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Why Dylan Matters by [Richard F. Thomas]

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Richard F. Thomas

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A GUARDIAN AND INDEPENDENT BEST MUSIC BOOK OF 2017.

‘At last an expert classicist gets to grips with Bob Dylan’ Mary Beard

‘Thomas’s elegant, charming book offers something for everyone – not just the super-fans’ Independent

When the Nobel Prize for Literature was awarded to Bob Dylan, the literary world was up in arms. How could the world’s most prestigious book prize be awarded to a famously cantankerous singer-songwriter in his Seventies, who wouldn’t even deign to make an acceptance speech?

In Why Dylan Matters, Harvard Professor Richard F. Thomas answers that question with magisterial erudition. A world expert on Classical poetry, Thomas was initially ridiculed by his colleagues for teaching a course on Bob Dylan alongside his traditional seminars on Homer, Virgil and Ovid. Dylan’s Nobel prize win brought him vindication. This witty, personal volume is a distillation of Thomas’s famous course, and makes a compelling case for moving Dylan out of the rock n’ roll Hall of Fame and into the pantheon of Classical poets. You’ll never think about Bob Dylan in the same way again.

Print length

369 pages
Language

English
Publisher

William Collins
Publication date

November 16, 2017
File size

1940 KB
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Editorial Reviews

Review

At last, an expert classicist gets to grips with Bob Dylan. Richard Thomas takes us from Dylan's high school Latin club to his haunting engagement with Ovid and Homer in recent albums. Thomas carefully argues that Dylan's poetry deserves comparison with Virgil's-and Thomas, senior professor of Latin at Harvard and author of some of the most influential modern studies of Virgil, should know!

-- "Mary Beard, New York Times bestselling author"

Masterful, fun, passionate, learned, profound, and there's nothing like it. Thomas shows why Dylan deserves his Nobel-and how he hearkens back to, and enlists, the classics. Fantastic reading, full of gems.

-- "Cass R. Sunstein, New York Times bestselling author" --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

From the Back Cover

Classics professor and renowned Dylanologist Richard F. Thomas makes a compelling case for moving the iconic singer-songwriter out of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and into the pantheon of classical poets, based on his wildly popular Bob Dylan seminar at Harvard.

--This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0722XJS3S
Publisher ‏ : ‎ William Collins (November 16, 2017)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 16, 2017
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 1940 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 369 pages
Lending ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled

Best Sellers Rank: #1,893,897 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #161 in Philosophy & Social Aspects of Music
- #423 in Musical Philosophy & Social Aspects
- #551 in Ancient & Classical Literary Criticism (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews:
250 ratings

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Cante Luna

DISAPPOINTING -- OPPORTUNITY WASTED --

Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2018

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I had been anticipating reading this book with great expectation. I’d heard the author interviewed a couple times about this book and thought he’d come up with a unique angle and thesis (a look at Dylan’s songs through the lens of a renowned Classics professor) and so was excited to read the book. The first disappointment came when I opened the package and saw how small the book is. The next disappointment came while reading the book and, finally, the most profound disappointment came after I’d finished the book. “Underwhelmed” is one word I’d use as the takeaway after reading the book. Another phrase I’d use is “opportunity wasted.”

As I said, there is a unique angle here but the author failed to really dig into the songs at the level they deserve. I think the author is capable of delving deeper into the songs but for some reason didn’t. It seems as if he (or more likely his publisher) wanted a book of a certain length and perhaps there was a lot edited out in the analysis – probably thinking most readers would be bored or intimidated by all the references to Catallus, Virgil, Homer and Ovid. Whatever the reason, limiting the analysis was a big mistake in my opinion and made a mediocre book of what might have been an excellent one.

The book, as is, references a limited number of Dylan songs but only so much in that these songs have – or seem to have – some overt allusion to classical texts. It’s interesting, in an academic way, to show how some of Dylan’s lyrics apparently allude to, and were inspired by classic poetry but that is what one might expect of a high school English teacher, a hip Dylan freak, turns the kids on to a class or two of his personal passion for Dylan and Catallus. But who is his audience here? Anyone interested in buying a book with this thesis, I would think, is looking for much more elucidation on the subject matter. In fact, done well, this book could have been a good 500-600 pages (and a normal sized book) and really done justice to the thesis. As it is, it feels like a teaser, like a trailer for a film. It left this reader wanting much more.

I am giving 3 stars instead of 2 just for the thesis.

34 people found this helpful

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David Willow

A 'must read' for the Dylan devotee.

Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2018

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For Dylan fans, followers and obsessives Thomas's book is a must. He has followed the man's work and concerts for decades and is also a classics professor who introduced a Dylan studies programme as an experiment which proved (he says) very popular. This is a fairly short and very enjoyable read, mainly tracing and exploring the relevance of references to classical literature, Virgil, Ovid, Homer and others, in Dylan's lyrics. Although referencing Dylan's early work Thomas focuses mainly on his recent output, from Time Out of Mind onward. He brings us right up to date with consideration of the 'American songbook' recordings and the fascinating Nobel acceptance speech. If, like me, you are a Dylan devotee going back down the years, you will enjoy this fascinating study and learn yet more about the extraordinary mind and working methods of one of the great creative artists of our time.
Dave Willow

17 people found this helpful

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Henry Dean

Compelling Worthy Updated Analysis Of The Nobel Laureate

Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2018

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Another great analysis of influences in Bob Dylan's huge discography. This from a classics professor, and a Dylan nut, who is well immersed and qualified to comment on influences from literature if ancient Greece and Rome. Leavening the analysis are snippets of his own reactions to live concerts that he has attended as well as recordings as they came to hand.
Maybe triggered by the well-worthy induction of Bob as a Nobel laureate, Richard Thomas gives his apologetic defence of the committee's choice, so controversial in some quarters.
Although not as fully compelling as the "Song and Dance Man III" book by Michael Gray Song and Dance Man III: The Art of Bob Dylan it worthily fills in the gaps from time of Michael's analysis covering Dylan's latest recordings with their even stronger foundation in classics input.
Well worth the read to keep on understanding even more about the 20th to 21st centuries' greatest poet/songwriter.

9 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Tariki

Enjoyable

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 3, 2018

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Very enjoyable look at the lyrics of Bob Dylan. For me, far better than biographies which often attempt to "explain" and "understand" Dylan as a human being. Leave me with his lyrics and his interviews with all their often obscure, enigmatic and cryptic words, even deliberate untruths!

Richard Thomas does trace the borrowings of Dylan from all the various sources, the ancient classical poets and the folk songs of the 19th century. All retexturized and thrown out again in Bob's own style ( or styles )

But the analysis of Mr Thomas is light as far as any attempt to pigeonhole Dylan is concerned. Bob Dylan remains free to be who he is and we remain free to make of the lyrics what we will. I was introduced to many songs I was previously unfamiliar with and I have been inspired to buy a few more of Bob's later albums - and listened with added pleasure to many others I already knew and loved.

I loved the book.

6 people found this helpful

Hello

Dylan Matters!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 20, 2021

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I am still reading this book. However, I have read most of it. The book clearly shows where many of BD's lyrics came from, and the different influences, at the various times. I was delighted to read, in the book, that BD felt that the magic, (my words), had been regained, with "Time Out of Mind". I keep on revisiting the author's final last page words, "Good Enough for Me, Too". Good enough for me, too!
Very different. Mary Beard's cover comment, I find to be both revealing, and on the money.
If you have even the slightest feeling that you might enjoy this book, then buy it, and read it. Like me, you might read it carefully, and slowly, but read it, read it, and read it. Thank you.

Satisfied customer

I'm not entirely convinced by the premise (Dylan's connection with ...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 21, 2018

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I'm not entirely convinced by the premise (Dylan's connection with Greek and Latin literature) but it was an enjoyable read for this Dylan fan. Sometimes there is too much use of "great" in reference to albums/songs without any specific reasoning and I am not as sure as Thomas is about "Tempest". Still, as I wrote, an enjoyable read.

4 people found this helpful

Dave M.

Yes he does

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 28, 2019

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Good book. Plugs Bob's songwriting into Classical Literature to an extent which encourages belief but does not entirely persuade. Some of the references seem a bit contrived but nevertheless make the point that Dylan is different from other singer/songwriters of his generation and indicates a depth of meaning in his lyrics that is worthy of serious consideration as Literature presented in an alternative genre to the usual

Jerold C

A Boring US academic drones on

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 2, 2019

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This is tediously self-referential and bereft of any of the writerly charm that bringing a new or interesting perspective on Dylan’s work might require. A boring US academic drones on.

3 people found this helpful

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