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Dylan Books
@dylanbooks.bsky.social
The best Bob Dylan books - rated, ranked, reviewed. Based on my collection of over 400 (Gerald Michael Smith).

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BOB DYLAN’S MUSIC - A NEW EXPERT ANALYSIS

Until last week, my near-500 collection of Dylan books had only two titles addressing Dylan’s legacy from a music theory perspective.

Steven Rings’ new scholarly What Did You Hear? is the first full-length study of the music I’ve seen.

Recommended.
November 25, 2025 at 4:51 PM
BOB DYLAN FOR BEGINNERS

Chris O’Connor’s You Don’t Need A Weatherman: Bob Dylan For Beginners (Melbourne Books, 2025, pbk, 219pp) is a fine new intro. Gen Z-ers ready to board the Dylan train will welcome it. It answers key questions - why is Dylan important and how do I explore his legacy?
November 20, 2025 at 1:58 PM
THE DECLINE OF DYLAN’S SONGWRITING?
Bob Dylan: Things Have Changed, is a celebration of Dylan’s genius. It’s original, engaging… and partisan.

Author Ron Rosenbaum is no fawning fanboy. He argues that, after Street-Legal, Dylan’s writing changed for the worse - there are very few great songs.
November 19, 2025 at 3:24 PM
A VERY IMPRESSIVE NEW BOB DYLAN BOOK
Bob Dylan: Things Have Changed (Melville House) is one of the most enjoyable Dylan books I’ve read for ages.

It’s: ambitious, challenging, eloquent, engaging, erudite, iconoclastic, idiosyncratic, irreverent, literate, profound, stimulating, stylish, witty… .
November 13, 2025 at 2:30 PM
November 6, 2025 at 4:43 PM
THE BOOTLEG SERIES VOLS 1-18 : YOUR DYLAN BOOKS HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT

As a fan, you’re likely to have a valuable Dylan book(let) collection - The Bootleg Series book(let)s of liner notes.

Typically about 60 pages long, the booklets of the standard CD releases are a rich source of Dylaniana.
November 4, 2025 at 7:35 PM
THE BOOTLEG SERIES VOL. 18 (2CD): BRILLIANT MUSIC, DISAPPOINTING BOOK(LET)

I’m loving the new release - a forceful reminder of Dylan’s genius, right from the off. Sheer, unalloyed brillance!

But I’m disappointed by the liner notes book(let) - at 32pp, it’s only half the length previous Vols.
October 31, 2025 at 4:20 PM
EARLY DYLAN: THE 4 BEST BOOKS ON THE MUSIC OF BOOTLEG SERIES VOL. 18, 1956-63

I don’t possess a single volume dedicated solely to the music of early Dylan, 1956-63.

Fortunately, these four picks - all from my Best 10 Dylan books - will enhance your appreciation of the new TBS Vol. 18.
October 28, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Why Bob Dylan REALLY matters

Why Dylan Matters, by Harvard’s Richard F Thomas, is invaluable - a well-written, expert analysis of Dylan’s borrowings from Greek and Roman literature. And his intertextuality.

But its title is misleading. Dylan matters for his writing, recording and performing.
October 21, 2025 at 4:15 PM
DYLAN FOR BEGINNERS - NEW BOOK EXCEEDS MY EXPECTATIONS
I’ve just added to my collection The Story of Bob Dylan, a 130 page “bookazine” published in Aug by Future (Bath, England). It’s editorially broad, richly illustrated and attractively designed. The text I’ve sampled is detailed and lively.
October 17, 2025 at 11:37 AM
DYLAN’s NOBEL LECTURE : A TREASURED MEMENTO

As it’s Nobel Prize time again, here’s a reminder of Dylan’s response to receiving his 2016 award. Bob Dylan The Nobel Lecture is a beautiful little artefact (thank you, Simon & Schuster) and it repays close reading.

My third favourite book by Dylan.
October 14, 2025 at 4:03 PM
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.
October 9, 2025 at 12:47 PM
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.
October 7, 2025 at 11:00 AM
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?
October 2, 2025 at 7:42 AM
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.
September 29, 2025 at 5:06 PM
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.
September 26, 2025 at 4:31 PM
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.
September 24, 2025 at 3:50 PM
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.
September 23, 2025 at 5:44 PM
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.
September 16, 2025 at 3:41 PM
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.
September 11, 2025 at 2:29 PM
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.
September 9, 2025 at 11:24 AM
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
August 7, 2025 at 12:12 PM
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.
July 31, 2025 at 12:30 PM
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.
July 22, 2025 at 11:31 AM
NEW DYLAN BOOK : Bob Dylan: Jewish Roots, American Soil

Just how Jewish, how American, is Bob Dylan’s work?
July 15, 2025 at 9:24 PM