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Review
'Beg, steal, borrow ... a compelling history of Dylan s mercurial songwriting.' --Mojo, 5 star review.
'A gripping new book by Dylan scholar Clinton Heylin so is so far in the deep end that its borderline insane . . [yet] has been devoured with a ravenous, insatiable appetite, and I have even made notes in the margin.' --Mark Ellen, Word
"A magnum opus that anyone curious about, fascinated by, and devoted to His Master's Voice will want to read and ponder." --Jonathan Cott, author, Dylan, and editor, Bob Dylan: The Essential Interviews
'A gripping new book by Dylan scholar Clinton Heylin so is so far in the deep end that its borderline insane . . [yet] has been devoured with a ravenous, insatiable appetite, and I have even made notes in the margin.' --Mark Ellen, Word
"A magnum opus that anyone curious about, fascinated by, and devoted to His Master's Voice will want to read and ponder." --Jonathan Cott, author, Dylan, and editor, Bob Dylan: The Essential Interviews
Review
`A gripping new book by Dylan scholar Clinton Heylin so is so far in the deep end that its borderline insane . . [yet] has been devoured with a ravenous, insatiable appetite, and I have even made notes in the margin.' Mark Ellen, Word
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
23 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Echoing the other reviews of this book on here, this is a fantastic piece of work by one of the foremost Dylan experts and despite being chopped into individual songs it still manages to read like a cohesive whole. Even the most serious Dylan fans will find something new here and I for one can't wait for the next volume which will cover his less acclaimed but in many ways more interesting work.
Unfortunately however the author, rather than let the books obvious merits speak for themselves appears to find it necessary to tell us how good he is, frequently, and less forgivably how poor pretty much every other Dylan scholar throughout history has been. This monumental arrogance is pretty tedious at times and can become wearing but it shouldn't detract from what is a significant work. Heylin may be as he so often points out, the best there is when it comes to writing about Dylan but my God you wouldn't want to have him round for dinner.
Unfortunately however the author, rather than let the books obvious merits speak for themselves appears to find it necessary to tell us how good he is, frequently, and less forgivably how poor pretty much every other Dylan scholar throughout history has been. This monumental arrogance is pretty tedious at times and can become wearing but it shouldn't detract from what is a significant work. Heylin may be as he so often points out, the best there is when it comes to writing about Dylan but my God you wouldn't want to have him round for dinner.
25 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Ain't Clinton Heylin Great' would have been a good alternative title for this book. Once one wades through the self-congratulatory, ego-driven 'Seems Like an Intro' the book is actually not to bad. Heylin obviously thinks very highly of himself and very little of any one else who has ever written about Dylan. He also fancies himself as something of a wit, unfortunately, Oscar Wilde he is not.
However, beyond Heylin's obvious shortcomings as a writer the book is enjoyable and where he fails as a writer Heylin does seem to be a half decent researcher. The reasonably informed and educated reader will doubtless see through the tabloid standard assumptions that populate almost every page and enjoy the history and origins of the songs.
However, beyond Heylin's obvious shortcomings as a writer the book is enjoyable and where he fails as a writer Heylin does seem to be a half decent researcher. The reasonably informed and educated reader will doubtless see through the tabloid standard assumptions that populate almost every page and enjoy the history and origins of the songs.
23 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I am going to give this book only three stars because I felt quite bored by the author's relentless self-promotion. I find arrogance difficult to take and, having read a whole stack of Dylan books where the authors are rather more interested in Bob than themselves, I find this one rather irritating. The issue of scholarship is significant: Heylin has spent a lot of time in the Colombia vaults and probably reads their system better than most, but his arrangement of the songs chronologically is very much a matter of opinion, informed as that opinion might be. That, effectively, is his one trick, and it is insufficient to carry this book since his critical skills are not of the same order. It becomes tedious that Heylin ends each section with a little twist that he presumably finds witty; I don't, at least after a few of them. He also seems to have much more respect for himself than for Dylan and, with an ego the size of his own should be more forgiving of both Bob's ego AND his libido. I also am much irritated by Heylin's lack of respect for other authors, I have met Michael Gray and find him an interesting, insightful and pleasant man. I am SURE that Gray would not speak of Heylin in the way that Heylin does of Gray and everyone else. In my opinion, the best thing to inform anyone wanting to find out more about Dylan is to read another book, so long as it is intelligently written. Heylin doesn't agree with this, thinking most other writers inferior to himself, and it is to his detriment. In a few word, I will state with certainty; Song and Dance Man 3 is MUCH better than this book, though much more demanding intellectually to read. I would like to test Heylin's knowledge of American roots music; I suspect it would NOT be great, and certainly would not match Gray's.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Back to the Albums
The Bootleg series has been a superb listening experience.
This magnificent book puts all those out-takes and live versions in a concise historical context. Read more
This magnificent book puts all those out-takes and live versions in a concise historical context. Read more
Published 3 months ago by P. F. Clayden
Good but not exactly what I wanted...
This is a very thorough book, it tells you exactly what the circumstances were under which Dylan wrote all of his songs up until 1973. Read more
Published 17 months ago by rosiescott88
Music in the cafes at night and...
One of the better recent books that's joined the others on my sagging and straining "Bob Dylan" shelf. Read more
Published on 27 May 2009 by Bob The Bobcat
Anatomy of a genius
The previous reviewer has it right; the author is quite intrusive (puts 'boom boom' after a feeble pun, for example) but his heart seems to be in the right place. Read more
Published on 25 April 2009 by Dr. Peter G. Upton
Nobody Sings Dylan Like Heylin
Clinton Heylin is the world's foremost Bob Dylan chronicler, researcher, biographer and author. But don't take my word for it - ask Mr. Heylin yourself. Read more
Published on 30 Mar 2009 by Bornintime
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