Dylan: Visions, Portraits & Back Pages

This is a superb book. For those, like me, eager for more information on the ever-enigmatic Dylan, this is the book to read. It is a montage of recollections from musicians/photographers/friends, etc. over the years, which is about as close as one is likely to get to a true picture of Dylan's life to date. It is a bit confusing because the essays often cover similar periods of time, but from different eyes, but this also increases the veritas. The chronology also becomes a bit jumbled, but that is inevitable in this sort of format. I highly recommend the book if you are a Dylan fan. To my knowledge, there is nothing else like it "out there."

..besides Chronicles. Vol. I. Excellent photographic contents, intelligent commentary, appropriate quotes, all in an atypically non-reverential AND non-cynical context. MOJO put it together...'nuff said!

There are so many (and I mean it) Dylan's stuff out there that I hardly pay attention to any new releases, specially when it comes to books. Anyway, almost by accident I took notice of this particular release and what caught my attention the most was that the people of MOJO magazine was putting it out. MOJO has been my favorite music magazine since it was first released, more than a decade ago. I mean, it's so good that I don't even put it in the same cathegory of magazines. Each edition is more like a book itself. Anyway, this is not about MOJO right? We're talking about "Dylan by MOJO". The qualitiy of the pictures and the articles that comes with them is amazing by any standart. They did a meticulous, almost hand made research through the man's life and work. And still there's a lot to be saying. As I said, it's getting harder each day to release good material about Bob Dylan, since there's plenty and more out there. Even though, the editors did a terrific job. I just don't agree with my fellows reviwers, when they try to compare this material with the Scrap Book released by Simon & Shuster. The Scrap Book can't be considered in the same cathegory. It has a whole different concept, although it's great too. What we have now is a great ilustrated book, with great writting material. A wonderful combination of the two, put it out by people who know their stuff and know it well. In one word, even the forward by Bono is good. Needless to say more. Get it while you can.

This is the best book on Bob Dylan I have come across. I can't add much more to the accolades of the previous reviewer. I would say that this book is a much better buy than the Dylan "Scrapbook" that is being marketed as the official companion piece to the film "No Direction Home". If you have to have just one book on Dylan, one that gives you an overview of his entire career, this is the one to own. Compiled by the editors of MOJO, the British rock magazine, the book is substantive, well-grounded historically but also irreverent and hilarious (I find this generally to be true of British rock publications compared to American--somehow more serious and more fun at the same time). The photographs are varied and spectacular and the contributors are witty and insightful.The production is beautiful--well worth the full list price. All the pieces in the book seem fresh, even on such well-worn subjects as Dylan's electric performance at Newport in 1965. My favorite chapter lists Dylan's 100 top songs, chosen by MOJO writers and musicians, with wonderful commentary about each song.

This First American Hardcover Edition is the ultimate 'playbill' to the DVD "No Direction Home" - mentioned in the beginning of the book. Why? My guess is that the brilliant Mr. Blake thought we might like some answers to questions (raised by Dylan himself), that many of us were dying to ask after experiencing that extraordinary work of art. When I bought the book, (after buying the DVD), I had no idea (even though this book is a 2005 First Edition) that it would explain (for example - and these are just a few): Dylan's "coded" reference to his relationship with Joan Baez and their artistic-romantic conflicts that later developed and why; the detailed account of Dylan's historical visit with Woody Guthrie at Greystone Hospital in NJ, w/ Guthrie's heartrending efforts to play for Dylan w/ photos (and Guthrie's remarks about Dylan as well!); what The Beatles thought of Dylan at first (almost a god); and visa versa (certainly not gods) along with the testy relationship that developed between Dylan and Lennon musically, politically, and philosophically later on; Dylan's close relationship with the late George Harrison; the horrors for many long-lost-artists of the "Dylan era" re drugs and alcohol; Dylan's relationship, marriage and divorce with his great love, Sara - and why. I could go on and on. The book documents all of this with gorgeous inside cover art, photos, (many not in the film as stills) and the best prose on Dylan I have ever read by some of the greatest writers who-knew-him-when; then, and now. But the book goes even further - right up to Dylan's Grammy Award for "Time Out of Mind" w/ photos and text to back up what really happened from the outside in and inside out. Artistically, and historically, this is the single-most important book (w/ Bono in his terrific Foreward admitting that even today he would carry Dylan's bags) on the enigmatic, mystically mysterious, and most private poetic and musical genius - the one, the only Bob Dylan. At this low price (for now...) grab it while you can.