Alias Bob Dylan: Revisted

Rating:
Summary: A Thrillingly Intelligent Analysis
Review: I've read the first version of this book (Alias Bob Dylan) twice over the years. This version is a major revision of the first book with only some overlap (both versions should be read or republished integrating the text of both). Scobie is an admitted fan but this does not seem to impair his objectivity, particularly since he goes far deeper than the "is this album or song better than that one" type of criticism that often makes the work of lesser music critics fairly superficial. "Alias: Revisited" is not only one of the best analyses of Dylan's art, easily surpassing higher profile works like Michael Gray's "Song and Dance Man" or even Paul Williams' excellent "Performing Artist" series, but also one of the best works of literary criticism I've come across.

Scobie is an academic and the way he draws on the ideas of Derrida make the philosopher's work surprisingly accessible. I found one of the major chapters, an analysis of the text of "Visions of Johanna" absolutely thrilling. This is what literary criticism should be!

Rating:
Summary: A Thrillingly Intelligent Analysis
Review: I've read the first version of this book (Alias Bob Dylan) twice over the years. This version is a major revision of the first book with only some overlap (both versions should be read or republished integrating the text of both). Scobie is an admitted fan but this does not seem to impair his objectivity, particularly since he goes far deeper than the "is this album or song better than that one" type of criticism that often makes the work of lesser music critics fairly superficial. "Alias: Revisited" is not only one of the best analyses of Dylan's art, easily surpassing higher profile works like Michael Gray's "Song and Dance Man" or even Paul Williams' excellent "Performing Artist" series, but also one of the best works of literary criticism I've come across.

Scobie is an academic and the way he draws on the ideas of Derrida make the philosopher's work surprisingly accessible. I found one of the major chapters, an analysis of the text of "Visions of Johanna" absolutely thrilling. This is what literary criticism should be!