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Christopher Ricks

Dylan's Visions of Sin Paperback – International Edition, 5 May 2011

by Christopher Ricks (Author)

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'I consider myself a poet first and a musician second'
'It ain't the melodies that're important man, it's the words'

There is no shortage of books about Bob Dylan. This one, however, is unique in its approach and the virtuosity of its execution.

Ricks examines Dylan's songs through the biblical concepts of the seven deadly Sins, the four cardinal Virtues and the three Heavenly Graces. He does so with what one critic has described as 'an ultimately irresistible combination of laser-like intelligence with a fan's exuberant idolatry'.

Print length

528 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Canongate Books
Publication date

5 May 2011
Dimensions

12.9 x 3.1 x 19.81 cm
ISBN-10

0857862014
ISBN-13

978-0857862013
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Product description

Review

"Ricks's writing on Dylan is the best there is" -- Alex Ross ― New Yorker

"The rewards are just as one would expect: a bracing attention to artfulness, a wonderful sensitivity to nuance, and a particularly brilliant sympathy with the purpose and effect of Dylan's rhymes" -- Andrew Motion ― Guardian

"Everything Ricks has to say about Dylan is original. He is a critic who seems to be talking to you from within the work. He can turn the smallest niche in a poem into a vast cathedral of resonance and implication." -- Bryan Appleyard ― Sunday Times

"A great case has been made by a great critic (Christopher Ricks) that a great lyricist - Bob Dylan - is, in fact, a poet" ― New York Review of Books

"Bob Dylan is fast becoming rock's equivalent of James Joyce" -- Sean O'Hagan ― Observer

"Compelling, convincing and challenging work of literary scholarship." -- Alan Taylor ― Sunday Herald

"Structured around the concepts of sin, virtue and grace, Ricks's close reading and imaginative cross-referencing will indeed uncover meanings in Dylan's songs that would never have occured to you." -- Anthony Quinn ― Daily Telegraph

"Zips along with irrepressible good humour. . . Ricks's work has the lustre of a lifetime of engagement with greatness." -- Peter Aspden ― Financial Times

"Fascinating, there are wonderfully penetrating and illuminating moments to be found. I was never less than stimulated and frequently stirred." -- John Preston ― Sunday Telegraph

"Ricks is an exemplar of the diminishingly seen art of "close reading", and explicator of Milton, Keats, Tennyson and Eliot. . . Such clockwork analysis never seems to drain Dylan's work of its vitality, but rather to renew a listener's amazement. . . In doing so he's found the songs all the more extraordinary, not wanting in any measure. . . Ricks's book leads you back to Dylan's music, no small virtue." -- Jonathan Lethem ― New York Times Book Review

"A serious-minded and forensic examination of Dylan's use of language, image and onomatopoeia." -- Peter Murphy ― Hot Press

Book Description

A critically-acclaimed examination of Bob Dylan's lyrics as poetry, through the prism of the 7 Deadly Sins

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Canongate Books; Main edition (5 May 2011)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 528 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0857862014
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0857862013
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 12.9 x 3.1 x 19.81 cm

Best Sellers Rank: 165,719 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- 100 in Songwriting
- 508 in Music History & Criticism (Books)
- 1,324 in Rock Music

Customer reviews:
63 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5

63 global ratings

5 star		61%
4 star		21%
3 star		6%
2 star		4%
1 star		8%

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Top reviews from United Kingdom

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Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 10 November 2011

Verified Purchase

This book deserves more positive reviews. It cannot be recommended too highly. Don't let other people's negativity put you off -
if you're familiar with Dylan's music then you will surely find that this book time and time again illuminates the songs in fresh,
frequently surprising ways.

Be warned, the prose is very hard going, continually twisting and turning for no apparent reason. You certainly won't agree with
everything the author says (and indeed some of the associative chains he follows are risible in their tenuousness). The book
certainly makes no claims to be definitive. None of these things matters in the slightest. Go along with the ride and you'll
come out the other end fully satisfied - unless you're the sort of person foolish enough to want critics to do everything for
you and tell you plainly what they think you should think.

Dylan is a genius, and has many gifts. One of these is his feeling for language. That's what this book focuses on, and that's
exactly what a book like this is best equipped to do - and it does it very well. (It's not primarily intended to be a book about
Dylan the painter, Dylan the performing artist, or anything else - it's about the songs (sorry, the 'lyrics' (!))).

I've read a lot of books about Dylan. Many were enjoyable but most were otherwise ultimately a waste of time. This is one of
the very few which really taught me something that I would not otherwise have learnt.

Incidentally, the book gets easier to read as you progress. It's almost as if Ricks at first had to add in any old drivel just
to keep going and build up some momentum.

8 people found this helpful

Helpful

Frances

Very detailed, scholarly work

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 5 April 2020

Verified Purchase

Fascinating look at some of Bob Dylan's most well-known songs. Sir Christopher Ricks is a professor of English Literature and able to look in depth at the sources and structure of Dylan's work

2 people found this helpful

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Kenny51

Some wonderful insights and some moments when you think

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 27 September 2017

Verified Purchase

A real intellectual rollercoaster of a book. Some wonderful insights and some moments when you think, 'what are you on, prof?' For all that, you never want to be far away from your Dylan collection because you'll want to play things either to check or because there's suddenly a blinding light which shines on a work you thought you knew. I just love it.

2 people found this helpful

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Paul Young

An eye opener for me..

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 31 July 2020

Verified Purchase

Fascinating study of Dylan's songs. I found it very interesting..

One person found this helpful

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Libby

great book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 11 September 2018

Verified Purchase

I purchased this book for my daughter doing a school project - a really good resource good!

2 people found this helpful

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kat

Pages good, content less so

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 24 April 2017

Verified Purchase

The book I received had obviously been lightly read as advertised, I've no argument on its sales pitch. I'd just say, this isn't a good lit crit on Dylan. I was disappointed, but I 'd the wrong hopes.

3 people found this helpful

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dr john

Pretentious rot

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 13 August 2017

Verified Purchase

Pretentious, more or less incomprehensible rubbish. It reads like a pastiche of academic nonsense at its worst. The old Cambridge prof should be ashamed of his silly effort to be trendy. Stick to the songs of Dylan and avoid this tosh.

3 people found this helpful

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penelope andrea mitchell

don't be put off by the religious aspect Ricks is an amazing writer.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 4 October 2014

Verified Purchase

fascinating for anyone who is into Dylan and lyrics generally.. don't be put off by the religious aspect Ricks is an amazing writer.

2 people found this helpful

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