Dylan Books

EXCELLENT NEW BOOKLET - RAY PADGETT’S ROLLING THUNDER ‘75 DAY BY DAY

A welcome addition to my DYLAN BOOKS collection. Short chapters on all 31 gigs of Dylan’s tour of NE North America. Setlist changes, contemporary reviews, special guests, extracts from Sloman and Shepard etc. Pbk, 84pp.

BOB DYLAN ON THE COVER OF UNCUT: MY (ALMOST) COMPLETE COLLECTION

UNCUT, the English rock monthly, has published as many Dylan covers as MOJO, even though it started four years later - the two mags are equally rich sources of Dylaniana.

BOB DYLAN ON THE COVER OF MOJO: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION?

Rock monthly MOJO has had loads of Dylan front covers. Seeing them appear on sale has always been a thrill. The 16 monthly issues and four one-offs I’ve bought are a rich source of Dylanology.

Is my collection complete?

THE BEST BOB DYLAN BOOK (not written by Dylan) is…

… in my opinion, Anthony Varesi’s The Bob Dylan Albums (Guernica Editions, 2nd ed 2022, pbk, 523pp - also in Kindle).

It’s comprehensive, detailed and up-to-date, as well as independent-minded, knowledgeable, insightful, nuanced and stylish.

LATEST DYLAN ART BOOK - POINT BLANK (QUICK STUDIES)

I’m enjoying Point Blank, bought in May. It’s an intriguing set of charcoal/pencil sketches of people and objects. Though it’s one of the lesser titles in my collection of about 30 Dylan art books, it’s certainly worth having.

PEAK DYLAN SHOWS (AND BOOTLEGS)? 25th ANNIVERSARY TODAY

Dylan’s Europe 2000 tour is widely regarded as one of his best. I saw the 24 and 25 September shows in Portsmouth, England - exactly a quarter of a century ago today (and tomorrow).

I stood just under Dylan’s mic for two perfect gigs.

DYLAN MOJO COVERS - FROM THE VERY FIRST ISSUE

No surprise to see Dylan fronting the new MOJO. The English rock monthly has always championed Dylan. Its Nov 1993 launch issue has Bob on the cover with John Lennon.

NEW BOOTLEG SERIES (vol 18) - COVER OF NEW MOJO, OUT TODAY

An 11 page feature article on Dylan 1956-63 plus 15 track cover-mount CD, The Best of Greenwich Village 1959-65. Excellent package.

BOB DYLAN COVER - NEW ISSUE OF MOJO

Another Bob Dylan cover, another must-buy.

MOJO has supported Dylan ever since the very first iissue paired him and John Lennon on the cover.

THE 10 BEST BOB DYLAN BOOKS:
NEW, REVISED RANKING - CHRONICLES AND RAY PADGETT ADDED

Ranks the key titles in the key areas - writing by Dylan, critiques, lyrics, bio, live and insights.

The pile in the video is arranged in rank order, from 10 Chronicles on top, to 1 Lyrics at the bottom.

IMPRESSIVE 1978 (“BUDOKAN”) WORLD TOUR BROCHURE

The Australian leg of the 1978 tour had a very impressive brochure.

It’s a precious memento. I bought it at the remarkable 1 April Sydney Showground gig.
The ace setlist had 30 songs!

Full article in Substack - link above.

#bobdylanaustralia

ANOTHER MUST-HAVE DYLAN BOOK FROM TULSA, OK

Mark Davidson and Parker Fishel (eds), Bob Dylan: Mixing Up The Medicine, Callaway, 2023, hbk, 608pp.

It’s magnificent…

Full article - Substack DYLAN BOOKS - link above.

THE WORLD OF BOB DYLAN : A MUST-HAVE DYLAN BOOK

This week’s The World of Bob Dylan 2025, organised by The Institute For Bob Dylan Studies at the University of Tulsa, Thurs 24 - Sun 27 July, will be a unique gathering of Dylan experts.

The 2019 meet proceedings are a must-have Dylan book.

NEW DYLAN BOOK : Bob Dylan: Jewish Roots, American Soil

Just how Jewish, how American, is Bob Dylan’s work?

MORE WONDERFUL DYLAN BOOKS HIDING ON YOUR MUSIC SHELVES

The Bootleg Series delivers over 800 excellent pages of text and photos in mini-book format, by formidable writers. Here’s what you have in the standard CD releases of vols 11-17:

… full text in DYLAN BOOKS on SUBSTACK - link above

YOUR WONDERFUL COLLECTION OF DYLAN BOOKS - HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT

Even if you don’t buy Dylan books, you probably have an impressive library sitting on your music shelves. The Bootleg Series has a vital collection of substantial mini-books…

… full text in DYLAN BOOKS on SUBSTACK - link above

JUST HOW JEWISH AND HOW AMERICAN IS DYLAN’s WORK?

I hope to find out from Harry Freedman’s intriguing new book, Bob Dylan: Jewish Roots, American Soil, Bloomsbury Continuum, 2025, hbk, 256pp.

Freedman wrote a revelatory similar Leonard Cohen book in 2021.

Looks to me like Simon and Schuster are to rebadge the original Castle Fine Art/Halcyon book for the US/global market, in November.

Your cover pic shows the same book I reviewed several weeks ago.

Daniel Kramer, Bob Dylan : a Year and a Day, Taschen.

DYLAN’s EVERYWHERE!

Spotted in the IBIS Hotel, Rouen, Normandy on Saturday, celebrating France’s Fête de la Musique.

Daniel Kramer, Bob Dylan: A Year And A Day, Taschen, 2018.

His photos were used on Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited and Biograph.

#bobdylanphotos
#dankramer

PEAK DYLAN: THE BEST BOOKS ON HIS 1960s LEGACY

Please see detailed article in DYLAN BOOKS on Substack - link above.

THE 7 BEST BOB DYLAN BOOK COVERS

Book covers are key marketing tools. Every book competes with innumerable others to catch your eye in the bookshop/store or on Amazon and publishers’ websites. Most of the 400+

… please see full text of article in Substack DYLAN BOOKS - link in Profile, above.

WRITINGS AND DRAWINGS BY BOB DYLAN
(Highlights of My Collection no. 2)

First edition of the first book of lyrics. Early confirmation of Dylan’s greatness as a songwriter; hints of
visual art ambitions.

Good used copies common in USA, less so in Europe.

(Alfred A. Knopf, 1973)

#bobdylanlyrics

THE 5 BOB DYLAN BOOKS ENDORSED BY DYLAN

Dylan rarely comments on books about him. My collection of 400+ Dylan books has only 5 which he’s endorsed, in one way or another. Here they are, in endorsement date order.

Please see full article posted in Substack/DYLAN BOOKS - link in Profile, above.

THE BEST DYLAN BOOK NOT WRITTEN BY BOB DYLAN

(Highlights of My Collection no. 1)

Knowledgeable, insightful, nuanced, stylish, detailed, comprehensive, independent-minded, up-to-date… . Deserves a much wider audience.

#guernicaeditions

THE 9 BEST BOOKS ON THE BOB DYLAN ALBUMS

Details; why these books? Please see full article in DYLAN BOOKS Substack - link above, in Profile.

PEAK DYLAN - BRAND NEW BOOK

Author Sean Egan tackles the key Dylan era. Looks promising - review to follow. I’ll be looking for original info, judgment and perspective.

#seanegan
#jawbonepress

THE 6 BEST BOB DYLAN BIOGRAPHIES

Biographies dominate the music bookshelves, following the success of Dylan’s Chronicles, Volume One.

There are loads of Bob Dylan biographies. Here’s my ranking of the best six.

… full article in DYLAN BOOKS Substack - link above, in Profile.

Outstanding - a must-buy. A bold, original idea, well executed.

Songwriting and tireless performing are what make Dylan great. Who better to dissect his life as a performing artist than c50 musicians who’ve accompanied him, over so many years?

Insights aplenty.

@raypadgett.bsky.social

CHRONICLES VOLUME TWO: WHERE WOULD IT RANK?
Chronicles Vol 2 when/if it appears, is likely to rank 2/3 in my pick of The 6 Best Books BY Bob Dylan. Even if it matches the excellence of Vol 1, THE LYRICS 1961-2012 will remain Dylan’s magnum opus.

#bobdylanchroniclesvolumetwo
#chroniclesvolumetwo