Dylan Books

NEW TODAY - UNCUT DYLAN COVER
Thin Wild Mercury: Dylan 1966, the forthcoming Bob Dylan Center exhibition, is the focus of the new (“April 2026”) UNCUT, on sale today in the UK.

The two page preview is the centrepiece of 13pp of Dylan content, fronted by the exquisite Olle Lindeborg portrait.

BOB DYLAN’S MUSICAL ROOTS - IMPRESSIVE CATALOGUE FROM ISIS

Exploring Dylan’s deep roots in American popular music, ISIS editor Derek Barker’s encyclopædic catalogue discusses 550 songs that Dylan played up to 2008. A supplement adds 188 songs, notably Dylan’s covers of the Great American Songbook

ISIS MAGAZINE part 2 (of 2)

Bob Dylan Anthology Volume 2: 20 Years of ISIS (2005) is a selection from the first 100 issues, complementing the book covered in my previous post.

Bob Dylan Anthology Volume 3: Celebrating 200 Editions of ISIS Magazine (2019) has articles from more recent issues.

ISIS MAGAZINE: PREMIER DYLAN FANZINE part 1 (of 2)

ISIS was a paper magazine every two months, 1985-2022. Then, after 218 issues, it changed to a quarterly e-journal.

The best of ISIS is in three anthology books.

ISIS A Bob Dylan Anthology (2004) is a selection from the first 100 issues.

THE BOB DYLAN LYRICS BOOKS - 1961-2020 - DOES IT EVEN EXIST?

I suspected that The Lyrics 1961-2020, covering writing up to Rough And Rowdy Ways, didn’t exist. I couldn’t confirm on official, publisher or Amazon sites.

A helpful Commenter’s photo confirms it does exist, so it’s the obvious buy.

THE BOB DYLAN LYRICS BOOKS - 2014 and 2016
The Lyrics 1961-2012, published in 2016, covers writing up to Tempest. It’s the current collection. Every Dylan home should have one.

2014’s The Lyrics: Since 1962 is a de luxe collectable. Mine’s still shrink-wrapped, as its weight makes it unusable.

THE BOB DYLAN LYRICS BOOKS - 2004

This - the third - edition covers Dylan’s songwriting up to “Love And Theft”. The drawings have been replaced by monochrome album covers.

I find the dust jacket unusually dull. Jerry Schatzberg’s Dylan portrait is weaker than his iconic pic on the pbk edition.

THE BOB DYLAN LYRICS BOOKS - 1985
Lyrics 1962-85, the first update of 1973’s Writings and Drawings, covers Dylan’s songs up to Empire Burlesque.

The 1985 US hbk with the striking cover is shown, with two UK pbks, from 1987 and 1994. I missed the UK hbk - it had same cover pic as the large pbk.

THE BOB DYLAN LYRICS BOOKS - 1973

Dylan’s status as rock’s premier songwriter was cemented by the 1973 publication of Writings and Drawings, covering songs to New Morning.

The US pink hardback (Knopf) was followed by the UK 1974 paperback (Granada), here with DIY binding, and the 1980 reprint.

SUPERSTAR BOB DYLAN PLUS CAT

This image of a fur-clad Dylan, with kitten in a limo, is from a painting by Belgian artist Guy Peellaert. It’s cropped from his “Superstar Bob” in Rock Dreams, the classic 1973 book, which has several other images of Dylan.

NEW BOB DYLAN BOOKS IN 2026

2026 could be another bumper year for Bob Dylan books. I’m already looking forward to this trio of new titles, due in March and April:

- Dylan, filmmaker
- Dylan’s late career work, in many media
- Teaching Bob Dylan - new pbk ed, priced for fans, not academia.

NEW BOB DYLAN PORTRAIT

A surprise Christmas gift, from an 8 year old fellow Dylan fan. She was inspired by Dylan’s striking recording of Adeste Fidelis on Christmas In The Heart.

Four key gaps in my Dylan book collection - filled In 2025.

Why on Earth did I ignore these four Dylan books when first published, long ago? Asleep at the wheel! Jewish roots, The Bible, early Dylan and early Uncut. Key gaps finally filled.

Dylan books added to my collection in 2025: Part 3 - 9 recent books I’d missed

In 2025, I’ve added 26 Bob Dylan books to my collection.
Part 2: 9 new Dylan books

The hit film A Complete Unknown inspired a surge of new Dylan books - I reviewed them here on DYLAN BOOKS.

Expect the flow to continue in 2026!

In 2025, I’ve added 26 Bob Dylan books to my collection.
Part 1: 4 books BY Dylan

I’d been looking for these versions of the Lyrics books for a while (I already had less attractive versions). Point Blank is one of the weaker Dylan art books. The Bootleg Series vol.18 booklet is very slim.

Je viens d’ajouter à ma collection L’histoire de Bob Dylan, une « bookazine » de 130 pages. Je suis impressionné. Il est éditorialement large, richement illustré et joliment conçu. Le texte que j’ai échantillonné est détaillé et vivant.

EARLY DYLAN - AN EXCELLENT BOOK YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED

The Formative Dylan: Transmissions and Stylistic Influences 1961-63 (Todd Harvey, Scarecrow Press, 2001, hbk, 240pp) is an excellent guide to the early Dylan songs covered by The Bootleg Series vol. 18. It’s little-known and quite rare.

Already looking forward to Dylan’s spring 2026 tour? Ready to check out the best books on Bob Dylan, live performer?

It’s worth thinking about books by Paul Williams.

His Performing Artist trilogy, plus Watching The River Flow, are central to any decent collection of Dylan books.

I’ve just discovered Christopher Rollason’s Read Books, Repeat Quotations: The Literary Bob Dylan (Two Riders, 2021, pbk, 219pp). It’s an impressive introduction to Dylan Studies.

It explains the poetics of 11 songs, from Bob Dylan’s Dream to Murder Most Foul.

Thanks for that!

Judas! magazine was published in 20 issues 2002-2007. The consistently impressive quarterly was edited by Andrew Muir, a deeply knowledgeable Bob expert. Each issue had half a dozen engaging, varied articles, by well-known Dylan writers, scholars and superfans. A cornerstone of Dylan Studies.

“

BOB DYLAN’S BOOTLEG SERIES: AN ILLUMINATING MOJO BOOK(LET)

MOJO Music Guide - Bob Dylan's Bootleg Series is a liitle gem. Published with the mag’s Dec 2015 issue, it’s an illuminating 52pp pbk book(let). A range of writers supply cogent reviews of Vols 1-3 to Vol. 12 The Cutting Edge (2015).

BOB DYLAN’S MUSIC - A NEW EXPERT ANALYSIS

Until last week, my near-500 collection of Dylan books had only two titles addressing Dylan’s legacy from a music theory perspective.

Steven Rings’ new scholarly What Did You Hear? is the first full-length study of the music I’ve seen.

Recommended.

An outstanding writer and performer. Utterly refreshing in the context of the tedious 1970s rock boys’ club.

BOB DYLAN FOR BEGINNERS

Chris O’Connor’s You Don’t Need A Weatherman: Bob Dylan For Beginners (Melbourne Books, 2025, pbk, 219pp) is a fine new intro. Gen Z-ers ready to board the Dylan train will welcome it. It answers key questions - why is Dylan important and how do I explore his legacy?

THE DECLINE OF DYLAN’S SONGWRITING?
Bob Dylan: Things Have Changed, is a celebration of Dylan’s genius. It’s original, engaging… and partisan.

Author Ron Rosenbaum is no fawning fanboy. He argues that, after Street-Legal, Dylan’s writing changed for the worse - there are very few great songs.

A VERY IMPRESSIVE NEW BOB DYLAN BOOK
Bob Dylan: Things Have Changed (Melville House) is one of the most enjoyable Dylan books I’ve read for ages.

It’s: ambitious, challenging, eloquent, engaging, erudite, iconoclastic, idiosyncratic, irreverent, literate, profound, stimulating, stylish, witty… .

THE BOOTLEG SERIES VOLS 1-18 : YOUR DYLAN BOOKS HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT

As a fan, you’re likely to have a valuable Dylan book(let) collection - The Bootleg Series book(let)s of liner notes.

Typically about 60 pages long, the booklets of the standard CD releases are a rich source of Dylaniana.