Summary
A brilliantly written and groundbreaking book about Dylan’s music—now the recipient of the Nobel Prize for Literature 2016—and its musical, political, and cultural roots in early 20th-century America.
Growing up in Greenwich Village in the 1960s, Sean Wilentz discovered the music of Bob Dylan as a young teenager. Almost half a century later, now a distinguished professor of American history, he revisits Dylan’s work with the critical skills of a scholar and the passion of a fan.
…Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780099549291 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 0099549298 |
| Author: | Sean Wilentz |
| Publisher: | Vintage Publishing |
| Imprint: | Vintage |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Number of Pages: | 400 |
| Release Date: | 1 November 2011 |
| Weight: | 343g |
| Dimensions: | 198mm x 129mm x 29mm |
What They're Saying
Critics Review
A panoramic vision of Bob Dylan, his music, his shifting place in American culture, from multiple angles. In fact, reading Sean Wilentz’ Bob Dylan in America is as thrilling and surprising as listening to a great Dylan song – Martin Scorsese
Among those who write regularly about Dylan, Wilentz possesses the rare virtues of modesty, nuance and lucidity. If I may extend the Moby-Dick metaphor just a little here, Wilentz is a whale watcher rather than a whale hunter. He is content to observe rather than possess * Scotland on Sunday *
Wilentz combines his deep musical knowledge with the skills of a fine historian to write one of the most important, insightful and revelatory books about America, its culture and its people as interpreted through the works of one of its greatest artists * Irish Times *
All the American connections that Wilentz draws to explain the appearance of Dylan’s music are fascinating, particularly at the outset the connection to Aaron Copland. The writing is strong, the thinking is strong - the book is dense and strong everywhere you look – Philip Roth
Bob Dylan in America is vital reading – Christopher Bray * Literary Review *
Fascinating * Observer *
Wilentz is at his best… From the shelves full of Dylan books this and one other…are the ones to read. This is also one to look at – Bryan Appleyard * Sunday Times *
Sean Wilentz makes us think about Bob Dylan’s half-century of work in new ways. Combining a scholar’s depth with a sense of mischief appropriate to the subject, Wilentz hears new associations in famous songs and sends us back to listen to Dylan’s less familiar music with fresh insights. By focusing on the parts of Dylan’s canon that most move him, Wilentz getsstraight to the heart of the matter. If you thought there was nothing new to say about Bob Dylan’s impact on America, this book will make you think twice – Bill Flanagan, Editorial Director: MTV Networks
Sean Wilentz’s beautiful book sets a new standard for the cultural history of popular music in America – Leon Wieseltier
Unlike so many Dylan-writer-wannabes and phony ‘encyclopedia’ compilers, Sean Wilentz makes me feel he was in the room when he chronicles events that I participated in. Finally a breath of fresh words founded in hardcore, intelligent research – Al Kooper, musician, record producer and Bob Dylan collaborator
About The Author
Sean Wilentz
Sean Wilentz is Sidney and Ruth Lapidus Professor in the American Revolutionary Era at Princeton University. He is the author of The Rise of American Democracy, which received the coveted Bancroft Prize, and most recently The Age of Reagan. He has also received a Deems Taylor Award for musical commentary and a Grammy nomination for his liner notes to Bootleg Series, Vol. 6- Bob Dylan, Live 1964- The Concert at Philharmonic Hall.
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