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Lives of the Musicians
David Bowie
A relentless innovator, scoring chart hits while simultaneously incorporating radical and ground-breaking elements into his work.
As with all great pop stars, Bowie's image changed with almost every new album release. This appetite for reinvention, both musically and visually, saw him dubbed the 'chameleon of pop'. But Bowie's influence extended well beyond his discography and make-up drawer. His androgynous qualities and public statements on his sexuality proved liberating for those who were uncertain about their own. Lives of the David Bowie covers the years he spent struggling to find the right artistic outlet to the dramatic breakthrough in 1972 with Ziggy Stardust – and afterwards, the excessive lifestyle that nearly cost him his sanity. It continues with his artistic rebirth in Berlin during the late Seventies, the mainstream success he achieved with Let's Dance in 1983 and the artistic price that he paid for it.
As with all great pop stars, Bowie's image changed with almost every new album release. This appetite for reinvention, both musically and visually, saw him dubbed the 'chameleon of pop'. But Bowie's influence extended well beyond his discography and make-up drawer. His androgynous qualities and public statements on his sexuality proved liberating for those who were uncertain about their own. Lives of the David Bowie covers the years he spent struggling to find the right artistic outlet to the dramatic breakthrough in 1972 with Ziggy Stardust – and afterwards, the excessive lifestyle that nearly cost him his sanity. It continues with his artistic rebirth in Berlin during the late Seventies, the mainstream success he achieved with Let's Dance in 1983 and the artistic price that he paid for it.
- GenresNonfictionMusic
168 pages, Hardcover
Published February 9, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
August 3, 2022
Good little Bowie book. I enjoyed it!
January 11, 2022
"Where is the joy in definitive meanings when the play of multiplicity is so rich with possibilities?"
I would have liked to have that Bowie's phrase to be reflected on this biography. The first part of the book does that, talking about his childhood, role models and influences; but there comes a part where there's almost just like a listing of albums and songs with no further investigation.
This biography is compressed information and entertaining, but lacks deepness in the discussion of his persona. Brief, but not necessarily relevant.
I would have liked to have that Bowie's phrase to be reflected on this biography. The first part of the book does that, talking about his childhood, role models and influences; but there comes a part where there's almost just like a listing of albums and songs with no further investigation.
This biography is compressed information and entertaining, but lacks deepness in the discussion of his persona. Brief, but not necessarily relevant.
December 18, 2020
I wouldn't call myself a Bowie fan, but I've enjoyed his music in the past and his ever changing persona was always of interest. I love to read biographies, especially those about musicians so was keen to have a read of this and learn more about Bowie and his music.
It was an interesting read and certainly seemed comprehensive, but probably more suited towards real fans, than those with just a light interest.
It was an interesting read and certainly seemed comprehensive, but probably more suited towards real fans, than those with just a light interest.
February 12, 2021
David Bowie, Robert Dimery
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: Biography & memoirs. Non-fiction
I'm a child of the seventies, had the Bowie posters on my wall back in 72, much to dad's horror. He never did approve of my musical tastes, Bowie, Queen, Slade ( mum gave them a pass as she liked Noddy, til she read about him bragging how many women he'd had sex with!)Alice cooper, T Rex, Mott the Hoople....many of them get mentions here and I enjoyed that.
I'm the typical average Bowie fan of the seventies, bought the records, followed the career, copied the man. I wanted to learn more about Bowie the person, how he began, how the music started, what inspired certain songs, his musical influences and connections, and the beginning felt like that.
Then it moved into areas that seemed to leave much of Bowie behind in favour of mentions of others and analysis of his music. His son barely gets a passing mention it felt, and yet he must have had a huge impact in his life. Looking after a child is huge, you can't just flit off and leave them home alone for a coupe of weeks....How did he manage, was his son brought with him, left with others, did Angie look after him? Though given her issues that's unlikely, but that's the kind of thing I was curious about. The practicalities. How did he afford to continue, where did the money come from? Record companies I assume, but what were the strings?
I loved little snippets like him giving Mott the Hoople All The Young Dudes, and the interactions with Marc Bolan that the first part held and was sure this was going to be a book I'd love. If that kind of detail had continued, I would have loved it.
Later though I felt it became very in depth, too in depth on the wrong ( for me ) focus, citing people, people and yet more people, giving far more opinions about the music than the facts and snippets around its inception I would have loved, and I was lost. I didn't know these specific people from the music world. I know nothing of labels, producers, directors, stylists, and all the back staff, I barely know what they do, have no idea who they are. They meant nothing to me other than how they affect Bowie. I had to keep tracking back working out where and why and how and I didn't enjoy that.
I didn't feel the book focused enough on Bowie himself and the reasons for the music, but more on how his rise grew through others, bringing those others into the book more than I wanted. I didn't know them, wasn't invested in their stories. That's me though, and others will find just what they want from this.
Stars: Three. Bowie was a musical genius, and I don't feel this book does him justice. Its got some interest to it, but overall he didn't feel the focus to me, his life and influences was what I wanted, not the myriad of ancillary label people.
ARC supplied by Netgalley and publishers
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: Biography & memoirs. Non-fiction
I'm a child of the seventies, had the Bowie posters on my wall back in 72, much to dad's horror. He never did approve of my musical tastes, Bowie, Queen, Slade ( mum gave them a pass as she liked Noddy, til she read about him bragging how many women he'd had sex with!)Alice cooper, T Rex, Mott the Hoople....many of them get mentions here and I enjoyed that.
I'm the typical average Bowie fan of the seventies, bought the records, followed the career, copied the man. I wanted to learn more about Bowie the person, how he began, how the music started, what inspired certain songs, his musical influences and connections, and the beginning felt like that.
Then it moved into areas that seemed to leave much of Bowie behind in favour of mentions of others and analysis of his music. His son barely gets a passing mention it felt, and yet he must have had a huge impact in his life. Looking after a child is huge, you can't just flit off and leave them home alone for a coupe of weeks....How did he manage, was his son brought with him, left with others, did Angie look after him? Though given her issues that's unlikely, but that's the kind of thing I was curious about. The practicalities. How did he afford to continue, where did the money come from? Record companies I assume, but what were the strings?
I loved little snippets like him giving Mott the Hoople All The Young Dudes, and the interactions with Marc Bolan that the first part held and was sure this was going to be a book I'd love. If that kind of detail had continued, I would have loved it.
Later though I felt it became very in depth, too in depth on the wrong ( for me ) focus, citing people, people and yet more people, giving far more opinions about the music than the facts and snippets around its inception I would have loved, and I was lost. I didn't know these specific people from the music world. I know nothing of labels, producers, directors, stylists, and all the back staff, I barely know what they do, have no idea who they are. They meant nothing to me other than how they affect Bowie. I had to keep tracking back working out where and why and how and I didn't enjoy that.
I didn't feel the book focused enough on Bowie himself and the reasons for the music, but more on how his rise grew through others, bringing those others into the book more than I wanted. I didn't know them, wasn't invested in their stories. That's me though, and others will find just what they want from this.
Stars: Three. Bowie was a musical genius, and I don't feel this book does him justice. Its got some interest to it, but overall he didn't feel the focus to me, his life and influences was what I wanted, not the myriad of ancillary label people.
ARC supplied by Netgalley and publishers
December 17, 2020
I’m a music addict and a big Bowie fan. I worked with him in the past, I’m awed by his talent, his charisma, his mystery. That’s why I gave this three stars. Otherwise it would be two.
One reads a biography to understand a person. To learn the things that can only be uncovered through involvement or deep research. Bowie is a hero in n my mind - I want to know how he is a mere mortal.
The first half of this book does a decent job of Bowie’s childhood. It is not in depth, bit that’s not what the intention of the book is. That said, I would’ve liked to better understand his relationships with his parents and with Terry, his half brother.
The second half of the book is unfortunate. It is basically just one record review after another where the author gives his opinion on each song and it’s merit. If I wanted that, I’d read Rolling Stone.
I didn’t get what I was hoping out of this. Maybe I will just watch a documentary instead.
#netgalley #bowie
One reads a biography to understand a person. To learn the things that can only be uncovered through involvement or deep research. Bowie is a hero in n my mind - I want to know how he is a mere mortal.
The first half of this book does a decent job of Bowie’s childhood. It is not in depth, bit that’s not what the intention of the book is. That said, I would’ve liked to better understand his relationships with his parents and with Terry, his half brother.
The second half of the book is unfortunate. It is basically just one record review after another where the author gives his opinion on each song and it’s merit. If I wanted that, I’d read Rolling Stone.
I didn’t get what I was hoping out of this. Maybe I will just watch a documentary instead.
#netgalley #bowie
January 1, 2021
I have always had a casual interest in David Bowie. By no means a super fan, I have been intrigued by tales of gender bending and artistic experimentation, cult classic hits, and of course, whatever went on with Mick Jagger and in later days, Iman. This biography about David Bowie was not written for people like me.
The writing style of this book was almost frenetic, peppering the reader with references that would likely enthrall someone who has closely followed Bowie’s musical evolution or musicians of a similar zeitgeist. The intermingling and reciprocal influences would likely be fascinating if I knew more about the artists being briefly referenced. Sadly, I was left with more questions than answers.
To be honest, I was hoping for deeper explorations into this prolific artist’s evolution through life, including his relationships and his work. I wanted to get a better feeling for Bowie as a human being. Instead, I went on a quick tour of Bowie’s entire song (and acting) catalog with some cursory stories about how each piece came to be. 1 sentence dedicated to a suicide attempt? Passing reference to his child? Listing trysts with various women and men rather than understanding the people involved? Not enough for me.
This book would be better suited for someone already familiar with the music and entertainment underground of the 60’s and 70’s. It is written for the reader who is more interested in Bowie’s music than learning about Bowie himself. But even for that person, this book did not seem to share any deeper insight into the man or his music. While I am grateful to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for early access to this e-galley, it was not a good fit for me.
The opinions in this review are entirely my own.
The writing style of this book was almost frenetic, peppering the reader with references that would likely enthrall someone who has closely followed Bowie’s musical evolution or musicians of a similar zeitgeist. The intermingling and reciprocal influences would likely be fascinating if I knew more about the artists being briefly referenced. Sadly, I was left with more questions than answers.
To be honest, I was hoping for deeper explorations into this prolific artist’s evolution through life, including his relationships and his work. I wanted to get a better feeling for Bowie as a human being. Instead, I went on a quick tour of Bowie’s entire song (and acting) catalog with some cursory stories about how each piece came to be. 1 sentence dedicated to a suicide attempt? Passing reference to his child? Listing trysts with various women and men rather than understanding the people involved? Not enough for me.
This book would be better suited for someone already familiar with the music and entertainment underground of the 60’s and 70’s. It is written for the reader who is more interested in Bowie’s music than learning about Bowie himself. But even for that person, this book did not seem to share any deeper insight into the man or his music. While I am grateful to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for early access to this e-galley, it was not a good fit for me.
The opinions in this review are entirely my own.
April 9, 2021
“David Bowie” by Robert Dimery tackles one of music’s most gifted, charismatic, and oddest personalities. The story of how David Robert Jones became David Bowie, the poster boy for 1970s rock n roll, is a great tale about following your dreams and not letting others define who you are.
Robert Dimery starts with a cursory look at Bowie’s early life, his family growing up, before he gets into his music career. In fact, this book spends a lot more time on early Bowie than his later years. We get a lot about his early work, how he dabbled in other media (mime, acting, performance art), and how he let his interests and the atmosphere around him inspire his work and persona. Each album / time period is covered in a separate chapter, the Ziggy Stardust and Berlin trilogy are (of course) my favorite time periods and I believe that they could have used some more history.
And being a Bowie fan, I was always hoping for something more. This is not an in-depth biography, Mr. Dimery skirts around the edges of Bowie, mostly relying on other people’s work and sticking to the barest facts. Even as one finishes this book one feels like we didn’t really learn anything about the man. People are mentioned that drift in and out of his story without really exploring which ones were close, which ones made an impact.
This is a good quick introduction / outline to the genius of David Bowie, which will leave you wanting to know more.
I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Laurence King Publishing Ltd via NetGalley. Thank you!
Robert Dimery starts with a cursory look at Bowie’s early life, his family growing up, before he gets into his music career. In fact, this book spends a lot more time on early Bowie than his later years. We get a lot about his early work, how he dabbled in other media (mime, acting, performance art), and how he let his interests and the atmosphere around him inspire his work and persona. Each album / time period is covered in a separate chapter, the Ziggy Stardust and Berlin trilogy are (of course) my favorite time periods and I believe that they could have used some more history.
And being a Bowie fan, I was always hoping for something more. This is not an in-depth biography, Mr. Dimery skirts around the edges of Bowie, mostly relying on other people’s work and sticking to the barest facts. Even as one finishes this book one feels like we didn’t really learn anything about the man. People are mentioned that drift in and out of his story without really exploring which ones were close, which ones made an impact.
This is a good quick introduction / outline to the genius of David Bowie, which will leave you wanting to know more.
I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Laurence King Publishing Ltd via NetGalley. Thank you!
January 23, 2021
Boring
I read an eARC from NetGalley and Laurence King Publishing in exchange for an honest review. I have been fascinated with David Bowie since I read an Labyrinth interview with him in Muppet magazine (yes, I'm dating myself!) This book is a Cliff Notes of Bowie's career. Somehow, this author managed to make David Bowie boring. I didn't think that was even possible. Dimery's writing style put me off - tossing off facts/references at break neck speed as if he was writing about an object and not a person. He wrote about Bowie's 60s and 70s music with care. Bowie's music during the 80s and beyond felt rushed through as if the author had to cram those decades in. I was hoping for a deeper exploration into the man behind the artistry. It's for a reader who wants a quick introduction to his music but this doesn't even give much insight about that. Unfortunately, this was not a good fit for me.
I read an eARC from NetGalley and Laurence King Publishing in exchange for an honest review. I have been fascinated with David Bowie since I read an Labyrinth interview with him in Muppet magazine (yes, I'm dating myself!) This book is a Cliff Notes of Bowie's career. Somehow, this author managed to make David Bowie boring. I didn't think that was even possible. Dimery's writing style put me off - tossing off facts/references at break neck speed as if he was writing about an object and not a person. He wrote about Bowie's 60s and 70s music with care. Bowie's music during the 80s and beyond felt rushed through as if the author had to cram those decades in. I was hoping for a deeper exploration into the man behind the artistry. It's for a reader who wants a quick introduction to his music but this doesn't even give much insight about that. Unfortunately, this was not a good fit for me.
February 26, 2021
I have been a fan of David Bowie since I was about 14 when I first heard ‘Scary Monsters’, and loved his originality and ever-changing musical (and fashion) directions, so I was keen to read a new biography of him. I must admit that I enjoyed the first part of the book more than the latter, this might be because it dealt with less well-known periods of his life although I did feel that these episodes could have been discussed in more depth. But the second part of the book was a real let down for me, offering me nothing new that I could not read in one of the many already published books about Bowie. Having now looked at the type of books that Dimrey has written before which seem to be mostly ‘list’ type books I am not surprised that I found this to be a little lightweight.
January 17, 2021
A biography of David Bowie, I felt would be an ambitious book for anyone to pull off, there is after all, so much to say about him, but one that Robert Dimery has managed expertly to do, to make it an excellent introduction or addition to anyone's musician book collection.
The contents page is enough to intrigue and scoop David Barlow fans up:
Becoming Bowie ♦ Of Mods and Mime ♦ Lift-off ♦ Rock 'n' Roll Alien ♦ Ziggy Goes To America ♦
Diamond Dogs and the Thin White Duke ♦ Berlin Calling ♦ Scary Monsters (and Superstardom) ♦
Losing the Muse ♦ Art-house Rules
This book is mature in writing. Let's face it, writing about someone as elusive and yet as popular as David Bowie must have been an exciting opportunity, but very nicely it doesn't feel like the author has hyped him up. He hasn't shied away from, what must have been challenging times in David Bowie's life of not being instantly loved and having to face some criticism. There are also the times, which must have been terrific, when things were going well. It feels very authentic and rounded.
The book, after a foreward, begins to tell you who David Bowie was as a man, the street he was on and a bit about his close family life and extended relatives and the atmosphere certain developments created. It captivates and gives a bit more understanding of David Bowie, away from the professional, famous persona he had. There are also other popstars of the time mentioned, which gives depth and all relates to David Bowie one way or another and bands he was part of. It is interesting reading about the eclectic music involved and performing on music shows such as Ready Steady Go, in his early career. There is also a look at the actual development of how he became a solo artist. There's a nuanced exploration into sexuality that pops up every so often, like just reminding people how this influenced people and how people related to David Bowie. It is evident that a lot of David Bowie's life has been researched and also the wider sphere of it, which creates fascination and in a way, perhaps readers will see something of themselves reflected back at them or remember the quotes from some famous fans, from the likes of NME.
It says about the uneasy start of Space Oddity, which these days, it's hard to believe, but this is what the book shows, that the pop business isn't as easy as it makes out to be. It has a truth about it, that even the most well-known had very challenging times. The book rolls into Bowie's alter-ego - Ziggy Stardust and what influenced certain music, such as his stage entrances. There are nuggets throughout the book, which is like a glimpse of behind the scenes and into the music business, as well as his own individuality, creating such a fascinating book. Going stateside is quite the eye-opener in terms of music, but even more so in the affect it had on himself and Angie. Later it talks of Iman and takes readers right up to Blackstar, where it is all quite emotional due to his death, and yet stay in keeping with the tone of the rest of the book, which is factual and has a professional, rather than over-excited fan, feel to it and that's what helps keep it interesting, at times intriguing and most certainly compelling. It feels like this is okay to read because it seems to document how things are and there are some well-placed quotes, which brings David Bowie's voice into the writing. It feels respectful. In the middle of the book, there are also some fabulous photos of David Bowie, documenting through his years of being a star, pictorially.
At the back, readers are treated to discography and further reading of live albums.
https://bookmarksandstages.home.blog
The contents page is enough to intrigue and scoop David Barlow fans up:
Becoming Bowie ♦ Of Mods and Mime ♦ Lift-off ♦ Rock 'n' Roll Alien ♦ Ziggy Goes To America ♦
Diamond Dogs and the Thin White Duke ♦ Berlin Calling ♦ Scary Monsters (and Superstardom) ♦
Losing the Muse ♦ Art-house Rules
This book is mature in writing. Let's face it, writing about someone as elusive and yet as popular as David Bowie must have been an exciting opportunity, but very nicely it doesn't feel like the author has hyped him up. He hasn't shied away from, what must have been challenging times in David Bowie's life of not being instantly loved and having to face some criticism. There are also the times, which must have been terrific, when things were going well. It feels very authentic and rounded.
The book, after a foreward, begins to tell you who David Bowie was as a man, the street he was on and a bit about his close family life and extended relatives and the atmosphere certain developments created. It captivates and gives a bit more understanding of David Bowie, away from the professional, famous persona he had. There are also other popstars of the time mentioned, which gives depth and all relates to David Bowie one way or another and bands he was part of. It is interesting reading about the eclectic music involved and performing on music shows such as Ready Steady Go, in his early career. There is also a look at the actual development of how he became a solo artist. There's a nuanced exploration into sexuality that pops up every so often, like just reminding people how this influenced people and how people related to David Bowie. It is evident that a lot of David Bowie's life has been researched and also the wider sphere of it, which creates fascination and in a way, perhaps readers will see something of themselves reflected back at them or remember the quotes from some famous fans, from the likes of NME.
It says about the uneasy start of Space Oddity, which these days, it's hard to believe, but this is what the book shows, that the pop business isn't as easy as it makes out to be. It has a truth about it, that even the most well-known had very challenging times. The book rolls into Bowie's alter-ego - Ziggy Stardust and what influenced certain music, such as his stage entrances. There are nuggets throughout the book, which is like a glimpse of behind the scenes and into the music business, as well as his own individuality, creating such a fascinating book. Going stateside is quite the eye-opener in terms of music, but even more so in the affect it had on himself and Angie. Later it talks of Iman and takes readers right up to Blackstar, where it is all quite emotional due to his death, and yet stay in keeping with the tone of the rest of the book, which is factual and has a professional, rather than over-excited fan, feel to it and that's what helps keep it interesting, at times intriguing and most certainly compelling. It feels like this is okay to read because it seems to document how things are and there are some well-placed quotes, which brings David Bowie's voice into the writing. It feels respectful. In the middle of the book, there are also some fabulous photos of David Bowie, documenting through his years of being a star, pictorially.
At the back, readers are treated to discography and further reading of live albums.
https://bookmarksandstages.home.blog
January 23, 2021
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
David Bowie is a new bio about the iconic entertainer/artist . Due out 9th Feb 2021 from Laurence King publishing, it's 156 pages and will be available in hardcover format.
The biography follows Bowie's life and career chronologically from his childhood through his chameleon-like stylistic reinventions and the personas he created. The biographer does a good job of avoiding info-dumping dry facts and provides a lot of back-story anecdotes and behind-the-scenes glimpses of Bowie's interactions and friendships and collaborations.
It's difficult to overestimate the cultural impact Bowie had on modern music and art. The author spends a fair bit of content delineating his artistic periods and documenting them, but the book doesn't only talk about Bowie in a creative vacuum. I also enjoyed very much the stories behind his amazing collaborations with other musicians, actors, and visual artists, and the massive body of work he left behind with so very many talented people.
There isn't much here about his personal life, marriages, or family life with his children. For readers looking for the TMZ version of Bowie's life or conquests, this book will be something of a disappointment. For readers looking for a concise and succinct music history of Bowie and how he shaped modern music through his collaborations, this will be much more appealing.
There are some useful appendices included in the book: a chronological discography, abbreviated bibliography, and cross referenced index. There are also a number of publicity and press photos included, but very little personal photography.
Four stars. This would also be a good support text for classroom instruction on modern music history, culture, and allied subjects.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
David Bowie is a new bio about the iconic entertainer/artist . Due out 9th Feb 2021 from Laurence King publishing, it's 156 pages and will be available in hardcover format.
The biography follows Bowie's life and career chronologically from his childhood through his chameleon-like stylistic reinventions and the personas he created. The biographer does a good job of avoiding info-dumping dry facts and provides a lot of back-story anecdotes and behind-the-scenes glimpses of Bowie's interactions and friendships and collaborations.
It's difficult to overestimate the cultural impact Bowie had on modern music and art. The author spends a fair bit of content delineating his artistic periods and documenting them, but the book doesn't only talk about Bowie in a creative vacuum. I also enjoyed very much the stories behind his amazing collaborations with other musicians, actors, and visual artists, and the massive body of work he left behind with so very many talented people.
There isn't much here about his personal life, marriages, or family life with his children. For readers looking for the TMZ version of Bowie's life or conquests, this book will be something of a disappointment. For readers looking for a concise and succinct music history of Bowie and how he shaped modern music through his collaborations, this will be much more appealing.
There are some useful appendices included in the book: a chronological discography, abbreviated bibliography, and cross referenced index. There are also a number of publicity and press photos included, but very little personal photography.
Four stars. This would also be a good support text for classroom instruction on modern music history, culture, and allied subjects.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
December 24, 2020
David Bowie from Robert Dimery is part of the Lives of the Musicians series, intended to be short but concise biographies of important musicians. Within that context, this book works very well.
If you come to this expecting new and as yet unpublished information, you obviously didn't read what the book was written to accomplish. Not to mention it makes no sense for you to think a short 144 page (body of the book) volume is an in depth groundbreaking work. The issue is not with the book but with the faux outrage of those wanting to display their pseudo credentials as "true" Bowie fans. Save it.
This volume is a very good general biography. It covers his entire life as well as his music. And no, the latter part of the book is not just music reviews, but reading comprehension is a weak point for many, so... If you know nothing about Bowie other than some of his music, this is a great introduction. Even if you have read most of the books about him, as I and many other people have, this is still a nice quick overview that lets you spend a few hours reliving his life.
I would recommend this to readers who want a short biography of the person to go along with their love of his music. I would also recommend this to those who may well have read many of the critical books about his music or his life but like to have a nice quick read that covers everything without getting into every little piece of minutiae. I might refrain from recommending this to those who are more interested in showing how much they (think) they know, after all, they already know everything.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
If you come to this expecting new and as yet unpublished information, you obviously didn't read what the book was written to accomplish. Not to mention it makes no sense for you to think a short 144 page (body of the book) volume is an in depth groundbreaking work. The issue is not with the book but with the faux outrage of those wanting to display their pseudo credentials as "true" Bowie fans. Save it.
This volume is a very good general biography. It covers his entire life as well as his music. And no, the latter part of the book is not just music reviews, but reading comprehension is a weak point for many, so... If you know nothing about Bowie other than some of his music, this is a great introduction. Even if you have read most of the books about him, as I and many other people have, this is still a nice quick overview that lets you spend a few hours reliving his life.
I would recommend this to readers who want a short biography of the person to go along with their love of his music. I would also recommend this to those who may well have read many of the critical books about his music or his life but like to have a nice quick read that covers everything without getting into every little piece of minutiae. I might refrain from recommending this to those who are more interested in showing how much they (think) they know, after all, they already know everything.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
February 6, 2021
*I was kindly sent this in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley*
Synopsis:
This is a David Bowie biography, and it goes from his childhood and his first hits in the 1960s to his death in 2016. This biography explores the phases that Bowie went through throughout his career and the different personas that he created (Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane, The Thin White Duke, …), and how he kept reinventing himself until the very end, when he published the album Blackstar on his 69th birthday, exactly 2 days before passing away.
Opinion:
This was a very nice addition to my ever-growing book collection on David Bowie. Overall it was a very good book, I think the author made a good job. This contains a lot of information, sometimes to the point that the book feel a bit dense. There is not a single picture until page 77, and after reading the first couple of chapters I even though there wouldn’t be any pictures at all!
Some parts of this were a bit tedious, and I think that if it hadn’t been because of how much I already liked Bowie, it would have taken me way longer to read.
David Bowie is a person who, year after year, still amazes me, and it makes me so very sad that I never got to see him in concert. The phases he goes through throughout his career are astounding, and the fact that he looks like completely different people. I simply cannot wrap my mind about it.
Synopsis:
This is a David Bowie biography, and it goes from his childhood and his first hits in the 1960s to his death in 2016. This biography explores the phases that Bowie went through throughout his career and the different personas that he created (Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane, The Thin White Duke, …), and how he kept reinventing himself until the very end, when he published the album Blackstar on his 69th birthday, exactly 2 days before passing away.
Opinion:
This was a very nice addition to my ever-growing book collection on David Bowie. Overall it was a very good book, I think the author made a good job. This contains a lot of information, sometimes to the point that the book feel a bit dense. There is not a single picture until page 77, and after reading the first couple of chapters I even though there wouldn’t be any pictures at all!
Some parts of this were a bit tedious, and I think that if it hadn’t been because of how much I already liked Bowie, it would have taken me way longer to read.
David Bowie is a person who, year after year, still amazes me, and it makes me so very sad that I never got to see him in concert. The phases he goes through throughout his career are astounding, and the fact that he looks like completely different people. I simply cannot wrap my mind about it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2021
I have been very interested in memoirs and biographies of musicians recently, so I was grateful and excited to have been chosen by NetGalley and Laurence King Publishing Ltd to receive a copy of David Bowie, by Robert Dinery. This is a brief overview of Bowie's life and career. It's not at all an in-depth biography. The first half of the book, which I found more interesting is focused on his family life and early music ventures, while the second half is focused on his public life, listing his albums and ventures into acting. It's not the book you want to pick up if you don't know anything about Bowie and want to learn about him as an artist, his life and inspirations. It's a concise run-through of his catalog, with a few tidbits of his private life thrown in. It could definitely be much longer and more complete, but it is a great introduction to an enigmatic talented artist.
February 3, 2021
This book is a very brief look at the life and music of one of the greats artists of all time : David Bowie. I have been a fan for my entire life and consider myself well versed in his music and life story. I really enjoyed the first half of this book which focused on the childhood of David Bowie and provided me with some new information. The rest of the book was decent but did not provide any new information ro analysis for someone already familiar with the life and works of Bowie. This quick read would be perfect for a new fan or someone who knows nothing about David Bowie. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.
December 27, 2020
I enjoy reading books about musicians. I like to know why and how they wrote their songs and if there was a meaning behind it. I felt this book left me wanting more. The first half is about David Bowie and how he got started. It doesn’t delve too deeply into his family relationship. The second half of the book lists his accomplishments that you can look up yourself. It was interesting but I wished for more. Thank you to NetGalley and Laurence Kind Publishing Ltd for the E-ARC. This is my own opinion.
January 19, 2021
I am a huge Bowie fan - even have a tattoo of the great man himself. So I was excited to have the opportunity to read this book before it's published.
The book isn't particularly detailed. It doesn't go into anything in-depth, its very concise and straight to the point. So it's a good book if you just want a glimpse of David Bowie. However if you're a fan and want to delve a little deeper into his life, you will be disappointed.
Overall its an easy read, and I liked Dimery's writing style - I just wish it told me something new, and went in a little deeper!
The book isn't particularly detailed. It doesn't go into anything in-depth, its very concise and straight to the point. So it's a good book if you just want a glimpse of David Bowie. However if you're a fan and want to delve a little deeper into his life, you will be disappointed.
Overall its an easy read, and I liked Dimery's writing style - I just wish it told me something new, and went in a little deeper!
February 21, 2021
This is not a 3 or 4-star book but more a 3.5. The book is not as in-depth as it could have been more, but this is a good start for any music fan wanting to know more about the singer. The first three-quarters take us up to Let's Dance, released in 1983 and gives a good account of David Bowie's early career and the different characterisations he took on even before he managed to get his first album released.
To give credit to Robert Dimery, you could argue that this early period and then throughout his time in Berlin, to Station to Station and up to Let's Dance are Bowie's most interesting period, and I felt this would have been a better book if it had spent more time in this era. Beyond Let's Dance, there is a feeling there was a deadline to hit as the remaining 33 years are quickly glossed over.
Otherwise, I enjoyed this book and it does contain some great information on David Bowie I never knew so well recommended.
This book was provided by NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.
To give credit to Robert Dimery, you could argue that this early period and then throughout his time in Berlin, to Station to Station and up to Let's Dance are Bowie's most interesting period, and I felt this would have been a better book if it had spent more time in this era. Beyond Let's Dance, there is a feeling there was a deadline to hit as the remaining 33 years are quickly glossed over.
Otherwise, I enjoyed this book and it does contain some great information on David Bowie I never knew so well recommended.
This book was provided by NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.
April 14, 2021
I’ve been a fan for all of my teenage/adult life, so I was delighted to read this book.
An easy and uncomplicated read, but still enjoyable and informative about his life and career, particularly his early career. It’s probably not going to tell a real hardcore fan anything they don’t know, but I would still definitely recommend it.
An easy and uncomplicated read, but still enjoyable and informative about his life and career, particularly his early career. It’s probably not going to tell a real hardcore fan anything they don’t know, but I would still definitely recommend it.
January 13, 2021
A concise overview of Bowie's career. The book doesn't delve too deeply into any of the albums, but provides just the right amount of detail. His creative output seemed to dim when he stopped taking drugs. I love Life on Mars?.
August 27, 2022
Good little book about Bowie's life, focusing on his capacity to constantly reinvent himsel and on "borrowing" ideas from his surroundings to feed his creativity and art.
January 10, 2021
Thanks to Netgalley and Laurence King Publishing for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
I definitely consider myself an avid David Bowie fan, having dived down the rabbit hole of his work after watching the (much maligned) Glass Spider Tour on television in my teens. I loved it, but I loved Bowie even more as I stepped backwards through the eighties, seventies and sixties coming to rest at my favourite Bowie album Space Oddity. I am thus also highly cognisant of the fact that I'm writing this review on the 5th anniversary of Bowie's death in 2016. This is a short book on the life and works (music, films and plays) of Bowie, with a generous proportion of the book dedicated to his golden years, say the first fifteen years of his career. This is clearly also the part of Bowie's oeuvre that the author has the most appreciation for and the book book takes a riveting ride through Bowie's long musical career. I've not read a lot about David Bowie so far (although I occasionally leaf through Nicholas Pegg's "the Complete David Bowie" to get a more thorough appreciation of the meaning of his lyrics). I was pleasantly surprised by the abundance of information on the first phase of Bowie's career. Dimery is clearly less enamoured by the more commercial phase that Bowie went through in the eighties and even the many experiments that Bowie was able to pursue in the nineties. This is a book which can easily be doubled to 300 pages to further explore the last thirty years of his life more thoroughly. As I finished the book, his songs continued playing in my head, and I was left wanting for more. So now to play David Bowie's "My Death"...
I definitely consider myself an avid David Bowie fan, having dived down the rabbit hole of his work after watching the (much maligned) Glass Spider Tour on television in my teens. I loved it, but I loved Bowie even more as I stepped backwards through the eighties, seventies and sixties coming to rest at my favourite Bowie album Space Oddity. I am thus also highly cognisant of the fact that I'm writing this review on the 5th anniversary of Bowie's death in 2016. This is a short book on the life and works (music, films and plays) of Bowie, with a generous proportion of the book dedicated to his golden years, say the first fifteen years of his career. This is clearly also the part of Bowie's oeuvre that the author has the most appreciation for and the book book takes a riveting ride through Bowie's long musical career. I've not read a lot about David Bowie so far (although I occasionally leaf through Nicholas Pegg's "the Complete David Bowie" to get a more thorough appreciation of the meaning of his lyrics). I was pleasantly surprised by the abundance of information on the first phase of Bowie's career. Dimery is clearly less enamoured by the more commercial phase that Bowie went through in the eighties and even the many experiments that Bowie was able to pursue in the nineties. This is a book which can easily be doubled to 300 pages to further explore the last thirty years of his life more thoroughly. As I finished the book, his songs continued playing in my head, and I was left wanting for more. So now to play David Bowie's "My Death"...
January 28, 2023
If you were in a crowd of people and you said the name David Bowie, everyone would have something to say, I don't think there is a soul out there that doesn't know this everchanging singer/songwriter.
I have now read three different David Bowie books and I think that Robert Dimery not only added to my knowledge of Bowie but stepped higher than other authors had on his interpersonal relationships with other singers and the singer himself. It was interesting to read some more about the thoughts that others had about Bowie, how his music influenced their own careers, and the things they did to move outside of the mainstream of music.
David Bowie was an icon, one of my favorites and I was so happy to read this book. If you are a fan of David Bowie, this is another great read, if you have read the other Iconic-inspired books by Robert Dimery this is one to put on your reading list.
I have now read three different David Bowie books and I think that Robert Dimery not only added to my knowledge of Bowie but stepped higher than other authors had on his interpersonal relationships with other singers and the singer himself. It was interesting to read some more about the thoughts that others had about Bowie, how his music influenced their own careers, and the things they did to move outside of the mainstream of music.
David Bowie was an icon, one of my favorites and I was so happy to read this book. If you are a fan of David Bowie, this is another great read, if you have read the other Iconic-inspired books by Robert Dimery this is one to put on your reading list.
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