Author:Alexander Larman
Alexander Larman normally writes about lords and ladies and royalty. For his first foray into the world of Rock, naturally, he has chosen The Dame as his subject. Lazarus covers David Bowie’s career chronologically from 1989, when Tin Machine released their debut, to the end. Pleasingly, he refers to this period as Bowie’s post “imperial phase”. His research is thorough, interviewing numerous protagonists (notably Tony Visconti demurred), watching every Bowie moment on screen and reading every contemporary article in the press. As with any self-respecting journalist, he is protective of his sources. Mike Garson, Reeves Gabrels and Bowie’s long-term publicist, Alan Edwards, will be especially pleased how their contributions have been presented. He respects Bowie’s privacy, only referencing his personal life when it played out in public, such as Hello’s spread on his marriage to Iman.
Lazarus is not an in-depth analysis of the songs, such as Chris O’Leary’s Ashes To Ashes, nor a Paul Morley fanboy gush, but the curious observations of a historian, reporting critics’ views even-handedly, stitching the facts together into a coherent narrative. He pays as close attention to Bowie’s flirtations with the art world, cinema and the internet as he does to the music. His style is engaging and easy to read, though he is perfectly capable of a beautifully decorated sentence when he needs to. My favourite likens Telling Lies to an offcut of Outside put in a blender and laced with amphetamines. There are little hints in the body of the text but it’s only after the story has ended, in the Epilogue, that the professionalism drops and Larman’s deep, enduring love explodes onto the page, his own child’s birth, Rose Evelyn Bowie Larman, occurring close to Bowie’s death on 15th January 2016. The Bonus Track chapter captures the emotion of his visit to David Bowie Is. Part of me wanted this passion earlier, defending some of less appreciated work for example, but, on reflection, Larman hits the right tone.
Bowie, himself emerges rather well from this book, as a bold, inventive creative and a kind, generous, witty man with just a few character flaws to make him human. As Larman summarises at the end, “His influence, as both musician and man, was peerless.”
Length of Read:Medium
Might appeal to people who enjoyed…
Any part of David Bowie’s career.
One thing you’ve learned
Bowie left a $100 million estate. In November 2016, 47 pieces from his art collection sold for $24 million. His entire publishing catalogue was sold to Warner Chappell in February 2022 for a reported $250 million. Artists are worth more when they are dead.
Thanks, Tigger. This book has looked very appealing from the get-go, and it’s on my to-buy list, but I’m hoping for the price to drop at some point.
I do actually have a reading project this year, of getting through a significant pile of Bowie literature. I have just acquired all the Simon Goddard Odyssey books to date, with 1976 to be released in the Spring; I also have the huge Rainbowman and All The Songs e-books and a pile of Mojo, Uncut and Classic Pop dedicated magazines to plough through. In addition, I’m going to a local event featuring John Cambridge and his memories of his friendship with Bowie, which will nodoubt entail buying his book…so I have plenty to go at before I get round to Lazarus.
Black Type may I recommend adding to your already impressive To Read list ‘Blackstar Theory’ by Leah Kardos? It is absolutely fantastic and sheds some fascinating perspectives on the final three albums
Aye, I’ve looked at that one before; it’s always been a tad on the expensive side, but I’ll certainly have a good dig around to see if I can spot a cheaper/second hand copy. Thanks for the recommendation.
I saw David Bowie Is in both Barcelona and New York and found it quite moving both times, so I can appreciate his response to it.
Tigger has written an expanded piece on yet another DB book for The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/jan/28/david-bowie-and-the-search-for-life-death-and-god-by-peter-ormerod-review-the-making-of-a-modern-saint?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other
Arf!
Not me, I’m afraid. I’m not sure about the premise of the book, either. There was a spiritual side to Bowie (haven’t we all), but I wouldn’t describe it as a major drive behind his work.
I read the book and, despite it being well presented and researched, I came away with my view bolstered that post-70s Bowie was a much diminished creative force.
Perhaps too balanced. He shares my enthusiasm for The Next Day. A spirited defence of some of the other albums would have pleased me.
This is a different kind of Bowie. Blackstar can make a case for being his very best. I’d say Buddha, Outside, Heathen and The Next Day are as good as many imperial albums. I’m also very fond of hours… Not at all bad for a “mature” artist.
I appreciate there were isolated moments of joy post 1980 but, for me anyway, Bowie will always be about being thirteen, fourteen and (inevitably) fifteen. Aladdin Sane, Ziggy, Hunky, The Man Who Sold the World. Not to mention the Berlin trilogy, Station to Station and the first side of Doamond Dogs. He never matched that glorious run.
People have come to write and talk as much toss about Bowie as they have about The Beatles. That says something. The best records are of course as good as it gets.