On Bowie

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.)