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One would not anticipate a conventional memoir from Bob Dylan--indeed, one would not have foreseen an autobiography at all from the pen of the notoriously private legend. What Chronicles: Volume 1 delivers is an odd but ultimately illuminating memoir that is as impulsive, eccentric, and inspired as Dylan's greatest music.

Eschewing chronology and skipping over most of the "highlights" that his many biographers have assigned him, Dylan drifts and rambles through his tale, amplifying a series of major and minor epiphanies. If you're interested in a behind-the-scenes look at his encounters with the Beatles, look elsewhere. Dylan describes the sensation of hearing the group's "Do You Want to Know a Secret" on the radio, but devotes far more ink to a Louisiana shopkeeper named Sun Pie, who tells him, "I think all the good in the world might already been done" and sells him a World's Greatest Grandpa bumper sticker. Dylan certainly sticks to his own agenda--a newspaper article about journeymen heavyweights Jerry Quarry and Jimmy Ellis and soul singer Joe Tex's appearance on The Tonight Show inspire heartfelt musings, and yet the 1963 assassination of John Kennedy prompts nary a word from the era's greatest protest singer.

For all the small revelations (it turns out he's been a big fan of Barry Goldwater, Mickey Rourke, and Ice-T), there are eye-opening disclosures, including his confession that a large portion of his recorded output was designed to alienate his audience and free him from the burden of being a "the voice of a generation."

Off the beaten path as it is, Chronicles is nevertheless an astonishing achievement. As revelatory in its own way as Blonde on Blonde or Highway 61 Revisited, it provides ephemeral insights into the mind one of the most significant artistic voices of the 20th century while creating a completely new set of mysteries. --Steven Stolder ... Read more

Book Description

Bob Dylan, enigma and superstar, has intrigued millions of fans over the past five decades. His life, music, and influences have been explored through numerous mediums and the market for Dylan-related products continues to grow. Nonetheless, the oral records of his career-his interviews-have been unavailable until now. Gathered here are the most revealing and personal of Dylan's interviews. As a group they show a brilliant, adored, and eclectic musician, unsettled and angered by the fame and reverence surrounding him. In one interview with Time magazine he denigrates his newfound celebrity status, belligerently attacking the interviewer, pushing him nearly to tears. In a later Rolling Stone interview Dylan announces that the archangel Gabriel has visited him, and that he is a born again Christian. Collected from small publications and zines like Positively Tie Dream, Trouser Press, and New Music Express as well as mainstream outlets as disparate as Seventeen, Playboy, Spin, and the New York Times, Dylan's interviews illuminate his journey from ornery folksinger to acclaimed Grammy-winner. Included are interviews by Pete Seeger, Nora Ephron, Susan Edmiston, Studs Terkel, Jon Pareles, Nat Hentoff, Kurt Loder, Steve Allen, Ron Rosenbaum, Bono, Jonathon Cott, Jann Wenner, Robert Shelton, and many others. ... Read more

Book Description

When twenty-five-year-old Bob Dylan wrecked his motorcycle near Woodstock in 1966 and dropped out of the public eye, he was already recognized as a genius, a youth idol with an acid wit and a barbwire throat; and Greenwich Village, where he first made his mark, was unquestionably the center of youth culture.

In Positively 4th Street, David Hajdu recounts the emergence of folk music from cult practice to popular and enduring art form as the story of a colorful foursome: not only Dylan but also his part-time lover Joan Baez -- the first voice of the new generation; her sister Mimi -- beautiful, haunted, and an artist in her own right; and Mimi's husband, Richard Fariña, a comic novelist (Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up to Me) who invented the worldly-wise bohemian persona that Dylan adopted -- some say stole -- and made his own.

A national bestseller in hardcover, acclaimed as "one of the best books about music in America" (Jonathan Yardley, The Washington Post), Positively 4th Street is that rare book with a new story to tell about the 1960s -- about how the decade and all that it is now associated with were created in a fit of collective inspiration, with an energy and creativity that David Hajdu has captured on the page as if for the first time.
... Read more

Reviews (47)

The Spirit Got: a Masterly Job
This is the best book about Bob Dylan I've read. It does not oversimplify, glorify, or disdain the work or the man. Its appraisals of Dylan (and Richard Farina, although Hadju isn't detailed or pointed enough on his novel *Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up to Me*) and entourage seem just, convincingly contextualized, and informed by an understanding of music and the recording business. The contrasts between Farina and Dylan, Joan Baez and her sister, Eric von Schmidt and Mark Spoelstra illuminate each of these figures. Anecdotes are recounted with verve and detachment, and, if the music doesn't give Hadju as much to say as it did in his biography of Bill Strayhorn, the feeling of the times comes through just as vividly--the creativity and the squalor, with the commercial accomplishments of Dylan et. al. the focus through which greater triumphs shine.

Hadju writes gracefully, has come up with new material (and I know a lot of his primary sources), and sensibly has limited the time frame from from 1961-1966. For me, as I said in my notice of Howard Sounes' Dylan biography, this is the key epoch for Dylan, so he's writing to my own prejudices, but the restricted five year scope means that although Hadju's claims may appear limited, he delivers more than he claims to, exploring the interplay of market expectation and aesthetic drive, the connection between audience and internal inspiration, and the great extent to which apparently arbitrary and unconscious decisions emerge as central for an artist and his audience. It's the one book one must read if one is interested in this era and this music, and probably it would appeal even to persons not interested in it.

It's what we wanted to know at time.
I loved this book, relished every word. This is a period book and it appeals to me. At 59 I watched Elvis on Ed Sullivan and fell into Rock 'n Roll like millions others. But it became tiresome and Folk was a wonderful diversion, as was jazz. More, folk was a gentle way to awaken my innocent, self-absorbed, mind. Joan was the leader of the pack. When I heard Dylan I could not stand him until my cousin said "listen to the words." I was hooked and bought his previous album the next day. I was a full-time student working very hard with little spare time, no TV, and almost no disposable income. All of it went to Dylan albums. Half the fun was the anticipation of the next one; they were all so different. For me Dylan shocked me out of naivity in a way Joan Baez could never do. But I never left folk music, nor jazz, and never felt Dylan betrayed us when he went to a rock style. Mimi and Richard Farina were enigmatic, almost unknown, but I remember being very curious about them.
What was missing was any useful information on my heros. I was totally taken in by them all, deeply impressed and envious of their writing and guitar playing ability. I wanted to know more about them. Almost 40 years later Hadju came through.
The book is not gossip. It describes the lives of four people who made a huge impact on my life and on that of millions of others. Largely due to their music our generation awoke from the '50s, found an alternative to tepid, commercial rock, understood that "cruel wars" were the fact (as opposed to us simply being WWII heros), that there really were "masters of war" on their way to waging another one, that racisim was far more ugly than I understood, and I was receiving the benefits of industrial imperialism exploiting poverty in other countries (like bananas and who knows what else).
I wanted to know about my heros. Hadju told me. Thank you David Hadju!

like a rolling stone
I don't remember who recommended this book to me but I'm glad I gave it a chance. While I'm a casual Bob Dylan fan, I was unfamiliar with the Baez sisters and Richard Farina and I found it captivating. A very quick read for me. David Hajdu paints the early 60's folk scene, in rich detail, through the lives of these extraordinary musicians and poets. You really get a feel of the subculture and the importance of the music and the words these artist used to represent their views of the world.

I enjoyed it so much that I'm sorry its finished. I might read it again someday - it was such a joy. Now - time to acquire all of this influential music!

A great starting point to learn about the '60's Folk revival
Positively 4th Street was a thoroughly entertaining glimpse at the early '60's Folk scene, focusing on the four characters in the subtitle. This book is not restricted to Baez, Dylan, and the Farinas though. it includes many other individuals who were either in that circle or knew of it.
Hajdu has done his research well. My only complaint is that the dialogue shifts and it takes a moment or two to refocus on what is going on. I particularly enjoyed learning about the other folk people, and that has encouraged me to delve into the works of other musicians; some good, some not so good. I am enjoying a collection of the Farinas work, and have started to read Farinas book, "Been Down so Long, Looks Like up to Me". I learned things about Dylan and Baez that I never knew before, despite being a fan of both and following their careers from the early days on. Hajdu has written a book that makes you want to learn more. Anything that encourages more reading is certainly a good thing!

I highly recommend this book.

farina and dylan with the baez's
a very specific subject of the relationship of joan and mimi baez with the two early loves of their lives during the 60's. an interesting book that details the rise of dylan in accordance with the already established career of joan baez and the disappointment she felt when he left her to move on by himself without her anymore. ... Read more

Book Description

Discusses the evolution of Dylan’s style and concerns. The most informed interpretation available of Dylan’s mature work. B/w photos. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An Amazing Dylan Book
The second volume of "Bob Dylan, Performing Artist" covers the less understood, less appreciated, but often more rewarding second part of Dylan's career. Williams convincingly argues that much of Dylan's finest work came during this period, and his writing may have you digging out your old copy of "Shot of Love" or "Empire Burlesque" (or your bootleg tapes of those 1979-80 "born again" shows) to hear what he's talking about. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Dylan fans never forget
I'll be sorry to see this book eclipsed by Ellison's _Collected Interviews_, even if I do have Ellison in my amazon shopping cart already. The appearance of this book was a godsend, back in the days when we were all kicking ourselves for having failed to ferret away multiple copies of the issue of _Playboy_ which had featured THAT interview. It took an Australian journalist to get one of the pioneering volumes of responsible Dylan scholarship into print, and God bless'im, says this guy...

Portrait of a legend when he was earning the title
This book compiles much of the best writing done about Bob Dylan in the '60's, when he was in the midst of what is perhaps the greatest burst of creativity by a musical artist in this century. Includes interviews from the Village Voice and Playboy, and lengthy, perceptive essays on an artist whose music holds up to infinite levels of analysis. The rather dated quality of these essays and interviews is what gives them their beauty. These articles were written when all of this was new and no one knew where he was going or where he would take us. Dylan was not the grizzled bluesman he is today, but an absolute force of nature in his mid twenties; a kid from Minnesota who became the axis of popular culture. It is generally acknowledged that the directions that rock took in the '60's sprang directly from him. And he often changed directions every few months. For example, John Wesley Harding, released at the height of the psychedelic era, was a quiet, acoustic album, which in turn led the Beatles toward a similar sound for the White Album ... Read more

Reviews (1)

What makes Bob Bob?
I read this book a few years ago, when I was starting to get really into Dylan's music, and by the time I finished the book, I had an even deeper appreciation for his music. Williams is better than anyone at describing and conveying Dylan's genius. Almost overflowing with enthusiasm, Williams reviews Dylan's earliest, most celebrated albums and concerts with an emphasis on Dylan's unique delivery of the material, rather than foculsing on his simply his words or politics, as many less perceptive writers tend to do. Reading the book makes you see Dylan not as the "voice of a generation" but more simply and accurately as the generation's most visionary artist and performer. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

a good book
this book tells you a lot about bob dylan, a folk singer turned rock singer whose songs are really good and literary. if you want to understand his lyrics and whatnot pick up this book. it is good. i liked it though i didnt read all of it.

Invaluable reference
Bob Dylan is one of the few musical figures from the 20th century that we have truly seen become a legend in their own time. Some would argue, indeed, that Dylan is THE quissential cultural figure of the second half of the 20th century - recording undoubtedly some of the greatest albums ever put to tape, becoming, in the eyes of many, a composer for our times on par with Mozart and Beethoven, arguably the greatest, at the very least most infulential and far-reaching poet of the century, and mapping out emotional blueprints for an entire generation with songs like Blowin' In The Wind, The Times They Are A-Changin', Mr. Tambourine Man, Like A Rolling Stone, and Just Like A Woman. And, although he has since recorded albums every bit as good as his 60's highlights, - not least among them, his magnum opus Blood On The Tracks, and his 1998 Album of The Year, Time Out of Mind - his works from that time still stands as the absolute apex of a culture that was the most turbulent decade since the 20's. Rarely has an artist, at any time, been so in tune with the tenor of the times. This book chronicles Dylan's remarkable 60's period - from his, largely interpretative, debut album through his shocking move to country music with Nashville Skyline. It indeed has the "stories behind every song", and it avoids stooping so low as to try and convey what the songs are "about." Rather, this book, much more usefully, gives the background to the songs: how and when they came about, insight into the characters mentioned in them, and what woman, person, or particular muse the song may be referring to, or have been inspired by. There may not be a lot here that Dylanologist don't already know, but it is nevertheless a useful (not to mention beautiful - it's an immaculately laid-out book, with dozens of generous photographs peppered throughout), and nice to have a reference to all these early songs in one place. An absolutely essential book for Dylan fans.

How Does It Feel?
This was when Dylan was making groundbreaking music. This book offers fine analysis of every track and an excellent companion to the CDs of that time period. A must-have book for Dylan fans. ... Read more

Book Description

Featuring a wealth of new information, Down the Highway is likely to be hailed as the definitive biography of Bob Dylan. Acclaimed biographer Howard Sounes has spent three years researching the book and has interviewed more than 250 people important in Dylan's life -- many of whom have never before given interviews -- and sifted through documentary evidence unavailable to previous biographers. With this unprecedented access, Sounes dispels many myths, reveals major discoveries, and uncovers the secret life of the mysterious singer, while giving a full appreciation of Dylan's artistic achievements and significance to American culture. Sounes's prodigious research has led to many significant revelations about every aspect of Dylan's life. For years there has been speculation about Dylan's marital life and children, and Sounes has uncovered the complete, fascinating story of his family life, which will completely change the public's perception of the singer. Sounes has interviewed a key witness to Dylan's 1966 motorcycle accident, a turning point in his career. The witness has never before spoken publicly, and Sounes provides the clearest picture yet of the accident and the subsequent "lost years" in Woodstock, New York. He also gives inside accounts of the important recording sessions and concert tours, the creation of every album and the most celebrated songs, Dylan's labyrinthine love life, his heart illness in 1997, and much more. These inside accounts come directly from Sounes's extensive interviews of girlfriends, family members, former personal assistants, fellow music stars and friends, members of touring and session bands, producers, club owners and concert promoters, and many others. Candid and refreshing, Down the Highway is also a sincere appreciation of Dylan's seminal place in postwar American cultural history and an essential book for the millions of people who have enjoyed Dylan's music over the years. ... Read more

Reviews (42)

Positively first rate
The enigmatic, mysterious Bob Dylan: who can really know this guy? Sounes does an excellent job of fleshing out the man behind the music, probably about as good a job as anyone could have done. He balances the personal life of Bob (at least what can be known of his personal life) with his artistic life, and presents a full-bodied, complete picture of the man and the legend. Dylan is a man of contradictions (a born-again Christian who remained sexually promiscuous, a person who would treat people insensitively and then feel badly about it but not enough to apologize, a protest singer who was reluctant to get involved in causes), but that's what makes him Dylan. Although familiar with Dylan's music over the years, plus reading many articles and interviews with him, this is the first book-length biography I have read about him, so I may not have the perspective that others do who have compared this bio to others and have found it lacking, but speaking for myself, I found it fascinating.

The human life of a man who is a modern myth
Bob Dylan is as much a cultural icon as one person can be in our times, but he is a secretive and lonely person. It is difficult for a biographer to weave together an honest look at such a person without their cooperation. Yet Howard Sounes does a great job of looking past the image and providing his readers with a glimpse of the person behind the legend. Without being able to interview the man himself, he uses Dylan's words from past interviews, legal records, and interviews with friends and associates to piece together a picture of the life behind the legend.

Telling the story of Dylan from birth to the year 2000, this book focuses on the details of a life devoted to a musical career. I found particularly interesting the section on Dylan's musical roots in Hibbing, Duluth, and Minneapolis. Also, interviews with some of the few people Dylan befriended over the years give us a wonderful peak at his human side. Finally, producers and musicians tell fascinating stories about recording sessions that add to our understanding of the music on his CDs. The author has interviewed many people who had contact with Dylan through the years so we get much detail, but ultimately are still only on the outside looking in. Usually Sounes takes the high road and refrains from telling salacious details.

The book will appeal to devoted fans who love Dylan's music and want to know about the person behind it. If you are new to Bob Dylan and want to understand his cultural impact, this is not the book for you. It is also a very revealing study of the isolating effect that fame can have on people.

Volume 20
Some hundred years from now someone will sit down and make a life out of a 20 volume biography of Dylan. Not that he really deserves 20 volumes, but given his timing, talent & able manipulation of the culture, it's inevitable. If he deserves it, it's because his audience was always willing to be manipulated by his talent. If he doesn't deserve it, it's because he deserves an audience more willing to live up to his lifestyle: live what you are.

Want to praise the Lord? Go to church. Want to read a great book? Pick up Moby Dick, Ulysses, whatever flips your folio. Want to get some interesting info on the Life & Times of RAZ? This is a human place to start: clear, crisp, as unceremoniously kempt as Bobby was unwashed in the early days. Cherry picked, maybe, & not particularly pretty -- but you should have known that. This picks out the details. Not a Great Lot Of Turgid Prose & Big Heavy Ideas, just the players, the stage & how it all went down to the best of their rememberies. It's history in dusty boots of Spanish vinyl. Face it, some part of Bobby boy is humbug & isn't trying to figure out which part a lot of the fun?

Sounes goes some way to outlining the Private Bob, & does so with no apparent bones to pick (unless you believe Great Artists are Immaculate & their detractors doomed to perdition). Read some of the others too, while waiting for the full, authorized 20 volume edition. But this one should be on your short list. Maybe it's damning with faint praise, but there're no major disasters here & it has a fairly light touch with what could easily have been overwrought.

Good, but more a back road than a highway
Another Dylan bio, and not an unusual one in that it once more dwells on the man's many personal faults. I have no problem with that. It doesn't surprise me that the man has used people as stepladders throughout his life, befriending them when it benefits his ambitions and discarding them once they no longer serve his selfish ends. And the man treats people so shabbily that as he knocked on heaven's door with a near fatal heart ailment in 1997, only one of his band-members bothered to contact him and wish him well.

What we don't get is the exhaustive, knowledgable background on his music that Clinton Heylin provides in "Behind the Shades: Revisited" which hit bookstores at the same time. That volume bursts with background info on the recordings and still found time to dish up heaping piles of dirt. Sounes offers some surprising news about a post-Sara marriage that Dylan remarkably managed to conceal, and the revelation (true?) that at the lowest point in his career, he asked to join the Grateful Dead (and was turned down)!

For Dylan fans, at least those who don't object to learning that their hero's music may be the only truly admirable thing about him, Sounes book is a worthwhile read, but it's more of a back road than a highway.

Ballad of an unpleasant thin man.
Dylan comes across as an utterly unpleasant person in this rather good biography. As I am not the greatest fan of his music (for reasons I will come to later) this did not bother me too much, but I am sure some of other reviewers would have punished Mr Sounes for this when rating the book.

Dylan is portrayed as thoroughly self-centred, somebody with enormous sensitivity in terms of his own feelings (which he conveys with great intensity via his music), but absolutely no sensitivity in terms of others' feelings. This includes wives, girlfriends and musical associates, all of whom are discarded with disdain when no longer required. This leaves Dylan a deservedly lonely and disillusioned person towards the end of the book. In fact, when he falls seriously ill, only one of his many former band members write him, a fate which is not unexpected to the reader given how he had treated them. It is hard for the reader of this book to have any sympathy with Dylan, and I think the author does a good job of paiting a picture if Dylan without being judgemental- praising the music, but not the man.

In terms of music I find Dylan very variable in quality- all of his earlier recordings contain some great songs, but the weaker songs are always too weak for my liking, and not as good as, say, the weaker songs on a Simon and Garfunkel recording. And some of his songs are incredibly naive in terms of lyrical content, like Sunshine on the Union on Infidels. The author describes Dylan's musical decline well, including his return to live performance form in the middle 90's. I just shudder to think how bad exactly his live performances must have been in the early 90's, because I saw him live in 1996 in London and he was still bad enough.

The book has some weaknesses admittedly. The writing is not always of the highest standard and I sometimes got the impression that the author was quoting people simply because he had spoken to them, and not because they had said anything worth quoting. But all in all he has produced a fine biography of Dylan, clearly the fruit of much labour. ... Read more

Book Description

In 1991 Clinton Heylin published what was considered the most definitive biography of Bob Dylan available. In 2001 he completely revised and reworked this hugely acclaimed book, adding new sections, substantially reworking text, and bringing the story up-to-date with Dylan's explosive career in 2000.

Bob Dylan: Behind the Shades Revisited follows the story of Dylan from his humble beginnings in Minnesota to his arrival in New York in 1961, his subsequent rise in the folk pantheon of Greenwich Village in the early '60s, and his cataclysmic folk-rock metamorphosis at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965. In the succeeding eighteen months, Dylan released Highway 61 Revisited and Blonde on Blonde, and embarked on the legendary 1966 World Tour that culminated with an unforgettable concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Heylin details it all, along with the true story of Dylan's motorcycle accident, his remarkable reemergence in the mid-'70s, the only exacting account of his controversial conversion to born-again Christianity, the Neverending Tour, and yet another incredible Dylan resurgence with his 1997 Grammy Album of the Year Award-winning Time Out of Mind.

Deemed by The New Yorker as "the most readable and reliable" of all Dylan biographies, this book will give fans what they have always wanted -- a chance to get to know the man behind the shades.

Reviews (23)

Cold and condescending. What about the music?
I read this biography not just because I'm a big and longstanding fan of Bob Dylan, but also because of the strength of many of the accolades the book has received, both in Amazon and elsewhere. I couldn't have been more disappointed. The biography is clearly well-researched, despite Heylin's proud but unconvincing defence of the fact that he has never met Dylan. However, the biography lacks any warmth or feel for Dylan and the huge and deep contribution his music has made to modern culture. The book comes down with detail, but much of it is incidental and irrelevant. Moreover, Heylin manages to be condescending and irritatingly opinionated, especially and unnecessarily so about other biographers. His constant use of direct quotes merely breaks the flow of the text and rarely adds much. Normally, when one reads a biography of a musician and songwriter who has played such an important part in one's own life, and especially when the author admits to being fan, one would expect to be driven back to the music with renewed vigour and interest. In the case of Heylin's biography this didn't happen. I can still recall the huge impact that some of Dylan's albums had on my life, and music more generally, but this does not come across in Heylin's often flat and at times self-important writing style. While there is plenty of gossip around Dylan's fondness for women, drugs and drink, few original insights are offered about his music. Indeed, Dylan's music is hardly assessed at all, apart from occasional references to the views of other critics. Dylan's life and music deserve a lot more.

Good... if you want an encyclopedia
This book is well researched.

It is written in a good language.

It is rather objective.

It has nothing to do with who Bob Dylan is.

Here you will find every single detail the author has ever found out about Bob Dylan. It doesn't matter whether it's important or not. This makes this book something akin to an encyclopedia - and, for me, there is a big difference between a biography and an encyclopedia. I read the former to get at least a bit closer to the essence of a fascinating personality. I've never read one of the latter from cover to cover.

If you want information, and lots of dry, even though well-presented, facts, you will find them here. All of them. A year-by-year, day-by-day account of Dylan's life.

I think Dylan is something more.

As Objective and Thorough as a Biography can be.
In Behind the Shades Revisted, Heylin presents his findings with the astute, detached eye of a detective. Some reviewers are skeptical of an unauthorized biography, but Heylin effectively defends his approach: With authorized biographies, the subject has ultimate approval of the finished product. Consequently, the results are unavoidably subjective and incomplete. Heylin culls from a multitude diverse sources (interviews with musicians Dylan has worked with, friends, former girlfriends, ex-wives, to name just a few), presenting many different sides of his subject. Heylin has never interviewed or even met Dylan, and while this makes Behind the Shades feel somewhat detached, it offers more potential for objectivity. [Dylan is notoriously disingenous with reporters, so the value of first-hand interviews is probably negligible.]

Heylin describes Dylan's childhood and adolescence in northern Minnesota. Dylan's origins (both personal and musical) are described; Dylan has been enthusiastic about music at least since his early teens. Heylin provides detailed analysis of Dylan's early influences (mostly American pop icons like Little Richard) and follows his evolution during his early 20s, when he discovered folk and blues. He then proceeds to describe Dylan's artistic heyday during the mid-60's, his late 60s-early 70s hiatus, and his mid-70s resurgence.

One of the most impressive aspects of Heylin's writing is his willingness to discuss Dylan's largely derided work during the 80s-early 90s. While Dylan's work during this era has been understandably ridiculed (though Heylin's interpretation of much from this period is a little more positive than most other critics), his analysis provides essential insight into his subject.

Whether intentionally or not, Heylin creates a dichotomous portrait of Dylan. The younger Dylan (ca 1960-68) is a vibrant, often affable personality with unwavering idealism. As the story progresses, the pressures of fame and the demanding nature of celebrity begin to take there toll to the extent that it seems to impact Dylan's work. By the time Behind the Shades concludes, Dylan is presented as a weary, slightly confused and misanthropic curmudgeon no longer capable of producing new material that is inspired or surprising. This is the only arguable flaw with Behind the Shades. This conclusion might have seemed perfectly reasonable in 1999 (when the edition I read was published), but the release of Love and Theft in 2001 somewhat discredits Heylin's conclusion. Heylin can hardly be blamed for this; Love and Theft, Dylan's most inspired work in fifteen years (and his most extroverted since the 60s), was a completely unexpected triumph, but it does make the last chapter seem a little dated.

Despite it's slight flaws in the last chapter or two (hardly his fault) Heylin has created a rich, multi-faceted portrait. By interspersing numerous quotes from Dylan's associates within his own writing, Heylin creates a book of many voices. Heylin definitely has strong views, but tries to be fair and accurate, and makes every effort to present contrary perspectives. Despite it's seemingly intimidating length (700+ pages), Behind the Shades is compellingly readable; his approach is always well-defined, and often clever (he subtly reference Dylan's lyrics on numerous occasions). Behind the Shades is a critical, objective portrait of pop music's greatest (and most psychologically elusive) songwriter.

Tiresome
I find it surprising that so many reviewers seem so delighted with Mr. Heylin's book. While I did enjoy learning bits about the origins of songs and Dylan's studio methods, I found that for the most part Mr.Heylin was falling over himself to express just how much he dislikes everyone in Dylan's life with the exception of the man himself.

For most of the book, Heylin treats Dylan like a talented golden boy, whose personal habits he finds highly distasteful, but is willing to overlook. But by the end of the book, I think maybe he has spent just a little bit too much time in his room thinking about Bob Dylan, and is clearly quite tired of him.

800 pages of humorless crankiness makes for a very tiresome read.

My recommendation is to just listen to the albums and let old Bob keep his personal life to himself.

Academic in style, but doesn't capture the essence
Yeah, well, by and large I pretty much agree with the judgement of the reader from Belfast, Ireland. Personally I don't mind the use of direct quotes that break up the flow of the text as many of the anecdotes - especially Dylan's - are quite fascinating, and the author writes well so he has to be given credit for that. Otherwise, to concur with the reader from Ireland, I find Heylin to write with a rather patronising and almost condescending academic-style truculence which bears no spirit to Dylan's music or the times he lived through. There's a faintly professorial smug sense of self-satisfaction that runs through this text, as if the author is "above it all" and is in total self-belief in having the one-and-only arcane rite to being the "Dylan authority". On the whole, he's cold, patronising, especially to those around Dylan, and he makes some appalling statements about the Beatles. Heylin is too self-important to allow a bit of funtime folklore such as the shared spiff on first meeting of BD & the mop tops in NYC in '64 to be just what it is and has to pontificate on the event with a detached, gravely authoritarianism. The closing sentence to the chapter which heralds the making of Highway 61 is appaling, something like "...while the opposition were tuning their Rickenbackers and wondering where to hide their love away, Dylan was off inventing his wild mercury sound..." - this totally discredits the true merit of both Dylan & the Beatles. He's horribly dismissive about Sergeant Pepper....sure, to be objective it is not the Beatles strongest set of songs but it's a very fine album nonetheless. It's also bizarre, and flatly irrelevant I think, that the author spends much word space in his preface to compare Dylan the genius, to Orson Welles, the genius. Most of us music fans may not know or couldn't care less about Orson Welles, we know he's some film guy, so what? Wouldn't it be more relevant to compare BD to Stravinsky, the medium is closer - and then one comes to realise that comparisons are meaningless anyway.
To Heylin's credit, he portrays Dylan as a human being with a linear life and steers clear of iconoclasm, but somehow it doesn't fit. Heylin hasn't fully conveyed the essence of the man's extraordinary songwriting, instead focusing on an overly academic-style objectivity which fails to capture the spirit of the subject matter, instead rendering it at times, a frustrating and irritating read. ... Read more

Book Description

From his apocalyptic expressions onstage and in the studio, to his unapologetic biblical views that leak out during interviews, Bob Dylan's spiritual journey makes for a fascinating story. A curious icon of popular culture, yet distinct in his Judeo-Christian expressions, Bob Dylan doesn't fit neatly into the typical rock 'n' roll mold. Who else would have the chutzpah to publicly contribute to Orthodox Jewish communities while publicly singing songs about Jesus' crucifixion, resurrection and eventual return? RESTLESS PILGRIM wrestles with the seemingly contradictory facts of Dylan's preoccupation with Jesus and his own Jewish heritage, by looking through the lens of this reluctant legend's four-decade career. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

What is Truth?
An interesting book, but no where near enough analysis of the biblical references in Dylan's work - pre-conversion i.e 1961-1979, and post Born-Again period i.e 1981-2003.

In particular the ingenious song "Jokerman", which seems to have many clues, is barely examined. There is a strong presence of God in Dylan's latest albums, but whether or not these are in a Christian context is debatable.

There is definitely some merit in Marshall's study of whether Dylan is a Christian or not, and his effort in preparing this book is to be admired, but I was struck by a particular thought whilst reading this book:

Why not just ask Bob?

If Bob, in keeping with his image of mystique (and disdain for journalistic probing), refuses to answer, this would indicate that he is not a Christian. Why would he want to be so secretive about it?

Also, I notice Marshall did not refer to Dylan's "moral" behaviour post 1981. If Dylan is a Christian, is he "walking the walk"? Or has he continued the "Rock Star" lifestyle? Other Dylan biographers seem to think so.

The whole question seems extremely perplexing. Dylan seemed so passionate about his faith on "Slow Train Coming" and "Saved" but then seemed to distance himself from the faith -without officially denouncing it. Was the whole thing an act? Is Dylan merely an actor on a stage who dabbles in all artforms of traditional American music - of which gospel music is a prominent one.

Can we ever truly know unless Dylan comes out and clarifies the issue once and for all? I don't think performing the odd track from "Slow Train Coming" or the occasional tradtional gospel song in concert, is answer enough. Perhaps Dylan's autobiography "Chronicles" (to be released later this year) will reveal all.

too much propaganda
Very interesting subject, but as I got farther into the book, I noticed that some of the reference Bible verses and quotes were starting to last over a page. I soon came to realize that the book was published by a Christian publishing company (Relevant Books). I learned more about "the sermon on the mount" than I did new information about Bob Dylan. "Restless Pilgrim" included some interesting facts, but was definitely written from a point of bias.

Things I never knew about Bob Dylan, faith, and courage
Just browsing Marcia Ford's intro to this book was enough to hook me. The writing style is sincere, witty, and subtle. The author's research is extensive and gives us an intimate glimpse into the mind of a man. Bob Dylan is a prophet for our generation, and I so appreciate the author's effort to bring his story to light. It takes courage to walk in faith when you walk alone, and "Restless Pilgrim.." takes on that journey.

And I Answer Them Most Mysteriously...and not so!
* * * * *
Throughout this book, Scott Marshall reveals that many of the answers people are searching for, in regard to Bob Dylan's faith, are found within his songs and life. The problem tends to be the biases brought to the music beforehand. This causes words that Dylan has said to appear contradictory, to be taken out of context. The author helps straighten them out, as he exposes the big picture (each chapter chronicles Dylan's life to the present year: 1941-1978, and so on). Though it is evident that the author also believes in Yeshua Ha Mashia (Jesus Christ) on a personal level, he does well in allowing the musician's own words and actions to speak for themselves.

Mr. Marshall covers numerous events, concerning (among others) such friends as Allen Ginsberg and acquaintances like Frank Zappa. And they help give added weight to lyrics in songs like "Precious Angel": My so-called friends have fallen under a spell. They look me squarely in the eye and they say, "All is well..." and the unacceptance felt in "I Believe In You": I believe in you even though I be outnumbered. Oh, though the earth may shake me-Oh, though my friends forsake me-that couldn't make me go back.

It is evident from Dylan's music that he feels people have tried to pigeonhole him. It is apparent, however, that his faith is strong regardless. Dylan has found critics on all sides. And he has done well to do what many people apparently fail to--delineate between his faith in Christ (which is personal) and religion (which, in and of itself, is not).

As Dylan sings in "Need A Woman," he is: searching for the truth the way God designed it. Not man. This would go hand in hand with his not being beholden to any "rabbi, preacher, or evangelist." He made such a statement after admitting that he enjoys listening to "preacher stations" on the radio. Another contradiction? Nope. But who is Dylan accountable to then, one might ask?...God. He knows well that a day of reckoning is yet to come (just listen to "Lord, Protect My Child," "God Knows," "Are You Ready?," Shooting Star," "Things Have Changed," and "Summer Days").

Some skeptics would say that Bob Dylan's spiritual journey has been one of contradiction. His own aunt evidently believes that his "conversion" was for the means of publicity. If this was the case (which Marshall does well in refuting), Mr. Dylan needs a new publicist! She also said, in effect, that he couldn't have "converted" because he's "plenty Jewish-minded-he was barmitzvahed." So someone who is Jewish, and barmitzvahed cannot be a believer in Christ? Scott Marshall heartily disagrees, as do many other believers. Jesus was a Jew after all.

"Restless Pilgrim" was a most enjoyable and quick read which left me wanting for a second volume. I was satisfied with its content as being researched very well. I would disagree with another reviewer, in saying that this book is narrow in its scope. It is obvious that Mr. Dylan was nominally a believer in Judaism, but that he embraced his Jewish roots more fervently after coming to faith in Jesus Christ. In the past twenty years (post-"Gospel Tour") it seems that those of Judaism and Christianity have, at some level, been debating whether Dylan belongs to their camp, or not. Mr. Marshall lays out the facts as they are...

I was impressed by the author's numerous interviews with individuals who were at the heart of the "Gospel Tour," and have been a part of Dylan's life. I had never heard about the many other musicians from the Rolling Thunder Revue that had become Christians-and artists like T-Bone Burnett and Roger McGuinn who came to faith at that same time (members of Mr. Dylan's circle of friends). I also found the story behind the original "Saved" album cover to be interesting (as I personally find that painting to be aesthetically more pleasing than the present one being used by Columbia for the cover).

Lastly, I was left with these impressions after reading this book: Dylan isn't singing for the generation who idolized him in his younger years. Though he was once referred to as the "voice of [that] generation" many considered him a traitor after he took a bold stand for Christ. Even Joan Baez spoke ill of his faith in "Children of the '80s" (what an open mind, Ms. Baez). He was only a voice for them when they believed that he agreed with them. Even when he sings "All Along the Watchtower" these days, one wonders how many know of its connection to Isaiah 28. I know I was clueless on this matter. Dylan isn't singing for the music industry either-it is all too obvious that many of his albums since "Saved," and prior to "Time Out of Mind," were not bestsellers. But is that what matters? I agree with Leonard Cohen, and Bono, that those albums are works of art, many of which are under appreciated. No, Dylan isn't concerned with the music industry's acceptance of him. It can be summed up in the introduction he gave to "In The Garden" at the Hard to Handle concert in 1986. Dylan said "I'm gonna sing about my hero now." Anyone who knows the lyrics of this song knows for whom he sings, and why.

Dylan's Secret History
It is interesting how many Dylan fans view Bob Dylan's involvement in Christianity as restricted to a couple years in the late 70's and early 80's and those years as a momentary lapse which he thankfully came out of. If one digs deeper into Dylan's work they will see an entirely different scenario. Dylan has had some Biblical references and themes in his songs since he first emerged in the early 60's. What does one make of the Jewish Dylan's Basement Tapes outtake, "Sign on the Cross" concerning the narrator's consternation that Jesus just may be the king of the Jews? The years following Dylan's born again period provoke much debate about his religious stance. Had he renounced Christianity, embraced Judaism? The Author makes a compelling case that shows how he believes Dylan has never ceased believing in Jesus even while embracing his Jewish roots. Mr. Marshall has meticulously researched these issues by examining Dylan's work through the last 2 decades including the songs that Dylan plays in concert day in and day out. Personal interviews abound. It is obvious that the author is a devoted fan who knows what he writes about. Well worth purchasing, this book is an interesting look at an often overlooked side of Bob Dylan. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

bad attitude, great research
Mr. Perle's disclaimer does this book an injustice: Spitz's sequel to the Scaduto and Shelton biographies bears the aspect of a "tabloid-style hatchet job" unmistakably. Nevertheless the amazing quality of Spitz's even-then-still-timely research remains irreducible, and his book cannot be responsibly neglected by scholars of the topic.

As for Perle's claim that "An autobiography by Bob Dylan was also available," well, if only! Won't that be the day!

Spitz' Writing Misunderstood
(This was written for a course assignment.)

Though already ten years old, "Dylan - A Biography" by Bob Spitz is an incredible, often uncomfortable look into singer/songwriter Bob Dylan's life. "Uncomfortable" because Bob Dylan, admired and even idolized by so many, named the spokesman of his generation in the early 1960s, and supposedly a prophet of peace and goodwill, is uncovered as a frequently complete and utter jerk. But at the same time, Spitz writes with an understanding pen. "Dylan" is by no means a tabloid-style hatchet job, Spitz having set out to "unmask the hero." If anything, "Dylan" shows us that Bob Dylan, the man, the myth, is indeed both a man and a myth. He is and always has been a human being, and one with his fair share of faults.

Reviews of "Dylan" on the Internet are rather critical of Spitz, using terms such as "mean-spirited." Due to Spitz having dramatically different reviews for his other works, it seems as though these other "Dylan" readers don't want to face the idea that their icon is not the quintessential humanitarian, despite the legend. Spitz interviews and quotes countless people from Dylan's past who give first-hand accounts of his own mean-spirited dealings with those who've cared about him. In doing so one feels foolish thinking of Dylan as among the world's greatest humanitarians.

Lack of personal knowledge created the void that "Dylan" was hoped to fill. Two topics in particular were eagerly awaited to be expounded on. These included Dylan's mid-1960s & life-altering motorcycle accident and Dylan's flirtation with Christianity, followed by his return to Judaism. Neither topic was satisfactorily covered, though it appears that the second part of the latter simply occured after the book was published a decade ago. As for the first topic, it appears due to the less-than-heavy emphasis and the implication that the accident was not nearly as serious as the public was lead to believe that it is for this that the topic was given little concentration.

The 550 pages that make up the main text of the book, including the prologue, chapters, and epilogue, certainly comprise a work that is significantly longer than easier-read alternatives for the topic, but it was hoped that the book would live up to its promise. At the bottom of the cover is a quote from esteemed writer Greil Marcus, "No other book captures it so well, understands so well..." An autobiography by Bob Dylan was also available, but to get the objective story, it is best to stay away from such self-promotion. In the author's notes preceding the prologue, Spitz writes that he was offered exclusive interviews with Dylan as well as access to countless treasures including photographs in return for allowing Dylan control over the final manuscript. Based on Dylan's notorious history of publicizing half-truths and outright lies about himself, Spitz refused.

"Dylan" is a recommended read.

This book rocks
This Bob Dylan book by Bob Spitz i felt was quite intrigueing. I have always wanted to learn more on Bob Dylan and this book, i felt really expressed a lot of his thoughts and how his has lived his entire life.

The Misinterpretation of Bob Dylan
Bob Spitz manages to waste this thoroughly researched and at times enlightening document of Bob Dylan by practicing a single-minded interpretation of content with the determination one uses to keep a preconceieved idea of a subject in line from beginning to end without sacrificing preconceptions for truths that arise between. Spitz wanted a unique portrait of Dylan and he did what shaping was necessary to achieve it. The book does provide real insight into Dylan's childhood, except for the strange ommision of anything related to writing from the would-be poet.

Spitz takes the wrong perspective, again and again.
The author seems concerned only with Dylan's popular appeal in his analysis of the man's career. For instance, if an album sells well, then it is great. If it does not sell well, then it must be awful. Amazingly, Spitz refers to the brilliant Basement Tapes as "awful."

His conclusions seem to cast Dylan as a washed-up has-been from about 1976 onward. Of course, this leads Spitz to discount some very good later works, and to generally belittle the many variations of Dylan's career.

The only reason this book doesn't get one star is because of the early chapters detailing Dylan's childhood, which were well-written and very interesting. ... Read more

Book Description

Bob Dylan has had a profound influence on the shape of modern pop music (folk, rock, blues) and as a modern literary figure. He has also attracted enormous attention from both professional and amateur "interpreters".

In this book Gilmour offers a thorough study of Dylan's reading of scriptures. He explores the ways in which Dylan transforms biblical images and concepts when he incorporates them into his literary world; it is an attempt to listen to the echoes of scripture in his published works. Gilmour closely reads Dylan's poems and songs and provides commentaries on several themes found in Dylan's work: the Sermon on the Mount and Jesus; apocalypse, justice and judgement; oppressive religion and religious irony. Through these readings, Gilmour calls attention to the various ways Dylan uses scripture both in an explicit and an implicit manner. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

The best Dylan book ever writen
A master in the day, Bob Dylan's story of his early coffee shop day up untill about the mid-80's. Robert Shelton in 1961 wrote a article for Dylan that help his music take off.Dylan went from the Village folk scene to performing in front of large crowds of people. This book shows the transition from a coffee shop to the big stage. While telling you a blow for blow story of Dylan's life right up untill the mid-80's. The story starts out close to Dylan and over the span of the novel it come more of a distant observer. This book summerizes the whole time period and makes Dylan's personality better known. His songs have more impact now that you understand his motives. I recomend reading it.

Detailed and yet Personal
You must be interested in Dylan, as both a folk artist and a renegade, to take on this lengthy biography. If you are though, Shelton provides you with almost a Bible of Dylan from 1941 in Duluth, MN to 1985 in NYC - through all his different stages, his changing emotions, his passions - and of course his music. Getting into Dylan can be intense but he'll rumble your soul and twist your head a couple times so you get to see whats all around you. His influence on music and society is absolutely far-reaching. This book is excellent!!!

All sides and aspects of a cherished and popular figure
Expertly written by Robert Shelton (the New York Times music and popular culture reviewer generally credited for "discovering" Dylan in 1961), No Direction Home: The Life And Music Of Bob Dylan is a faithful and definitive biography of the talented artist and his unforgettable music. An extensively detailed chronicle which explores all sides and aspects of a cherished and popular figure in American music, No Direction Home is a welcome addition to 20th Century Music History Studies collections and "must" reading for all Bob Dylan fans.

Not the Place to Start . . .
. . .start (of course) with the albums, of course, especially "Freewheelin'," "Highway 61 Revisited," "Blonde on Blonde," and "John Wesley Harding," "Basement Tapes," "Blood on the Tracks," "Bootleg Series Vol 4," and maybe "World Gone Wrong." Then check out "Don't Look Back" on DVD. Shelton's book has a lot of great information about Dylan, but it's not the best organized or most concise biography you'll ever come across (maybe it's the editor who worked on the book's fault [?]). It's also now a bit dated, published in 1986. Clinton Heylin's "Man Behind the Shades" (1991) and Howard Sounes' "Down the Highway" (2001) are both more up-to-date and easier reads. Greil Marcus' "Invisible Republic" (1997)does a better job of placing Dylan's music in a historical context. "No Direction Home" is a sprawling collection of interview excepts, biography, oral history, the author's personal recollections of Dylan, musicology, and literary criticism that never really connects the dots, but there is a lot of great information for the experienced or semi-experienced Dylan enthusiast to wade through

Good Not Great...
Whether or not this is the BEST Dylan biography is hard to say, there are millions of them out there...certainly it has to be the best-researched, and one of the most heartfelt; Shelton gave Dylan his first great review, "discovered" him, in effect, and though he critically assesses Dylan's subsequent works there's never a doubt that he's Dylan's biggest fan. A midnight conversation on a private jet between Shelton and Dylan in the mid-60's is the best thing in the book, fascinating reading...but there is such a concept as too much of a good thing, and the minutae Shelton indulges in gets tiring. He apparently went to every concert and every party Dylan did, and his insistence on inserting himself into the scene makes me wonder about his objectivity. Maybe Shelton thought he was one of the new journalists. I don't know. But less Shelton would've been helpful. Also, Shelton insists on punctuating almost every paragraph with a hidden line from one of Dylan's songs; for awhile it's clever, but it gets old fast.
The book was out of print for a long time, and that's too bad. I hope it stays in print. It's incredibly packed with facts and interpretations and long quotes both from Dylan and those close to him. It's just TOO MUCH, that's all. But good. A worthy biography of the most potent force in popular music since Sinatra. How's that for a name out of left field? ... Read more

Book Description

22 of Dylan’s greatest hits for easy guitar. Includes: All I Really Want To Do, Blowin’ In the Wind, Don’t Think Twice It’s all Right, Gotta Serve Somebody, A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall, Highway 61 Revisited; Hurricane, I Shall Be Released, It Ain’t Me Babe, Just Like A Woman, Lay, Lady, Lay, Like A Rolling Stone, Maggie’s Farm and more. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A mixed blessing...
This book is an adequate representation of Dylan material, with many songs missing that one might want (forcing the purchase of a second book).

I didn't like this book for several reasons:
1. When I was first learning guitar, I purchased it and was dissapointed by Dylan's complex chord phrasings. I couldn't play them, and at the level of a beginner, there were only a few songs that I could play.

2. As I got better, I yearned to learn how to play the songs like Dylan played them. As this book was written primarily for piano and vocal, it only has the guitar chords, and many of his songs contain wonderfully complex fingerpicking patterns and arpegios. Once I got to the level of playing where I could play the chords appropriately, I wanted more than this book could give. I pulled it off the shelf recently to play a few of the oldies that I remembered from many years ago, but put it back quickly for the same reason.

3. The book has a standard binding, so if you want to lay it reasonably flat on your music stand or piano, you will have to split the spine.

Dylan is never really easy.
"BOB DYLAN Made Easy for Guitar" is more title than description. Featuring 22 songs ranging from the well known (Tangled Up in Blue), to the obsure (Man Gave Names to All the Animals), Dylan Made Easy doesn't give any hints or suggestions to accomplish that promise. This is simply a songbok featuring Dylan's material in their orginal keys; however, the songs are notatated with chords and rythm slashes. The songs themselves are not necessarily easy. Most songs quite often contain barre chords or would be easy to play with barre chords or capo's. I was hoping that this book would explain simpler, easier, methods to obtain the melodies and rythms that pervade Bob Dylan songs. This book is good is a fairly good songbook if your looking for a variety of Dylan material. ... Read more

Book Description

Revised and updated edition of the hugely acclaimed document of Dylan's pivotal 1966 Manchester Free Trade Hall show where fans called him Judas for turning his back on folk music in favour of rock 'n' roll. After years of notoriety as the most famous bootleg of them all, the concert recording finally received an official release at the same time as the book's first outing.

"For any fan of Dylan, this is quite simply essential."-Time Out

Reviews (8)

Well researched and insightful
We are often told of how musicians and singers touch their audience with their work. But this book puts that sort of insight into a historical context which is quite compelling. We learn much from oral history and the author's own experience, but the author obviously did more than scholarly homework for this project. There is an authoritative command of the subject matter. I would recommend this book to any Dylan fans or those studying popular culture in general. For better and for worse, Dylan is a historical figure and shaped a generation with his move from folk to pop. His contribution to popular music should not be underestimated. Dr. CP Lee of Salford University gives this subject the serious study it deserves.

Disappointing
For some reason this was a disappointing read. Of course any information about Bob Dylan and especially this concert is great, but the way it's processed in this book is distracting. The best parts are the stories of the people who were there. The least effective were Lee's cultural analyses and song analyses. The more he writes the more he gets further and further away from Bob Dylan, it seems. The music from this show is so great, and deserves better. That those great songs are trod through local cultural suppositions is distasteful. Scrounge around for Eat the Document, listen to the Live 1966 album, leave this book in the dustbin.

Redundant, overpriced, and poorly written
You can buy Bob Dylan's LIVE 1966 in any self-respecting record store, and it comes with liner notes superior to this book.

It used to be like that, now it goes like this...
Well, what have we here? Only the best book yet written about the 1966 Bob Dylan world tour, and by focusing on the crucial Manchester 5/17/66 concert (now officially released), and by providing fascinating background detail surrounding the events leading up to this particular concert, Lee has demonstrated in a very entertaining way the reasons why we should care about Bob Dylan and the direction his music took in the mid 1960s. It's hard to believe now, after listening to the recently released Live 1966 double-CD set, that this music was dismissed as trash and the tour itself considered to be a disaster. In fact, the music created by Dylan and the Hawks at Manchester (and other venues in Europe in 1966) has proven to be more influential and longer lasting than most other contemporary music of the time. 1966 was truly the year that the music changed, and Dylan was there leading the way. C.P. Lee's eyewitness account shows us why music fans still talk about this amazing concert 33 years later.

Lee proves 1966 was Dylan's and rock's quintessential year!
I am a Dylan freak if ever there was one. For numerous reasons, 1966 was my favorite year. Not to have lived through (I was only four) but historically speaking. This was Bob Dylan at the height of his writing and performing powers, most Dylanologists/fans would agree, made even more amazing and controversial for the fact that at this stage of his creative genius, he was barely twenty-five! In addition, BLONDE ON BLONDE was, and still is, my favorite album, and the European tour of said '66 is undoubtedly rock's crucial moment. The songs that threw audiences and journalists into a frenzy that has not yet, to this very day, let up, were mainly from the most famous one-two punch in popular music's short history; HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED and BLONDE ON BLONDE. CP Lee's LIKE THE NIGHT is a book I've been waiting on for twenty years. This is not just an historical account of a moment in history which had enormous impact on music and culture in general, but a recollection from the author and a group of individuals who possess a real passion and heart-felt affinity for a man who became a hero not only for his artistic genius, but as much for his courage. Like so few artists before him, and even fewer after, Dylan spent the better part of two years doing things his way, regardless of how any other soul in the whole world felt about it. This book will entertain you, educate, surprise, and inspire you. It will take you back to a split second in popular music history when it actually mattered what kind of music and what kind of words an artist presented to his public. In 1966, rock and roll was twelve years old, still breast feeding on the teet of its public's expectations. Bob Dylan was perhaps its one-and-only rebel with a monumental cause: artists' rights/poetic license. LIKE THE NIGHT is a crystal clear snapshot from Bob Dylan's march on Manchester and the world of rock and roll. Read this book, and join the march. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

For obsessive fans only
This book's contents are so exhaustive, containing such a wealth of information, much of it rather insignificant in itself, that only the most obsessive of Dylan fans would ever buy it, much less slog through its voluminous contents. Needless to say, I bought it and did so. If you are truly interested in Bob Dylan, in a scholarly and historical sense, not just as a fan of his music, then you will serve yourself well by getting this book. If you are not, however... well, let's put this book into perspective:

What this book purports to be is a chronicle of Bob Dylan's life -- not an autobiography, but, rather, a listing of each day of his life, from the day of his birth up until the year this book was published (1997); as short pre-history is included, as well. Now, as you probably assumed, the book is not exactly this: Dylan is, and always has been, a mysterious, aloof, and reclusive character, despite his great fame. Consequently, long stretches, often encompassing months at a time, are missing from this chronicle. Still, what is here is amazing. Documented herein is a record of every recording session, rehearsal, and tour that Dylan had done up to this point. Heylin tells you what songs were played, how many times, what the arrangements were, if there were any changes from their original incarnation, what musicians played on them, etc. Also documented are most of Dylan's interviews -- where, with whom, and about what. These kinds of details form the vast majority of the book; needless to say, the more personal aspects of Dylan's life are as unknown to Heylin as they are to the rest of us, and probably always will be. Examples of the other kinds of information that he manages to include are such things as Dylan's travels, public appearances and events, and the like.

As one can see, this is not a book for the casual Bob