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blaineduncan's review against another edition
5.0
Most Bob Dylan fans will want to read this if only to garner a playlist of Dylan inspirations. Historian Sean Wilentz does a fantastic job of getting into the density of select Dylan compositions yet remaining readable and breezy.
richardwells's review against another edition
4.0
Sean Wilentz's "Bob Dylan in America" follows Greil Marcus's "The Old, Weird America" as an attempt to place Dylan in the cultural history of the United States, and it's a much more coherent read.
What Wilentz does is compare Dylan's artistic development with the artistic and political milieu that he would have brushed against as a boy, how that milieu moved him in a particular direction as a young artist, and how those connections formed a web as he matured and moved through life. For instance, the author surmises what knowledge Dylan could have had of American composer Aaron Copland, how that knowledge of Copland's method of appropriating cowboy songs into his compositions may have provided the license for Dylan's continuing appropriations, and how Dylan acknowledges and pays the debt by using snippets (samples) of Copland to introduce his own shows. Mr. Wilentz makes a compelling case. Or take for example Dylan's obvious relationship and affection for the Beat Generation, especially through Allen Ginsberg, and how Beat literature, and social mores have affected Dylan the writer. In the main, Mr. Wilentz is right on the money.
Mr. Wilentz also examines the politics of the near 70 years Dylan has been in the world, but spends less time there than with Dylan's artistic influences and evolution.
The big plusses of this book are Mr. Wilentz's familiarity with his source material, his refusal to over analyze Dylan's lyrics (a failing of most other Dylan chroniclers,) and his "you are there" information regarding Dylan's creative process in the studio. Interesting is Mr. Wilentz's defense of the plagiarism charges leveled against Dylan, and how Dylan's appropriations can be viewed as part of the "folk process," indeed of literary method through the ages, and of how Dylan's appropriations don't meet the legal standard of plagiarism. The defense leads us into deep water, but Mr. Wilentz is a good pilot.
The only thing that slowed the book down for me was my disinterest in the author's presentations of the minutia of history - cultural or artistic.
I learned a few things. Unusual at this point as my Dylan shelf is buckling under its own weight.
What Wilentz does is compare Dylan's artistic development with the artistic and political milieu that he would have brushed against as a boy, how that milieu moved him in a particular direction as a young artist, and how those connections formed a web as he matured and moved through life. For instance, the author surmises what knowledge Dylan could have had of American composer Aaron Copland, how that knowledge of Copland's method of appropriating cowboy songs into his compositions may have provided the license for Dylan's continuing appropriations, and how Dylan acknowledges and pays the debt by using snippets (samples) of Copland to introduce his own shows. Mr. Wilentz makes a compelling case. Or take for example Dylan's obvious relationship and affection for the Beat Generation, especially through Allen Ginsberg, and how Beat literature, and social mores have affected Dylan the writer. In the main, Mr. Wilentz is right on the money.
Mr. Wilentz also examines the politics of the near 70 years Dylan has been in the world, but spends less time there than with Dylan's artistic influences and evolution.
The big plusses of this book are Mr. Wilentz's familiarity with his source material, his refusal to over analyze Dylan's lyrics (a failing of most other Dylan chroniclers,) and his "you are there" information regarding Dylan's creative process in the studio. Interesting is Mr. Wilentz's defense of the plagiarism charges leveled against Dylan, and how Dylan's appropriations can be viewed as part of the "folk process," indeed of literary method through the ages, and of how Dylan's appropriations don't meet the legal standard of plagiarism. The defense leads us into deep water, but Mr. Wilentz is a good pilot.
The only thing that slowed the book down for me was my disinterest in the author's presentations of the minutia of history - cultural or artistic.
I learned a few things. Unusual at this point as my Dylan shelf is buckling under its own weight.
tracyk22's review against another edition
3.0
Very well written, but I would only recommend this book for the die-hard Dylan fans. Not so much a biography as a commentary on Dylan's art.
gsatori's review against another edition
3.0
Sometimes it felt the book would never end and other times the author took you some surprising places. This unconventional book is a fascinating look at Dylan, his influences, and American folk music. It rambles through topics like the blues around the turn of last century, Aaron Coplan and his music and politics; the real people behind songs like Frankie and Arnold, and Hattie Carroll; the best poets and the craziness of the village in New York in the sixties.; and all the time it ties these threads about Bob Dylan.
No ordinary biography. However its excess and hero worship keeps more from eating it higher.
No ordinary biography. However its excess and hero worship keeps more from eating it higher.
sebarose's review against another edition
4.0
The analysis of the later Dylan intrigued, especially when trying to justify Christmas in the Heart. The take on Modern Times and Together Through Life will add to my enjoyment of those albums. The interlude discussing Delia and the Sacred Harp where interesting and a great chance to relive my academic dalliance in folk tales and folk music. The early years stuff retreads Chronicles, and the blow by blow of the outtakes was well written, and may be more interesting if you haven't listened to the session recordings. All in all, an enjoyable book.
c8_19's review
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
I found this mostly interesting, and it was a pretty quick read. This piece provides great context for the musical tradition Dylan has been in and his contributions within it. I think this author is much too generous and forgiving of what other critics have cited as plagiarism; here it's presented as simply part of Dylan's musical heritage. Part of me understands taking inspiration from other artists and how sampling is done in this industry. Another part of me, though, doesn't see Dylan as being so original and iconic then.
jwells's review
challenging
informative
slow-paced
Fantastic in parts, but frequently tends to pile on the detail. Sometimes I loved that. For example, the chapter about the studio sessions of Blonde on Blonde is absolutely riveting, and I adored every last detail: Dylan, fueled by candy bars, rewriting lyrics all night, as the session players, paid by the hour, waited around, kicked their heels and played ping pong, until finally he called them in at four or five am, to struggle through a sleepy eleven-minute recording of the new version...
In other chapters, I found the details exhausting and off-putting. Even though Wilentz promises that we will understand later why all the details in early chapters on Aaron Copeland and Alan Ginsberg are there, I read them faithfully, and then finished the book, and I still think those chapters are far too detailed. We aren't reading this for the story of young Copeland's shifting political affiliations over the years. I didn't see Wilentz's argument for showing any strong influence Copeland might have had on Dylan (maybe some similarity, or some common influences, instead). I felt like I struggled through that chapter in particular for no reason.
Unfortunately, the Copeland chapter is chapter 1, and I bet it causes some readers to put this book down. If you are in that position, skip ahead and read about Ginsberg, or even to the Blonde on Blonde chapter. You won't need the Copeland stuff. Honest.
In other chapters, I found the details exhausting and off-putting. Even though Wilentz promises that we will understand later why all the details in early chapters on Aaron Copeland and Alan Ginsberg are there, I read them faithfully, and then finished the book, and I still think those chapters are far too detailed. We aren't reading this for the story of young Copeland's shifting political affiliations over the years. I didn't see Wilentz's argument for showing any strong influence Copeland might have had on Dylan (maybe some similarity, or some common influences, instead). I felt like I struggled through that chapter in particular for no reason.
Unfortunately, the Copeland chapter is chapter 1, and I bet it causes some readers to put this book down. If you are in that position, skip ahead and read about Ginsberg, or even to the Blonde on Blonde chapter. You won't need the Copeland stuff. Honest.
theyalibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
Definitely not what I was expecting, but that's okay because it was better. Wilentz traces Dylan's influences... Musical, literary, political, and historical... And he does so in-depth. Which allows the Dylan fan to understand and take so much more from his art. Additionally, the author offers comprehensive analysis on lyrics, performances, documentaries, and films. Finally, Wilentz informs on much of Dylan's lesser known material which aids the fan/reader to be introduced to masterpieces they may otherwise have not known about (Blind Willie McTell, for instance).
adevans16's review against another edition
4.0
Wilentz, an actual historian, puts Dylan within multiple historical and cultural contexts, and the result is real insight.