Thursday Thirteen: Bob Dylan Books

Image by Larry He's So Fine via FlickrThis is the first T 13 I've done in about a month, but hopefully I'll be able to do them on a more regular basis. This one is 13 books from my library about Bob Dylan. I'm a pretty big fan of the singer, as you can no doubt guess from having enough books about him to list 13 and still have some left over.

1) Down the Highway by Howard Sounes: This is one of the newer bios about Dylan. As much as has been written about the man, you'd think there was nothing new to add, but the writer actually uncovered new facts about Dylan.

2) Bob Dylan-Performing Artit 1960-1973 and 1974-1986 by Paul Williams: This is actually two books, but they are companions pieces so I've included them as one. These books are reviews of his concerts from these time periods. Mr. Williams traveled to quite a few of Dylan's shows over the years and talks about what he's seen and heard.

3) Positively 4th Street by David Hajdu: This volume talks about Dylan's early years with Joan Baez, her sister Mimi Baez Farina and Richard Farina.

4) A Simple Twist of Fate by Andy Gill and Kevin Odegard: A history of the recording of Dylan's "Blood on the Track" album.

5) On the Road with Bob Dylan by Larry "Ratso" Sloman: This is a chronicle of Dylan's Rolling Thunder Review by someone who was there. A side note, Ratso is also a character in Kinky Freidman's mystery novels.

6) Dylan's Visions of Sin by Christopher Ricks: This book talks about Dylans songs as relating to the Seven Deadly Sins, the Four Cardinal Virtues and the Three Heavenly Graces. I have to admit this is one that I haven't been able to make it all the way through yet.

7) Like A Rolling Stone by Greil Marcus: Talking about the making of the classic song "Like A Rolling Stone."

8) Invisible Republic by Greil Marcus: This book is about the songs Dylan recorded with the Band known as The Basement Tapes and their historical roots in folk and blues music.

9) No Direction Home by Robert Shelton: I'm not sure if this is the first bio on Dylan, but if it's not, it's certainly one of the first and probably the first that treated its subject seriously.

10) Like The Night: Bob Dylan and the Road to Manchester Free Trade Hall by C.P. Lee: It's become part of his legend that after Dylan switched to electric that one of his fans called him Judas at a concert. For a long time it was rumored to be at the Royal Albert Hall, but it was actually at the Manchaster Free Trade Hall. Mr. Lee was at the concert and this book is about Dylan's move to electric and that show.

11) Bob Dylan: The Recording Sessions by Clinton Heylin 1960-1994: Pretty much what the title says, details about Dylan's recording sessions.

12) Bob Dylan Companion edited by Carl Benson: Articles about Dylan.

13) Lyrics by Bob Dylan: A book of his lyrics. To me this is a fascinating book, one that I pick up all the time.


Dont Think Twice

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