David Bowie’s 100 Favourite Books

David Bowie’s 100 Favourite Books List

David Bowie was a reader—a voracious, discerning, otherworldly reader. Books were not mere objects for him. They were galaxies. They were collaborators. They were songs waiting to be sung.

In 2013, Bowie offered a glimpse into his inner universe when he released his 100 Favourite Books “in no particular order,” a list as eclectic, enigmatic, and unapologetically cool as the man himself. It wasn’t just a catalogue of titles—it was a map to his imagination, his influences, his soul. Click the title to buy from our affiliate, Amazon.

David Bowie’s 100 Favourite Books

1. Interviews With Francis Bacon by David Sylvester (1975) – A series of compelling interviews that delve into the life and creative process of British painter Francis Bacon.
2. Billy Liar by Keith Waterhouse (1959) – A satirical novel about a young man’s fantasies and his struggles with ambition and reality in 1950s England.
3. Room At The Top by John Braine (1957) – A critique of post-war British class structures, centered on an ambitious young man who marries for wealth and status.
4. On Having No Head by Douglass Harding (1961) – A philosophical exploration of self-awareness and the concept of ‘no-self’ in the spiritual journey.
5. Kafka Was The Rage by Anatole Broyard (1993) – A memoir of life in Greenwich Village in the 1940s, chronicling the post-war intellectual and artistic boom.
6. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess (1962) – A dystopian novel about free will and state control, told through the violent exploits of a rebellious youth.
7. City Of Night by John Rechy (1963) – A groundbreaking novel about gay life in America, following a hustler’s journey across the country.
8. The Brief Wondrous Life Of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz (2007) – A multi-generational saga of a Dominican-American family and the curse that haunts them.
9. Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert (1857) – A classic novel about a woman trapped in a provincial life who seeks escape through romantic fantasies and infidelity.
10. The Iliad by Homer (circa 8th century BCE) – An epic poem about the Trojan War, exploring themes of heroism, pride, and fate.
11. As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner (1930) – A Southern Gothic tale of a family’s journey to bury their matriarch, revealing their inner struggles and secrets.
12. Tadanori Yokoo by Tadanori Yokoo (1970s) – A visual retrospective of the iconic Japanese graphic designer’s vibrant and avant-garde work.
13. Berlin Alexanderplatz by Alfred Döblin (1929) – A modernist novel about the struggles of an ex-convict in a rapidly changing Berlin.
14. Inside The Whale And Other Essays by George Orwell (1940) – A collection of essays exploring literature, politics, and the cultural landscape of mid-20th-century Europe.
15. Mr. Norris Changes Trains by Christopher Isherwood (1935) – A novel about political intrigue and personal relationships in pre-war Berlin.
16. Halls Dictionary Of Subjects And Symbols In Art by James A. Hall (1974) – A comprehensive guide to understanding the meaning behind symbols in Western art.
17. David Bomberg by Richard Cork (1987) – A biography and analysis of the innovative British painter’s career and influence.
18. Blast by Wyndham Lewis (1914) – A seminal Vorticist manifesto blending art, literature, and cultural critique in early 20th-century Britain.
19. Passing by Nella Larsen (1929) – A story exploring race and identity through the lives of two African-American women ‘passing’ as white.
20. Beyond The Brillo Box by Arthur C. Danto (1992) – A philosophical exploration of contemporary art and its challenges to traditional aesthetics.
21. The Origin Of Consciousness In The Breakdown Of The Bicameral Mind by Julian Jaynes (1976) – A provocative theory about the evolution of human consciousness and self-awareness.
22. In Bluebeard’s Castle by George Steiner (1971) – An analysis of cultural decline and the loss of meaning in the post-Holocaust era.
23. Hawksmoor by Peter Ackroyd (1985) – A novel weaving together 18th-century London architecture and a modern-day murder mystery.
24. The Divided Self by R. D. Laing (1960) – A groundbreaking work on the psychology of selfhood and schizophrenia.
25. The Stranger by Albert Camus (1942) – An existentialist novel about an indifferent man confronting the absurdity of life.
26. Infants Of The Spring by Wallace Thurman (1932) – A satire of the Harlem Renaissance and the struggles of young Black artists.
27. The Quest For Christa T by Christa Wolf (1968) – A reflective and fragmented narrative about a woman’s life in East Germany under socialism.
28. The Songlines by Bruce Chatwin (1987) – A travel narrative exploring Aboriginal culture and the concept of ‘songlines’ as pathways of memory and tradition.
29. Nights At The Circus by Angela Carter (1984) – A magical realist tale of a winged woman who performs in a circus, challenging gender and societal norms.
30. The Master And Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov (1967) – A satirical masterpiece blending Soviet reality with a fantastical retelling of Christ’s trial.
31. The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark (1961) – A sharp exploration of a charismatic teacher’s influence on her students and the consequences of her ideals.
32. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov (1955) – A controversial novel about obsession, narrated by a man in love with a young girl.
33. Herzog by Saul Bellow (1964) – A poignant tale of an intellectual grappling with personal crises and existential questions.
34. Puckoon by Spike Milligan (1963) – A comedic novel about the absurdities of Irish partition politics.
35. Black Boy by Richard Wright (1945) – An autobiographical account of growing up Black in the Jim Crow South.
36. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925) – A tragic tale of ambition, love, and the American Dream in 1920s New York.
37. The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea by Yukio Mishima (1963) – A dark tale of a boy’s obsession with a sailor and the violent consequences of disillusionment.
38. Darkness At Noon by Arthur Koestler (1940) – A political novel examining the ethics of revolutionary sacrifice during Stalinist purges.
39. The Waste Land by T.S. Eliot (1922) – A modernist poem exploring post-war disillusionment and cultural fragmentation.
40. McTeague by Frank Norris (1899) – A naturalist novel about greed and moral decay in 19th-century San Francisco.

41. Money by Martin Amis (1984) – A satirical exploration of greed and excess through the chaotic life of a self-destructive filmmaker.
42. The Outsider by Colin Wilson (1956) – A philosophical study of the outsider in literature, art, and society.
43. Strange People by Frank Edwards (1959) – A collection of fascinating and bizarre true stories about unusual individuals.
44. English Journey by J.B. Priestley (1934) – A travelogue reflecting on England’s social and economic disparities during the 1930s.
45. A Confederacy Of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole (1980) – A comedic novel about a misanthropic man navigating New Orleans’ eccentric culture.
46. The Day Of The Locust by Nathanael West (1939) – A dark satire of Hollywood’s artificiality and its disillusioned dreamers.
47. 1984 by George Orwell (1949) – A dystopian novel about a totalitarian regime and the suppression of truth and individuality.
48. The Life And Times Of Little Richard by Charles White (1984) – A vivid biography of rock ‘n’ roll pioneer Little Richard.
49. Awopbopaloobop Alopbamboom: The Golden Age of Rock by Nik Cohn (1969) – A passionate chronicle of rock music’s early years.
50. Mystery Train by Greil Marcus (1975) – A cultural analysis of American rock ‘n’ roll through its iconic figures and themes.
51. Beano (comic, ’50s) – A beloved British children’s comic filled with humor and mischief.
52. Raw (comic, ’80s) – An influential anthology of alternative comics and graphic narratives.
53. White Noise by Don DeLillo (1985) – A postmodern novel about consumerism, technology, and the fear of death.
54. Sweet Soul Music: Rhythm And Blues And The Southern Dream Of Freedom by Peter Guralnick (1986) – A history of soul music and its cultural significance.
55. Silence: Lectures And Writing by John Cage (1961) – A collection of essays and lectures by the avant-garde composer.
56. Writers At Work: The Paris Review Interviews edited by Malcolm Cowley (1950s onward) – A series of candid interviews with prominent authors about their craft.
57. The Sound Of The City: The Rise Of Rock And Roll by Charlie Gillete (1970) – A comprehensive history of the emergence of rock ‘n’ roll.
58. Octobriana And The Russian Underground by Peter Sadecky (1971) – A study of Soviet underground comics and their countercultural impact.
59. The Street by Ann Petry (1946) – A poignant novel about the struggles of a single Black mother in Harlem.
60. Wonder Boys by Michael Chabon (1995) – A humorous and heartfelt story of a struggling writer and his chaotic life.
61. Last Exit To Brooklyn by Hubert Selby, Jr. (1964) – A gritty depiction of marginalized lives in 1950s Brooklyn.
62. A People’s History Of The United States by Howard Zinn (1980) – A radical retelling of American history from the perspective of the oppressed.
63. The Age Of American Unreason by Susan Jacoby (2008) – A critique of anti-intellectualism and cultural decline in contemporary America.
64. Metropolitan Life by Fran Lebowitz (1978) – A witty collection of essays on urban life and human absurdities.
65. The Coast Of Utopia by Tom Stoppard (2002) – A trilogy of plays exploring 19th-century Russian intellectuals and their revolutionary ideas.
66. The Bridge by Hart Crane (1930) – An ambitious modernist poem celebrating the Brooklyn Bridge and American identity.
67. All The Emperor’s Horses by David Kidd (1960) – A memoir of life in pre-revolutionary China among its fading aristocracy.
68. Fingersmith by Sarah Waters (2002) – A Victorian-era crime novel full of twists, betrayal, and romance.
69. Earthly Powers by Anthony Burgess (1980) – A sweeping novel exploring themes of faith, power, and morality through a writer’s life.
70. The 42nd Parallel by John Dos Passos (1930) – A kaleidoscopic portrayal of early 20th-century America through interconnected lives.
71. Tales Of Beatnik Glory by Ed Saunders (1975) – A series of vignettes capturing the bohemian spirit of the Beat generation.
72. The Bird Artist by Howard Norman (1994) – A tale of love, betrayal, and murder set in a remote Newfoundland village.
73. Nowhere To Run: The Story Of Soul Music by Gerri Hirshey (1984) – An engaging history of soul music and its legendary performers.
74. Before The Deluge by Otto Friedrich (1972) – A portrait of 1920s Berlin and its cultural and political upheavals.
75. Sexual Personae: Art And Decadence From Nefertiti To Emily Dickinson by Camille Paglia (1990) – A provocative study of art, sexuality, and culture through history.
76. The American Way Of Death by Jessica Mitford (1963) – A scathing critique of the American funeral industry.
77. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote (1966) – A true-crime novel recounting the brutal murder of a Kansas family.
78. Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D.H. Lawrence (1928) – A controversial novel about an affair between a gamekeeper and an aristocratic woman.
79. Teenage by Jon Savage (2007) – A cultural history of youth and the concept of the teenager from the early 20th century onward.
80. Vile Bodies by Evelyn Waugh (1930) – A satirical look at England’s ‘Bright Young Things’ in the interwar period.
81. The Hidden Persuaders by Vance Packard (1957) – An exposé on the psychological techniques used in advertising.
82. The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin (1963) – Two essays addressing race, religion, and identity in America.
83. Viz (comic, early ’80s) – A British comic known for its rude humor and satirical characters.
84. Private Eye (satirical magazine, ’60s–’80s) – A long-running magazine blending investigative journalism and satire.
85. Selected Poems by Frank O’Hara (1950s–1960s) – A collection of evocative and vibrant modernist poetry.
86. The Trial Of Henry Kissinger by Christopher Hitchens (2001) – A critical indictment of Kissinger’s alleged war crimes.
87. Flaubert’s Parrot by Julian Barnes (1984) – A metafictional novel exploring obsession, literary criticism, and Flaubert’s life.
88. Maldoror by Comte de Lautréamont (1868) – A surreal and macabre prose poem exploring the darkest corners of the human psyche.
89. On The Road by Jack Kerouac (1957) – A defining novel of the Beat generation, chronicling a journey across America.
90. Mr. Wilson’s Cabinet of Wonder by Lawrence Weschler (1995) – A blend of history and narrative about an eclectic museum in Los Angeles.
91. Zanoni by Edward Bulwer-Lytton (1842) – A mystical novel exploring immortality and the human soul.
92. Transcendental Magic, Its Doctrine and Ritual by Eliphas Lévi (1854) – A foundational text in the study of Western esotericism and occult traditions.
93. The Gnostic Gospels by Elaine Pagels (1979) – An exploration of early Christian texts and the diversity of Christian beliefs.
94. The Leopard by Giuseppe di Lampedusa (1958) – A story of political and social transformation in 19th-century Sicily.
95. Inferno by Dante Alighieri (circa 1320) – The first part of The Divine Comedy, a journey through Hell’s nine circles.
96. A Grave For A Dolphin by Alberto Denti di Pirajno (1956) – A memoir of unusual encounters in colonial Africa.
97. The Insult by Rupert Thomson (1996) – A psychological thriller about a man who gains strange visions after a traumatic injury.
98. In Between The Sheets by Ian McEwan (1978) – A collection of provocative and darkly humorous short stories.
99. A People’s Tragedy by Orlando Figes (1996) – A comprehensive history of the Russian Revolution.
100. Journey Into The Whirlwind by Eugenia Ginzburg (1967) – A harrowing memoir of Stalin’s purges and life in a Soviet gulag.

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