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A review by tommyhousworth
On Bowie by Rob Sheffield
4.0
This is a terrific book from music writer Rob Sheffield. He approaches Bowie's career as a fan, not as a critic. For those of us who admired and loved Bowie's music, but might not have been aficionados of his every musical and cultural nuance, this book hits the sweet spot. It never dives into minutiae or feels heavy handed. It's like coffee with a Bowie fan who wants to share a fair assessment of his hits and misses, his humanity and his struggles.
The book, chaptered by albums and eras, takes us from his early days as David Jones to his passing in 2016 and the luminous "Lazarus" that capped off his career. I'd recommend it to anyone who is looking for an introduction to Bowie, or a high-level appreciation of his life and artistry. If you know the lyrics and session players for every album from "Low" to "Never Let Me Down", this might be a deep enough dive for you, but you'll appreciate Sheffield's honesty, respect, and awareness of Bowie and his impact on our culture.
The book, chaptered by albums and eras, takes us from his early days as David Jones to his passing in 2016 and the luminous "Lazarus" that capped off his career. I'd recommend it to anyone who is looking for an introduction to Bowie, or a high-level appreciation of his life and artistry. If you know the lyrics and session players for every album from "Low" to "Never Let Me Down", this might be a deep enough dive for you, but you'll appreciate Sheffield's honesty, respect, and awareness of Bowie and his impact on our culture.