SIMON GODDARD – BOWIE ODYSSEY 73

The three previous entries in the Bowie Odyssey series impressed me greatly with 71 and 72 in particular leaving their mark on me due to them being flawlessly written excursions into a rich and evocative literary universe unlike anything else out there. In other words, those two masterpieces were an unforgettable read. What does the latest addition to the saga hold then?

Bowie Odyssey 73 is yet another brilliant and mesmerizing account of what of our main protagonist, the inimitable David Bowie, was up to in that grimy year of 1973 and the highs and lows that it embodied. With the tone of the book weaving a perfect balance between the beautiful and poetic on the one hand and the gritty and bleak on the other, this is a narrative that is both incredibly rewarding and infinitely haunting. Moving way beyond facts and details in order to represent Bowie’s activities and endeavors in something akin to a fictionalized story, its 163 pages are absolutely spellbinding, and each exquisitely crafted paragraph harbors an uncanny ability to transport one back in time and conjure up the vibe and aura of the era in question. Rooted in reality but consistently blurring the lines between realism, fantasy, and arguably even surrealism, Goddard’s latest piece of work is just as outstanding and exhilarating as one could have hoped for, and it essentially conveys a well-known tale in an original, refreshing, and daring new manner. As a tour de force of how things unfolded in David’s private and public spheres in 1973, it succeeds on every level; it is an intensely human portrait of a great artist maneuvering a world of lofty visions and innovative musical ideas – a world that is both inviting and confounding. However, it is by no means a eulogy for a bygone era or a lost world, and there is nothing nostalgic or sentimental about this gem, which is a huge part of its peculiar charm. The comic timing is perfect, there is wit and sarcasm in equal measure, it is reflective and paints a vivid picture of the changes that took place in the arts and society in the early seventies, and last but not least, it sheds an interesting light on identity struggles.

Bowie Odyssey 73 is startling, brilliant, and wickedly entertaining, and it offers a completely different perspective on our main character and his coke-fueled musical revolution, the glam rock phenomenon, and the political climate of Britain. Did I mention that this is an essential purchase? It will be published by Omnibus Press on May 25.