The Tao of Bowie

June 21, 2021
Music critic Edwards (Belonging) invites readers onto a swirling, entertaining path of self-discovery by following advice gleaned from the life and work of the late rock star David Bowie. Mining Bowie’s lyrics, public interviews, and written reflections, Edwards argues the musician’s life provides a template for going from feeling “lonely, adrift, and desperate for help” to finding happiness, love, and even “equanimity and bravery” in the face of death. He explores and interprets lessons—such as confronting one’s “shadow side” and opening oneself to love—gleaned from Bowie’s lifelong personal pilgrimage toward greater happiness and purpose. Each chapter features contemplations on Bowie’s personal evolution, providing a melange of meditation practices meant to help readers identify unmet needs, focus more on others, or label and name distracting thoughts and feelings: “You cannot discover your true self unless you are prepared to spend some time sitting quietly alone, but many of us would rather do anything else.” This cheery guide, filled with insightful facets from Bowie’s “magpie” approach to enlightenment, will appeal to fans of the music legend and spiritualists alike.

September 1, 2021

British life coach and Sunday Times pop music critic Edwards (Belonging: The Key to Transforming and Maintaining Diversity, Inclusion and Equality at Work) makes complex Buddhist concepts accessible by framing them within the shapeshifting, occasionally turbulent life of enigmatic British rock star David Bowie. Bowie was born into a blended family with a generational history of mental illness; his older half brother Terry introduced him to Buddhism at an early age. Edwards argues that for Bowie, who experienced mental illness and drug addiction as an adult, it was Buddhist practice (combined with Jungian, Nietzschean, and gnostic theory) that ultimately helped him find peace and love before his untimely death. The book is structured around 10 such lessons, illustrated by events from Bowie's life; each is followed by a section of meditation and reflection exercises for finding purpose and meaning. VERDICT This "what would David Bowie do" treatise could be an entry point into Buddhism for novices, but it might be too basic for readers already familiar with Buddhism's tenets.--Gail Eubanks, Univ. of Missouri, Springfield

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