The Rough Guide to Bob Dylan 2 (Rough Guide Reference) [Paperback]

Nigel Williamson (Author)

Book Description

Series: Rough Guide Reference | Publication Date: October 2, 2006

In his seventh decade and still going strong, Bob Dylan is the ultimate singer-songwriter - hugely revered, baffingly idiosyncratic, an enigma and a music legend responsible for a staggering number of classic songs. Now in it''s second edition, the Rough Guide clarifies the mysteries surrounding the man and the music, looking at the lyrics, the influences, the legends and the musicians he worked with. Features include: The Life - from Minnesota to Manchester, from the Albert Hall to the Never Ending Tour, The Music - 50 essential Dylan songs and the stories behind them and Dylanology - the movies, the sayings, books and websites.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Nigel Williamson is a leading music journalist with name recognition for serious fans. He writes widely in the national press as well as specialist magazines. He produced the Uncut special on Bob Dylan (which Dylan himself approved of) and wrote a well-received book on Neil Young for Backbeat Books.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Rough Guides; 2 edition (October 2, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1843537184
• ISBN-13: 978-1843537182
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 6.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #641,744 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #64 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( D ) > Dylan, Bob

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Definitive Work, October 14, 2006

By 

J. Michael Nace (NY State) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Rough Guide to Bob Dylan 2 (Rough Guide Reference) (Paperback)

I reviewed the first Edition of this book and gave it five stars. But this edition is even better. Rare that a second edition can eclipse the first, but in this case a magnificient job was done at Rough Guides. This book is the definitive work (in compact yet detailed form) on Bob Dylan. It includes in it's over 320 pages minute details about Bob's life and songwriting, places where he lived, social circles and you name it. There are many details and summaries tightly packed in this book that border on encyclopedic accuracy. It is larger than the first edition, which is more of a pocket size. This edition carries much more detail, including information since Bob Dylan's book Chronicles 1 came off the press and the DVD No Direction Home's release. For the serious Dylan fan, there is hardly anything missing here, from his formative years to how songs were written, friends, acquaintences, web sites, albums and even hard to find facts. This Rough Guide book, along with Dylan's own original work, will find a place of authority in years to come.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thorough, concise and user-friendly overview of Mr. D, January 9, 2010

By 

S. Craw "aka 'jrb'" - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Rough Guide to Bob Dylan 2 (Rough Guide Reference) (Paperback)

After a long hiatus, I recently got very deeply back into Dylan. I'd missed 20 years of incomparable music (don't ask) and needed to catch up quickly. Nigel Williamson's crisp and pointed overview was the perfect solution. Done with a good deal of expertise and passion for the man and his music, "Rough Guide" helped me search out and prioritize the albums I would be adding to my library, providing me with context and analysis. The book, highly user-friendly in terms of everything from writing style and chronology to the same level of minutiae baseball lovers crave, will easily serve the needs of anyone new to Dylan, an artist so complex that even with this book and a host of others you'll be both overwhelmed and humbled. Williamson's book can be read front to back, by topic or simply "applied as needed." He covers Dylan's personal life, the songs ad their many versions, the personnel and of course the lyrics. I'm a musician, I covet every dollar and I'm OCD picky and I would still recommend this book to anyone who needs to know more about Bob Dylan.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The single most readable and useful Dylan book, February 6, 2009

By 

Uncle Willie (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Rough Guide to Bob Dylan 2 (Rough Guide Reference) (Paperback)

The best book for newcomers to Dylan, but useful even if you already have a Dylan library.

If you are just getting into Dylan, this accessible, balanced book has a straightforward biography, an overview of Dylan's career (all the albums to 2005 with careful dates and sensible assessments), a brief analysis of 50 outstanding songs, and smart suggestions for further exploration. It's peppered with lots of fun and factual one-page 'boxes' on issues such as Dylan and The Beatles, Dylan and Allen Ginsberg, Dylan and Joan Baez, Dylan and drugs--you name it! No other book comes close to it as an introduction to the man and his music, and it's a pleasure to read.

It's useful, too, even if you already have a larger Dylan collection. I have many books on Dylan--I've been listening to him for 45 years, teach a university course on him, and enjoy access to tons of Dylan recordings, books, and films. Whenever I have a quick question, this is the book I always check first (and usually last). To get the facts of the biography, of the official and bootleg recordings, of whatever, it's a convenient and reliable reference.

For anyone interested in Dylan, a great book to have on hand.