3.5

I read this as a fan of Rob Sheffield, not so much as a fan of Bowie (though I am inspired by this book to listen to more Bowie). It's hard to not like Sheffield's writing because he is such a music nerd and his passion for music is contagious; it makes his books so much more enjoyable. Whether you agree with his taste in music or not, you can appreciate the writing of someone who just really f*cking loves music.

one day, i long to write as warmly as rob does. everything he writes is a love letter, to the subject and to all things surrounding it, and this was no different.

https://blog.brandnewkindof.com/2016/06/07/book-review-on-bowie-rob-sheffield/

I adored this.

If it was a biography I wouldn't have read it. It's much more accessible than strapping in for all of Bowie's contradictions. You just strap in for the equivalent of 3 or 4 well-researched web features about why Blackstar is a great album, how Bowie created Britpop, how Bowie did too many drugs in the late 70's and made his best albums while doing it, and how Bowie's 80's albums should be ignored and his 21st-century ones listened to more often. These are all propositions I agree with.

This book was a nice tribute to Bowie. It didn't grab me and hold my attention as much as I thought it would, but there were some parts that I really enjoyed.

The book is fine - a very quick read that gives a nice flyover of Bowie’s career without ever diving too deep into the weeds. The author’s love for Bowie helps get you through some of the less interesting stretches.

As many music related books do, it had me queuing up Bowie albums on my iPhone, although it still couldn’t pique my interest in any Bowie album past “Let’s Dance”. I’m sure this would be 5 stars for a true fan and is perfectly fine for the more casual fan (like me).

Rob Sheffield writes about music exactly how I want to read about music: as a fan, as an educated fan, one with an encyclopedic knowledge of music as well as a clear understanding of how importance its both cultural and emotional resonances are. His Bowie book did not disappoint: while realizing the impossibility of trying to separate his own life from his understanding of Bowie's career, his explanations for it all go well beyond his own emotional response. Great stuff here.

Rob has a way of understanding and delivering words so wonderfully and his books never disappoint.

Rolling Stone music contributor writes a love letter to his idol. Though he clearly knows his subject matter, the novelty of peppering in Bowie lyrics at every turn quickly gets old. That said, I'm still interested in checking out some of his other books, based on the intriguing titles.