On Bowie

Rob Sheffield

Book - 2016

"A thoughtful and loving meditation on the life of the late David Bowie explores his creative legacy and the enduring and mutual connection he enjoyed with his fans,"--NoveList.

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Subjects
Published
New York, NY : Dey St., an imprint of William Morrow Publishers [2016]
Language
English
Main Author
Rob Sheffield (author)
Edition
First edition
Physical Description
197 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : color illustrations ; 20 cm
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages 195-197).
ISBN
9780062562708
  • Introduction
  • The Night David Bowie Died
  • The London Boy
  • Major Tom (1969-1980-2016)
  • The Queen Bitch Who Sold the World
  • The Starman
  • The Night Ziggy Met America
  • Aladdin Sane
  • The Cracked Actor
  • Young Americans
  • The Plastic Soul Brother
  • The Man Who Fell to Earth
  • The Thin White Duke
  • The Dictator
  • The Low Profile
  • The DJ
  • The Lodger
  • The Modern Lover
  • Let's Not Dance
  • Looking for Satellites
  • Where Are We Now?
  • The Blackstar
  • Acknowledgments
  • Notes
  • About the Author
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

Not quite a biography, Sheffield's book, written shortly after Bowie's death earlier this year, focuses on the impact of the artist's music on pop culture and society. After an opening chapter called "The Night David Bowie Died," the book follows Bowie's career from his first hit, "Space Oddity" to the release of his final album, Blackstar, just days before his death. Written over the months following Bowie's death, Sheffield's book intertwines accounts of his own encounters with the artist's music and more biographical elements, in order to investigate the musician's legacy. Sheffield details the experiences that shaped Bowie's work, including a stoned viewing of 2001: A Space Odyssey and studying the Kabbalah and the Stations of the Cross. The timeline is mostly linear, but it often veers ahead to discuss how future generations enjoying Bowie's music might interpret his work. A quick and stylish read, Sheffield's eulogy-like piece memorializes Bowie while leaving the future of the artist's legacy open-ended. Sheffield contextualizes it with ample research and interviews throughout, keeping a personal tone while a tapestry of voices praise Bowie's music and its impact on their lives. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.