Welcome to another episode of the Bowie Book Club, where wild speculation and grasping for straws about Bowie’s favorite books has reigned supreme since 2016. This time we read The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolano - a far-ranging tome about poets who never seem to write any poetry, but do a lot of other crazy stuff.
Wolf Hall by Hillary Mantel
Welcome to another episode of the Bowie Book Club, where wild speculation and grasping for straws about Bowie’s favorite books has reigned supreme since 2016. This time we read Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel which manages to tell the story of uber-competent arch-fixer Thomas Cromwell without a single mention of turkey legs.
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Our Bookshop
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Stuff We Talked About
The Half Moon in Putney - live music since 1963, but no record Bowie played there!
Nook and Cranny books - give them a visit if you're in North Seattle!
Guest Directors - great Seattle band
Stand with Minnesota - support heroic people in a terrible situation that they absolutely should not be in.
What Are We Reading
Greg:
- The Silver Book - Olivia Laing
- Pompeii - Richard Harris
- Slow Horses - Mick Herron
- A Guest in the House - Emily Carroll
Kristianne:
- Moon Tiger - Penelope Lively
- The Orientalist - Tom Reiss
- The Empusium - Olga Tokarczuk
2026 Book List!
- Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolano
- Grendel by John Gardner
- [The Last Temptation of Christ](Nikos Kazantzakis) by Nikos Kazantzakis
- The Immoralist by Andre Gide
- Cheap Novelties by Ben Katchor
- Basquiat - The Notebooks edited by Larry Warsh
- Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
- V by Tommy Boy Pynchy
- Almanac of the Dead by Leslie Marmon Silko
- From Hell by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell
- Lanark by Alisdair Gray
- City of Thieves by David Benoiff
What Song Did We Choose?
What's Up Next
- Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolano
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. LeGuin
Welcome to another episode of the Bowie Book Club, where wild speculation and grasping for straws about Bowie’s favorite books has reigned supreme since 2016. This time we read The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. LeGuin, a story of hot beer and cold nights (and many, many other more important themes and ideas!)
Subscribe!
Follow us! (Not in a creepy way)
Our Bookshop
Visit our lists on bookshop.org and help support the podcast (and independent bookstores too!)
Stuff We Talked About
- Lit Hub article by Becky Chambers
- American Masters on LeGuin
- article about the U of O production
- Electric Literature article - Ragana rules!
- Pitchfork article on sci-fi's influence on Bowie in general
- Pushing Ahead of the Dame on Starman
What Are We Reading
Greg:
- Godwin - Joseph O'Neill
- The Director - Daniel Kehlmann
- Paradise Bronx - Ian Frazier
Kristianne:
- God of the Woods - Liz Moore
- The Bookshop Below - Georgia Summers
Our Favorite Books in 2025!
Kristianne:
- Left Hand of Darkness (which feels like cheating b/c i KNEW from the start it would be) maybe I'd also include "Always Coming Home" b/c parts of it kept coming to mind while re-reading LHOD
- Braiding Sweetgrass - Kimmerer
- Crocosmia - Miranda Mellis
- Enchantment - Katherine May
- God of the Woods - Liz Moore
Greg:
- LHOD too (unless I switch to Backstage Passes)
- The Oceans of Cruelty - Pennick
- White Teeth by Zadie Smith
- I am Not Sydney Poitier - Everertt
- The Glass Key - Hammett
What Song Did We Choose?
What's Up Next
Wolf Hall by Hillary Mantel