In an unexpurgated exploration of Bowie's kaleidoscopic personal life, biographer Leigh reveals his star-crossed inheritance--his mother was once an acolyte of the British Fascist party; his father, the PR genius who masterminded his early career--in a dramatic contrast to those family members grappling with mental illness, fears that would haunt Bowie for most of his life. Above all, there is Bowie's hard won rise to fame and fortune, his astounding creativity, his courage as a performer, and his shape-shifting style, coupled with a ruthless ambition that caused him to submit to the casting couch on his way to the top. In the process, Leigh tells of Bowie's strong bond with John Lennon, his love/hate relationship with Mick Jagger, his male sexual partners, and his women, as disparate as Elizabeth Taylor, Susan Sarandon, Tina Turner, Marianne Faithful, Nina Simone, and most notable, his marriage to Iman, which has lasted for the past quarter of a century. Featuring a sixteen-page insert with many never-before-seen photographs of David Bowie and those close to him, this biography is a once in a lifetime look at the iconic superstar who changed the world.