Customer Reviews

Complete Guide to the Music of Bob Dylan

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This book will suffice for those who only want to dabble in Dylan's work, but the hard-core follower would do better to read Paul Williams' extensive two-volume "Performing Artist" set or even Tim Riley's "Hard Rain" instead. Humphries gives a fair sketch of Dylan's career without the level of analysis his work really requires, although the coverage of such lesser albums as "Knocked Out Loaded" and "Good As I Been To You" is more extensive than usual. The main problem with this book is that Humphries disobeys one of Dylan's classic instructions: he criticizes what he doesn't understand. To compare "Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts" to "a Forrest Gump anecdote" or to accuse "Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands" of being padded out for length is to expose your own colors more than Dylan's. At times, Humphries also alarmingly misinterprets Dylan's songs; his reviews of "It Ain't Me, Babe" and "Absolutely Sweet Marie" sound like descriptions of different works altogether. The title of this book says it all--it's a guide, not an extensive thesis, and what you see is about what you get.

Not up to the standards set by other books in this series. Very skimpy on details of Dylan's career and even skimpier on recording details. Most other books covering Dylan's recordings are superior.

Humphries supplies a quick overview of Bob's recording career, but skimps on the in-depth look any "complete" guide ought to offer. Dylan fans will argue with his quick dismissals and wonder at the omissions. Better books are available. Give this one a miss