Linkmeister

Heads won

Dylan's book won the coin toss, but it was a quick read. As you might expect, the man doesn't tell his life story, nor does he even write the thing chronologically. And there's no doubt it's only Volume I.

What he does do is talk about songwriting, about some of the people he met along the way (no gossip to speak of), and about his thoughts as he hit New York as a young man. He says he thought about folk music almost existentially; he had to write and sing it. It's interesting; for a man who wrote so many anthemic songs, he has a helluva time explaining just what he's after when he's in a studio recording. I almost get the impression he's still surprised at his success, and it's more than an impression that he absolutely hates fame. The only really eloquent passages are those when he's describing how it became impossible for him even to be an ordinary parent in Woodstock, what with the loonies gawking and even trying to invade his house. He succeeds in making you feel pretty sorry for him.

I dunno. I can't fully recommend it, but neither can I pan it completely. I'd say get it at the library.