Friday, December 29, 2017

# biography # book

Book Review: David Bowie

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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I will never forget the reaction of friends when David Bowie died. He was mourned in such a way that I had never seen before. So, when this book became available, I requested it out of sheer curiosity. What was it about this man that people were so drawn to him? In this book, I learned just that in the stories told by those who knew him. Yes, at times, it felt as if I were in a room where people where gossiping and telling tales, but at the same time, I'm brought to memory every funeral dinner I have ever attended. That's just what we do. We tell the tales to keep the person close to you. If you're a long time Bowie fan or even just getting to know him, I recommend this book.






I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments, and opinions are my own.

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