David Bowie: A Life

Right then, settle in for a proper look at Dylan Jones's David Bowie, a book that’s not just another rock bio gathering dust on the shelf. Shortlisted for the NME gong back in '18, and rightly so, this hefty tome has also snagged nods from the Sunday Times, the Times, the Guardian, the Herald, and the Irish Independent – a fair old haul, wouldn't you say? The Times themselves have gone as far as to call it "the definitive book on Bowie," a bold claim, but one that this sprawling oral history goes a fair way to justifying.

Jones hasn't just cobbled together old interviews; he's woven a tapestry from three decades' worth of chats with the elusive Starman himself, alongside a staggering 180-odd voices – friends, rivals, lovers, and collaborators, some breaking their silence for the very first time. What emerges isn't a dry recitation of facts, but a vibrant, often raw, portrait of a truly singular ascent.

We get a real sense of the man behind the glitter and the guises, a man deeply marked by his relationship with his half-brother Terry. Jones doesn't shy away from the complexities of Bowie's intense, and sometimes abruptly terminated, connections. He paints a picture of a social chameleon, equally at ease swapping stories with Lennon or sharing a meal with Sinatra. And Jones's telling, by turns sharp and deliciously gossipy, offers a glimpse into Bowie's inner circle that feels remarkably intimate.

Sprinkled throughout are illuminating nuggets from Bowie himself, drawn from Jones's extensive archive of conversations. This isn't just a rehashing of familiar tales; it feels like eavesdropping on an epic, late-night chinwag about a life that was as sprawling and fascinating as his musical output.

This revised and expanded edition only adds to the richness, making David Bowie less a biography and more a captivating conversation – a proper deep dive into the enigma that was David Bowie. If you're after the definitive word on the Thin White Duke, you'd be hard-pressed to find a more compelling and insightful account. It's a right corker of a book, this.