Chronicles : Volume One (Chronicles)

Rating:
Summary: Interesting, but heavily whitewashed fluff.
Review: You can't blame Bob Dylan for keeping his personal life very private and out of public view. Everyone deserves privacy. For someone so famous, the risk of self-revelation is to be chewed up and spit out by the tabloids and gossip-mongers. Dylan says that Johnny Cash's song "I Walk the Line" was a huge influence, especially the opening words: "I keep a close watch on this heart of mine." Dylan says he took that line to heart and did keep a close watch on his innermost heart, and after reading this book it's plain that that's still the case. There's nothing really personal here, and to read his own account of himself you get the impression that he's the nicest guy in the world, never had a cross word for anyone and led a pretty much idyllic and idealistic life.

I guess that's a common fault of autobiographies: the whitewash effect. The less appealing details are skimmed over or, in this case, left out altogether. There are many accounts already out there portraying Dylan as a brilliant but arrogant SOB, who had plenty of unkind words for many people. Not mentioned here. As one example, he tells us about one of his romances, Suze Rotolo, and waxes poetic about her, comparing her to a Rodin sculpture. Later he says they "just passed out of each others' lives," "She took one turn in the road and I took another." He self-servingly leaves out of this benign scene little details like getting her pregnant, then ditching his "spiritual soul-mate" like dirt. He talks extensively about many of his songs and what the lyrics meant, but doesn't mention that he wrote "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright" for Suze, or what his lyrics meant to him at the time. He also fails to mention that Suze then had an abortion of his child and afterwards attempted suicide by locking herself in her apartment and turning on the gas, and Bob saved her by breaking down the door, but then ditched her again, this time for Joan Baez. It would've made a much more interesting book to hear his version of that episode, since he brings Suze up in the first place, but no such details are forthcoming anywhere in the book. He mentions nothing of his marriage to Sara, such as the affair he had with the nanny that Sara hired to care for his children.

But why should he tell us anything really personal? It's not in his best interests, and one thing he makes clear is that he is very career-oriented, and very impressed with his own success. It would be foolish of him to reveal more than his musical influences and early contacts, and that's all he does. Two of the longest chapters describe the making of two albums, in great detail. They're sort of interesting, but read more like lengthy magazine articles. Throughout the book there's a lot of chatty name-dropping, and the mention that this or that person would eventually record one of his songs, that kind of thing.

In the end, though, this is Bob Dylan, one of the most brilliant of all musicians and songwriters. His music is on a level of its own and has influenced the world, so the fluff is of some interest, self-serving though it is. Overall, the book is fun, superficial, quick and easy reading. But now that I've read it, I wish I had waited for it to come to the library; I would've felt better afterwards if I didn't actually pay money for it. Buy his records. Borrow the book.


Rating:
Summary: Positively Bob
Review: As I read Chronicles I was impressed by how Dylan articulates his opposition to being a spokesman for a generation. It must have come as a shock to fans who feel it necessary to peel into the inner workings of artists they have come to respect. I think this book should stand as a lesson learned to all who dig deeper for some greater meaning and messages to ease a cluttered life or look to solve mysteries. As a fan I have been one to listen intently to albums and then venture further to bootlegs and of course attend concerts. In doing so there is an undeniable bond and closeness that occurs between fans. Some go further to include the artist in this bond but as I read this book it certainly is not the case. The facts are clear: the artist is off limits to you as a fan and this so called bond is a figment of ones imagination. Bob is a talented writer and musician and has entertained his fans for five decades and even when the material wasn't wonderful it was still just entertainment. I fear some fans have attached a far greater importance to him and that is a mistake according to this book. Take the music and enjoy the ones that speak to you and put a smile on your face or a question to ponder in your mind. That is the real message of Bob Dylan. Going deeper and wanting to secure his philosophies on religion or politics and in the meantime propping him up as an authority figure is a mistake. At the end of the day, he's a guy with a guitar that made it really big and we enjoy his talent. No need to delve any further.

Rating:
Summary: WHO CARES
Review: BOB DYlAN HAS HAD A PROFOUND INFLUENCE ON ME AS HE HAS FOR MANY OtHERS--the first time i heard his crazy whining voice his wild heavy lyrics pouring out like a volcano erupting and immediately altering my consciousness i was hoooked! it was the early 60`s i was like 14 or something my uncle turned me on to him! and ive been addicted ever since ! you can sing like that !!???? thats allowed !!?? to sound so real - so crazy- and the rhythms and melodies !!!the brilliant funny deep lyrics the poignancy - the irony the wit and genius !i couldnt get enuff of him and told everyone i knew about him and made them listen ! he rocked my world as they say---god bless john hammond for signing him up ! BUT ITS NOT BOB HIMSELF or his personal life that intrigues-- ITS HIS ART-- HIS WORDS AND MUSIC--& HE NEVER DiSSAPOINTS IN CONCERT AS FAR AS IVE SEEN-- AND IVE SEEN HIM LIVE MAYBE 10 TIMES or more- ALWAYs THRILLING-- hES A TRUE ARTIST TO ME-- HE CAN NEVER SING THE SAME SONG THE SAME WAY -- CAUSE HES ALWAYS CHANGING AND LIKE PICASSO SAID ~ MAKE IT NEW ~~ HE ALWAYS DOES--- HIS SONGS ROCK IN CONCERT AND HE ALWAYS HAS A ROCKING BAND-- HIS PRESENCE AND PERSONA - BOTH COMPELLING & POWERFUL HE LOOKS TO ME LIKE THE LITTLE PRINCE STANDING THERE ON STAGE W HIS GUITAR OR AT THE PIANO--- SLIGHT -- THIN NOT TOO TALL USUALLY IN COWBOY GEAR---AND HE AND HIS BAND WEAVE MAGIC !BUT LET US NOT CONFUSE THE MAN W HIS ART-- HE CHANNELS INSPIRATION LIKE ALL INSPIRED POETS -- BUT PLEASE BOB-- I KNOW NO ONE EVER HAS ENUFF MONEY I GUESS-- AND WHY NOT SELL EVERY SCRAP U CAN to the hungry masses !- TO ALL WHO OBSESS OVER EVERYTHING IMAGINABLE FROM THEIR pop ICONS-- BUT THIS BOOK MEMOIR WHATEVER IT IS--- ITS NONSENSE ! ITS OBVIOUS HE HAS A THIRST FOR KNOWLEDGE HAS ABSORBED MUCH OF THE GREAT WRITINGS OF MAJOR POETS RIMBAUD BLAKE I CHING LAO TSE HENRY MILLER -- HIS DRAWINGS ARE INTERESTING AND HE ENJOYS EXPRESSING HIMSELF IN MANY VARIOUS MEDIA-- BOOKS MOVIES PAINTING DRAWING--- BUT ITS HIS MUSIC THAT SETS HIM APART--- HIS OTHER VENTURES IN ART/COMMERCE ( WHICH IRONICALLY OLD WILLIAM BLAKE SAYS ARE NEVER COMPATIBLE ! AND BALKE IS ALWAYS RIGHT !!)ARE DISASTROUS ILL CONCEIVED INSCRUTIBLE OVERBLOWN RAMBLING AFFAIRS BETTER LEFT UNEXPOSED---BUT SOME PEOPLE WILL BUY ANYTHING -- EVEN ME sometimes !-- BUT REALLY DONT WASTE YER TIME-- LETS NOT ENCOURAGE THIS shoddy self indulgence-- THIS BOOK IS SUPERFICIAL UNINTERESTING NOT WELL WRITTEN AND LIKE OTHERS HAVE SAID HERE- HE SKIMS OVER THINGS AND DELVES INTO OTHER THINGS AD NAUSEUM--- THE RECORDING SESSION----IN NEW ORLEANS---NOT MUCH THERE-- THE REST - BABBLING & MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING--- I DISCARDED THE BOOK AFTER READING MOST OF IT -OUT OF BOREDOM W IT--- WHAT MAKES GREAT WRITING COMPELLING IS PERSONAL/UNIVERSAL REVELATIONS-- THE TRUTH IS WHAT MAKES ART COMPELLING-- WE LAUGH AT TRUE THINGS - EVeN ON SITCOMS ON TV-- IF SOMEHTING RINGS TRUE - WE LAUGH-- ITS LIKE THE TRUTH IMMEDIATELY SETS US FREE !as was pointed out- the whole suzy rotolo thing--- skimmmed over-- no one wants his whole life exposed-- and such details are none of our bizness-- but dont pretend to write a memoir and skim over stuff and expect us to eat it up-- but eat they will apparently ! as this thin tepid offering is selling apparently and garnering much praise---dont believe any of it-- the book sucks-- listen to his music-- but for compelling inspired or revealing writing look elsewhere !it aint rolling bob !!!! but u better believe next time u come to my town - the town u had to move to to find and express yerself in the heady 60`s--i`ll be there--- eating up every minute of it !

Rating:
Summary: Enigmatic Yet Strangely Interesting
Review: Bob Dylan is one of the most enigmatic figures in the history of popular music. For a man with such a canon of work and so many decades of fame, surprisingly little is known about him. Little or nothing is known about his feelings, his own views of things etc. Actions of his life are always studied meticulously by "Dylanologists." There is a hunger to learn the views and memories of one of the crown princes of the rock and roll era. Now Dylan has written volume one of an "autobiography". Fans expecting a chronicle of Bob Dylan's life are bound to be disappointed by this book for it is hardly that. It is not a chronicle of his life but rather a limited chronicle of his impressions during two key points in his life, his arrival in and first year in New York and a planned comeback at some point during the eighties. (The years are never stated. I believe he arrived in New York in 1960 or 1961.) The section in which he discusses the planned comeback album and tour comes smack in the middle of the book and is sandwiched by two sections dealing with the year of his arrival. I found the first and third parts of the book interesting and disjointed. Dylan's prose style is humorously overwrought and dramatic. He often riffs and goes off on tangents, which are sometimes enjoyable and sometimes frustrating. We learn a good deal about such disparate characters as Woodie Guthrie, Tiny Tim, Pete Maravich, Archibald Macleish and others. We learn very little about his personal life. He mentions his wife in the book's middle section but never mentions either her name or the name of any of his children. He just refers to her as "my wife." It will certainly be impossible to enjoy this book without a working knowledge of Dylan's life and career. Again, I think the book is interesting and many will enjoy it. But it lacks a linear structure and could have used massive editing. I don't know why Dylan chose to write in this way. His life and his thoughts are certainly interesting enough that a traditional memoir would have been quite riveting. I recommend it but with the reservations noted above.

Rating:
Summary: Dylan's worst biographer....himself
Review: Dear god, what a terrible writer this guy is (and always has been). From the garbage liner notes on Highway 61, to the unreadable Tarantula, to this pile of blathering inanity (Vol. 1? What a jerk. Why not wait until it's *finished* before selling it!) Face it, we're never going to get anything like the truth out of Dylan, and even if we were so lucky, it won't be presented in anything like a coherent manner. Dylan just sits down at a typewriter (or tape recorder, most likely, since this reads like listening to him talk) and proceeds to babble about the 60s (when he's not time-travelling into his married life or name-dropping dozens of people that no one cares about). If he's the "voice of a generation" then that generation is approaching senility.

Stick to your music, Bob. Preferably 1962-66. Because beyond that, you really don't have a damn thing to say.


RstJ


Rating:
Summary: Amazing...Even for Dylan
Review: Even if you're a dedicated Dylanologist, you're going to find stories in here that are surprising, even jaw dropping. Imagine Bob Dylan hanging out in the street of the Village with Tiny Tim...before either one of them was famous! Imagine Bob Dylan working as Bobby Vee's keyboard player! Those are just a couple of the stories that are peppered throughout this terrific book. Whatever your perception of Dylan was before Chronicles, I'm quite sure it will be shaken to its foundation...and that's not a bad thing. One more point: The narrative is authentic Dylan all the way, not "Bob Dylan, as told to Dick Schaap." Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Dylan unveiled, in his own words
Review: It was such a relief to read this first installment of Dylan's autobiography to find a simple, eloquent, and relatively brief self-appraisal. What I came away with reading this is that Dylan knows there is a large industry surrounding his music and persona, but he hasn't let it taint him. Having written and published some articles about Dylan and other folk music stalwarts myself, I now have come to the conclusion that such work only adds to the mythologies that we eventually have to work our way out of, once we create them. How many biographies and scholarly reconstructions has he been subject to? Give the guy a break!!

That said, Dylan has very skillfully and artfully constructed a highly readable and entertaining memoir that ultimately focuses on his becoming a part of, and eventually transcending, the Greenwich Village folk scene. Dylan's writing is especially effective in recreating the "flavor" of those days. I can almost picture him walking through the Village streets as a young man with his eye on the prize: that is, to put himself across through his music. His focus, it would seem, was always on his art (screw the politics!!).

I was puzzled by his inclusion about the chapter on recording the "Oh Mercy" album with Daniel Lanois, sandwiched between recollections of his boyhood and his early journey through the Greenwich Village folk clubs. After thinking about its placement, though, I imagined that he was writing about his own discovery, and then re-discovery, of what the artistic process entails. For someone to whom it seemingly came easy, it wasn't that easy after all.

I rated the book four stars instead of five because Dylan is such a work in progress himself. He's never a finished product: not his music, not his prose writing. There's always something new to discover in his work. I am so grateful to him for that.

Rating:
Summary: Name Dropping at its Best
Review: The book is a dry hustle. If what you are interestd in is a list of persons the author knew, this is the book for you. He mentions literally hundreds of "famous" names: people he either met, heard singing on records, or read books by, and he gives a one or two line description of each. Apart from that, and the message "I knew what I wanted to do!" there is little else of substance in the book. True, there is a cleverly-turned phrase or two here and there, but essentially there is nothing of value here. If this book were written by anyone other than Dylan, it would never have been considered for publication.

Rating:
Summary: A glimpse at Robert's toolbox, not his laundry.
Review: There have been countless books (Amazon has 250-300) written about his life which have focused on all aspects of his life. Colleges and universities have classes surrounding the meaning of some of his songs.

He wrote the soundtrack to a generation and has been labelled all kinds of things. He's a legend (but dismisses being "the voice of a generation") but doesn't want to be put in a museum just yet. He's still out there doing what he always wanted to do. If anything, the Bob Dylan he wanted to be is the one who is out there today touring relentlessly.

I don't see Dylanologists particularly caring for this book because they want it all. It's not a book that you need the Dylan Secret Decoder Ring for. It's very straightforward. But as with most autobiographies, a lot is either taken out altogether or toned down to protect the living. Or will be included later on...

The book takes places at different times and ends up more or less where it started, and has the feel of having a conversation (or a car ride) where the conversation might veer off in different directions, and eventually comes back to where he started, in this case, New York City. An old photo of Times Square featured on the front cover, an early 60s photo of Dylan is on the back.

You learn that a 5 second encounter with wrestler Gorgeous George is as much an influential figure in his life as Woody Guthrie was (although he mentions very little about his own interest in boxing) You see him trying to get out of 2 significant "slumps" in his life (1968 and 1987) to make a comeback/reinvention, and the "Oh Mercy" sessions that he'd have critical acclaim with, shows Dylan testing everyone's nerves including finding confidence in what he was doing again. To me, this chapter was the most revealing out of anything else in the book. It's something that will make you want to go to the music store and pick that CD up (and Time Out of Mind, which was by far his best recording in a long time).

He also got to hear Robert Johnson's music (from Albert Hammond Jr.) long before Eric Clapton's own obsession in a few years when the name would cause puzzled looks from his peers. He would hear some things in songs that others didn't pick up on.

You see him encounter early critics of his music and style in Minneapolis and trying to find his own voice as well as the building blocks of turning a midwestern kid named Bobby Zimmerman from a small town in Minnesota into the persona known as Bob Dylan, and trying to find a balance between the two over the years. You see him studying countless influences and picking things up, taking them apart, and putting them back together again in a way he could do them.

But you also see him taking his midwestern background and putting it to his advantage (not unlike Johnny Carson who was able to relate to everyone yet kept his own personal life far away from the limelight), taking apart some of the pretentiousness and ridiculousness of urban life, or taking something out of today's headlines and putting them to a centuries old style of music, or taking something from the past and making it sound modern.

He doesn't go deep into his relationships although you learn that his girlfriend in the early 60s is related to Alan Lomax, Joan Baez is as important if not more so than he is and explains why, and that he felt it important to keep his family as far away from the spotlight as possible (even though one is in the Wallflowers and the other is a film and music video director). Maybe some more blanks will be filled in with Martin Scorsese's documentary on Dylan.

Overall, it's an enjoyable book worth reading that's over before you know it. It's not a "songwriting 101" or a tell-all, but
a lot of tools of his trade are in there, but like a magician or performer, he's not going to give all his secrets away. But hopefully he'll write more and take us on more journeys with him through his chronicles.



Rating:
Summary: Just what is the big deal?
Review: This is tedious gossipy stuff, Dylan satisfying his agent or publisher. It reads like a minion wrote it, or someone doing an uninspired Dylan turn. But it probably is Dylan, because as brilliantly talented as this dude is, he's never cared much for his public.