| Edition |
First edition. |
| Description |
358 pages ; 19 cm |
| Language |
Text in English. |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references (pages 327-336) and index. |
| Contents |
Bob Dylan's discography -- Why does Dylan matter to us? -- Together through life -- Dylan and ancient Rome: "That's where I was born" -- "Vibrations in the universe": Dylan tells his own story -- The early thefts: "Mine've been like Verlaine's and Rimbaud's" -- "The gift was given back": Time Out of Mind and beyond -- Mature poets steal: Virgil, Dylan, and the making of a classic -- Modern Times and the world's ancient light: becoming Homer -- The show's the thing: Dylan in performance -- Conclusion: Speechless in Stockholm. |
| Summary |
When the Nobel Prize for Literature was awarded to Bob Dylan in 2016, a debate raged. Some celebrated, while many others questioned the choice. How could the world's most prestigious book prize be awarded to a famously cantankerous singer-songwriter who wouldn't even deign to attend the medal ceremony? In 'Why Bob Dylan matters', Harvard Professor Richard F. Thomas answers this 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 brought him vindication, and he immediately found himself thrust into the spotlight as a leading academic voice in all matters Dylanological. Today, through his wildly popular Dylan seminar - affectionately dubbed "Dylan 101" - Thomas is introducing a new generation of fans and scholars to the revered bard's work. This witty, personal volume is a distillation of Thomas's famous course, and makes a compelling case for moving Dylan out of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and into the pantheon of Classical poets. |
| Subject |
Dylan, Bob, 1941- -- Criticism and interpretation.
|
|
Dylan, Bob, 1941- (OCoLC)fst00010041
|
|
BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Composers & Musicians.
|
|
MUSIC / History & Criticism.
|
| Genre/Form |
Criticism, interpretation, etc. (OCoLC)fst01411635
|
| Other Form: |
Online version: Thomas, Richard F., 1950- author. Why Bob Dylan matters First edition. New York : Dey Street Books, [2017] 9780062685759 (DLC) 2017042422 |
| ISBN |
9780062685735 (hardcover) |
|
0062685732 (hardcover) |
|
9780062685742 (paperback) |
|
0062685740 (paperback) |
|
