Dylan: Visions, Portraits, and Back Pages [Hardcover]

Mark Blake (Editor), MOJO Magazine (Contributor), Bono (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 11, 2005

See one of the greatest songwriter's like you've never seen him before! This incredible celebration takes an in-depth look at the illustrious career of Dylan from 1965 to the present.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Mark Blake is a veteran journalist who has written for many international music magazines.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: DK ADULT; 1st US ed edition (October 11, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0756617189
• ISBN-13: 978-0756617189
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,148,921 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mark Blake has been writing about popular music and culture since 1989.
A former Assistant Editor of Q magazine and regular contributor to Mojo, he is the author of Comfortably Numb: The Inside Story Of Pink Floyd (published as Pigs Might Fly outside the US), Stone Me: The Wit & Wisdom Of Keith Richards and the editor of Dylan: Visions, Portraits & Back Pages. His latest book, Is This The Real Life: The Untold Story Of Queen, was published in 2010.
More info at www.markrblake.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Greatest 'Playbill' To The Film, No Direction Home, November 21, 2005

By 

Katherine Graham "Katherine Graham" (Sparta, NC) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Dylan: Visions, Portraits, and Back Pages (Hardcover)

This First American Hardcover Edition is the ultimate 'playbill' to the DVD "No Direction Home" - mentioned in the beginning of the book. Why? My guess is that the brilliant Mr. Blake thought we might like some answers to questions (raised by Dylan himself), that many of us were dying to ask after experiencing that extraordinary work of art. When I bought the book, (after buying the DVD), I had no idea (even though this book is a 2005 First Edition) that it would explain (for example - and these are just a few): Dylan's "coded" reference to his relationship with Joan Baez and their artistic-romantic conflicts that later developed and why; the detailed account of Dylan's historical visit with Woody Guthrie at Greystone Hospital in NJ, w/ Guthrie's heartrending efforts to play for Dylan w/ photos (and Guthrie's remarks about Dylan as well!); what The Beatles thought of Dylan at first (almost a god); and visa versa (certainly not gods) along with the testy relationship that developed between Dylan and Lennon musically, politically, and philosophically later on; Dylan's close relationship with the late George Harrison; the horrors for many long-lost-artists of the "Dylan era" re drugs and alcohol; Dylan's relationship, marriage and divorce with his great love, Sara - and why. I could go on and on. The book documents all of this with gorgeous inside cover art, photos, (many not in the film as stills) and the best prose on Dylan I have ever read by some of the greatest writers who-knew-him-when; then, and now. But the book goes even further - right up to Dylan's Grammy Award for "Time Out of Mind" w/ photos and text to back up what really happened from the outside in and inside out. Artistically, and historically, this is the single-most important book (w/ Bono in his terrific Foreward admitting that even today he would carry Dylan's bags) on the enigmatic, mystically mysterious, and most private poetic and musical genius - the one, the only Bob Dylan. At this low price (for now...) grab it while you can.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dylan: Visions, Portraits, & Back Pages, March 9, 2006

By 

J. Anderson (Richmond, VA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Dylan: Visions, Portraits, and Back Pages (Hardcover)

This is a superb book. For those, like me, eager for more information on the ever-enigmatic Dylan, this is the book to read. It is a montage of recollections from musicians/photographers/friends, etc. over the years, which is about as close as one is likely to get to a true picture of Dylan's life to date. It is a bit confusing because the essays often cover similar periods of time, but from different eyes, but this also increases the veritas. The chronology also becomes a bit jumbled, but that is inevitable in this sort of format. I highly recommend the book if you are a Dylan fan. To my knowledge, there is nothing else like it "out there."

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great book, thoroughly enjoyed, April 17, 2006

By 

J. Napolitano (Bellport, NY United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Dylan: Visions, Portraits, and Back Pages (Hardcover)

Been a Dylan fan for a long time and this book came pretty close to answering the questions that have popped up over the years, you know questions you just can help asking...like what was Sara like and what happened to the marriage. None of my business but I can't help wondering. I thought the pictures were excellent and think if you're a Dylan fan, you'll like it too!