IoS paperback review: The Man Who Sold the World, By Peter Doggett

Just as the Beatles' musical revolution summed up the spirit of the Sixties, so, Peter Doggett argues, David Bowie was "popular culture's most reliable guide to the fever of the Seventies".

This book is a discography of the great Bowie albums, from Space Oddity to Scary Monsters, in the manner of Iain MacDonald's Revolution in the Head, interspersed by essays on Bowie's politics, sexuality, fashion sense, acting career, and influences. One is reminded of what a consummate talent Bowie is – performer, songwriter, vocalist, instrumentalist, collaborator and producer. Personally, I'd have liked more on Bowie's often mysterious lyrics in the track-by-track analyses, but that's just a small gripe. If you're a Bowie fan, you must read this, and if you're not, you ought to be. I'm off to re-listen to all my old Bowie albums now.