Overview

James Briggs had never known what David Bowie's Life on Mars? meant. And twenty-five years later with a career stealing his soul, a relationship in stasis and a hairline in furious retreat, life on earth had him cornered. So when a lightning bolt of inspiration strikes, he leaves everything behind to cycle one of the song's lyrics, 'From Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads' to discover what life, love and Life on Mars? really mean. What followed was life-affirming, inspirational and often hilarious. Criss-crossing Europe, he visited French chateaus where Bowie recorded, Spanish Olympic stadiums he played, former communist states where his music was banned, and the Berlin Wall he helped topple – all while navigating angry Soviet ballerinas, suspicious village mayors, and an irate Cliff Richard fan. James found kindred spirits and a new love (and occasionally hatred) for cycling as he discovered what happens when, instead of following the crowd, you follow the lyrics and music of the greatest artist of the 20th century. As the world reconsiders its priorities, From Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads is a clarion call to embrace the strange, blaze your own path, and live as fearlessly as the Starman himself. AUTHOR:James Briggs is a writer specialising in music and travel who has worked for the Guardian, the Irish Times and various travel magazines. A lifelong David Bowie fan, From Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads is his first book. Originally from Somerset, he is now based in London.

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9781837733118

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Reviews

One of the funniest navigations of the mid-life crisis - and half of Europe - I've ever read. I loved it. * John Niven, author of Kill Your Friends * When two of the greatest things collide (Bowie and Bikes), there's only one possible outcome. I love this story. I'm rather jealous that I didn't think of it first. * Ned Boulting, author of How I Won the Yellow Jumper * There's a fine line between midlife crisis and sacrificial offering to the memory of your pop hero. And if you're James Briggs, it's the cycle route from Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads - or, depending on which way you look at it, from one end of his perineum to the other. I wholly enjoyed following the former, but maybe I'll give the latter a miss. * Pete Paphides, author of Broken Greek * Sweet, touching and funny - a proper fan's odyssey. * Jude Rogers, author of The Sound of Being Human * Hugely readable, charming and poignant. * Leah Kardos, author of Blackstar Theory: The Last Works of David Bowie * A curiously engaging (space) oddity of a book: part rock biography, part memoir, part sociological study, part endearingly off-kilter conceit. * Mark Radcliffe, BBC Radio 6 Music presenter, journalist and author * An awesome tale of a journey most inspired. * Tony McGee, photographer * There's no one section of the bookshop where this fits: music, travel, biography? They should just file it under life-affirming. -- Andy Carr * Cycling News *

One of the funniest navigations of the mid-life crisis - and half of Europe - I've ever read. I loved it. * John Niven, author of Kill Your Friends * When two of the greatest things collide (Bowie and Bikes), there's only one possible outcome. I love this story. I'm rather jealous that I didn't think of it first. * Ned Boulting, author of How I Won the Yellow Jumper * There's a fine line between midlife crisis and sacrificial offering to the memory of your pop hero. And if you're James Briggs, it's the cycle route from Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads - or, depending on which way you look at it, from one end of his perineum to the other. I wholly enjoyed following the former, but maybe I'll give the latter a miss. * Pete Paphides, author of Broken Greek * Sweet, touching and funny - a proper fan's odyssey. * Jude Rogers, author of The Sound of Being Human * Hugely readable, charming and poignant. * Leah Kardos, author of Blackstar Theory: The Last Works of David Bowie * A curiously engaging (space) oddity of a book: part rock biography, part memoir, part sociological study, part endearingly off-kilter conceit. * Mark Radcliffe, BBC Radio 6 Music presenter, journalist and author *

One of the funniest navigations of the mid-life crisis - and half of Europe - I've ever read. I loved it. * John Niven, author of Kill Your Friends * When two of the greatest things collide (Bowie and Bikes), there's only one possible outcome. I love this story. I'm rather jealous that I didn't think of it first. * Ned Boulting, author of How I Won the Yellow Jumper * There's a fine line between midlife crisis and sacrificial offering to the memory of your pop hero. And if you're James Briggs, it's the cycle route from Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads - or, depending on which way you look at it, from one end of his perineum to the other. I wholly enjoyed following the former, but maybe I'll give the latter a miss. * Pete Paphides, author of Broken Greek * Sweet, touching and funny - a proper fan's odyssey. * Jude Rogers, author of The Sound of Being Human * Hugely readable, charming and poignant. * Leah Kardos, author of Blackstar Theory: The Last Works of David Bowie *

Author Information

James Briggs is a writer specialising in music and travel who has written for the Guardian, the Irish Times and various travel magazines. A lifelong David Bowie fan, From Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads is his first book. Originally from Somerset, he now lives in London.

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