Writing Dylan: The Songs of a Lonesome Traveler

by Larry David Smith

Few in popular music have had as varied a career and as lasting an impact as Bob Dylan. His songs have entered the cultural consciousness in a way that some have called revolutionary. In this bold and comprehensive new study--the definitive guide to Dylan's work--author Larry David Smith explores the convergence of biography, artistic philosophy, and musical style in Bob Dylan's oeuvre. Making the case that Bob Dylan is actually a persona carefully crafted by its maker, the former Robert Zimmerman of Hibbing, Minnesota, "Writing Dylan" represents a new and authoritative contribution to the study of this key figure of the contemporary era. Having been granted unprecedented use of Dylan's own lyrics in his analysis, Smith interprets Dylan's narratives, characters, plots, and values, and reveals the artist's mission-oriented approach to art. "Writing Dylan" tackles each period of its subject's five-decade career, offering an inventive and unprecedented investigation of Dylan's artistic imperative, cultural significance, and songcraft. The result is perhaps the most important work to date on this mercurial figure, whose songs have established a fully realized portrait of his personal mysteries.

512 pages, Hardcover

First published August 30, 2005

Reviews

[Brock · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Bob Dylan music and the way he writes. This book dissects every album and every lyric. It even dissects the liner notes for each album. Over all this book was pretty good if you like Bob Dylans writing style. Although it got a little dry in some spots, I would reccomend it to any Dylan fan.

[Tristan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Monster of a text. Definitely a turning point for me to be able to talk about Dylan and his discography on a much deeper level than just his advanced lyricism.

[Benito · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is where I discovered the word 'Glissendorf' (as later used in my play 'The Chronic Ills of Robert Zimmerman: A Theatrical Talking Blues & Glissendorf'). Smith interviewed the Zimm's old school pals and they enlightened him on their childhood game of absurdist word play designed to confuse outsiders that they called 'glissendorfing.' Not an easy book to read - the level of detail into parallels between Bob's lyrics and the words and images of the folk, blues and Americana traditions does at times put one in a spin - but certainly worth dipping into if you're an inquiring Bobcat.