of interviews, statements, and excerpts from people who, in their own way, passed through Bowie's life - including Davy Jones himself - giving the feeling of a transparent, documentary-like reality to the narrative。 Everyone's talking - not only Bowie, but Ronno, Trevor Bolder, Tony Visconti, Defries, Angie, Iman, and all the rock luminaries fro "David Bowie - A Life" by Dylan Jones。 One of the best biographies I think I've read。 Its "polyphonic" structure almost hides the author behind a series of interviews, statements, and excerpts from people who, in their own way, passed through Bowie's life - including Davy Jones himself - giving the feeling of a transparent, documentary-like reality to the narrative。 Everyone's talking - not only Bowie, but Ronno, Trevor Bolder, Tony Visconti, Defries, Angie, Iman, and all the rock luminaries from the Sixties to the present-day。 Here and there are texts from Dylan Jones himself, stitching the excerpts together, providing necessary segues and elisions, and it's really only there that you become aware there *is* an authorial voice, coming through in the selections of the excerpts and the way they're juxtaposed。 What emerges is a complex, fascinating, multifaceted image of Bowie, which shines with reality - as it should, as the monolithic presentation of human beings in traditional biographies is *the* great fiction。 People are complex, contradictory, capable of being many things to many people - and Bowie epitomises this kaleidoscopic nature。 But above all you glimpse a decent, intelligent, amazingly creative man, trying to make sense of the world, his own flawed nature, gradually shedding impurities as he ages to work towards the sublime。 He's a nasty arsehole from time to time, and an incandescent hero-walker at others。 Funny, profound, pretentious, superficial, serious, pompous, lighthearted, clichéd, unique, original。。。Above all Bowie's life is a great story。 It transcends the rock star cliché to become something fascinating, eternal, and deeply human。 This is the first Bowie bio I've read which really does go from start to finish, warts and all, and not only is it the best Bowie bio I've read, it's probably the best bio I've read。 Worth a look。 。。。more

Paul Flattery

I love Oral Histories and this is one of the best。 Thoroughly recommend it if you're a music fan。 I love Oral Histories and this is one of the best。 Thoroughly recommend it if you're a music fan。 。。。more

Neil

Although I was initially sceptical by the oral biography format it does in fact fit the subject very well, even taking into account the pompous (Bono, George, Rhodes), vacuous (Moss, Buell) and just plain annoying (Angie, any number of groupies)。 The Spiders' contributions though are excellent as are many others, providing a different view of a unique musician/pop star。 The later art and 'Bowie bond' years will test the patience of even the most obsessive fan though。 And the post-January 2016 ob Although I was initially sceptical by the oral biography format it does in fact fit the subject very well, even taking into account the pompous (Bono, George, Rhodes), vacuous (Moss, Buell) and just plain annoying (Angie, any number of groupies)。 The Spiders' contributions though are excellent as are many others, providing a different view of a unique musician/pop star。 The later art and 'Bowie bond' years will test the patience of even the most obsessive fan though。 And the post-January 2016 observations were on the whole just not needed。 Note to Bono - The Only Ones 'Another Girl, Another Planet' is not about 'travel, escape and moving on'。 It's about heroin addiction。 。。。more

Taff Jones

Thoroughly absorbing from start to finish。 Only one or two utterly toe curling reflections (Lady Gaga), and very nearly tipped into sucking the hem of the garment territory towards the end but on balance managed to steer round it。