BOB DYLAN’S SIX BOOKS: THE MONUMENTAL MASTERPIECE
Of the six books written by Bob Dylan, Lyrics is the most important.
It illustrates just why so many regard Dylan as a towering creative genius.
Every Dylan home should have one. File next to The Complete Works Of William Shakespeare.
THE SIX BOOKS BY BOB DYLAN: THE ODD ONE OUT
Bob Dylan has written six books.
Hollywood Foto-Rhetoric is the odd one out.
Dylan - a movie nut - supplied 23 short ”prose-poems”, which will interest students of Dylan’s writing. But it’s slim pickings - the least essential book “written by” Dylan.
FOUR MORE NEW DYLAN BOOKS - WITH A NOD TO THE BEATLES
New Dylan books just keep on coming - these four drop in the next few weeks.
Are they worth reading? Watch this space.
WHAT ARE THE 10 BEST BOB DYLAN BOOKS?
Among the many hundreds of Dylan books, there are some must-reads, guaranteed to enrich your enjoyment. But where to start?
This 10 Best Bob Dylan Books is my ranking of the key titles in the key areas. My pic ranks them from Lyrics #1 to Chronicles #10.
PEAK BOB DYLAN:
1963-78?
OR 1991-2024?
OR SOME OTHER PERIOD?
Two recent heavyweight Dylan books, by Ron Rosenbaum and Robert Polito - both highly recommended - have different opinions on when Dylan was producing his best work.
Rosenbaum prefers earlier Dylan. Polito prefers 1991-2024.
You?
IS BOB DYLAN’S LATER WORK REALLY “HIS MOST AMBITIOUS AND ACCOMPLISHED”?
After The Flood, Robert Polito’s outstanding new book, covers Dylan’s work 1991’-2024.
It’s impressive: original. richly detailed, beautifully written.
He regards Dylan later work as “his most ambitious and accomplished”.
NEW: FRESH PERSPECTIVES ON DYLAN’S CREATIVITY
Author Kevin Kane has a commendably clear aim: to analyse Dylan’s creativity. He’s impressive discussing the wider culture.
And he offers some interesting perspectives.
That said, his book’s a little too discursive for me.
THE SMALLEST DYLAN BOOK
While The Lyrics Since 1962 (see recent post) is the biggest, heaviest, least usable Dylan book, the smallest, most user-friendly Dylan book in my collection is The Little Guide To Bob Dylan: How Does It Feel?
It’s a pocket-sized collection of Dylan quotes. Recommended.
DYLAN MOJO ESSENTIALS - NEWLY UPDATED
MOJO Essentials are commendable introductions, aimed at newer fans. The updated version of the Dylan issue, first published in 2023, will please Bobfans pulled in by A Complete Unknown. Grizzled Boomers won’t learn much from it.
BOB DYLAN FILMS PRAISED BY IMPORTANT NEW BOOK
Bob Dylan’s film catalogue is generally derided.
In his impressive new book, Bob Dylan As Filmmaker, Michael Glover Smith re-assesses Dylan on film. A film-maker as well as a Dylan fan, Smith has the ideal CV for the job.
And he delivers.
NEW TODAY - UNCUT DYLAN COVER
Thin Wild Mercury: Dylan 1966, the forthcoming Bob Dylan Center exhibition, is the focus of the new (“April 2026”) UNCUT, on sale today in the UK.
The two page preview is the centrepiece of 13pp of Dylan content, fronted by the exquisite Olle Lindeborg portrait.
BOB DYLAN’S MUSICAL ROOTS - IMPRESSIVE CATALOGUE FROM ISIS
Exploring Dylan’s deep roots in American popular music, ISIS editor Derek Barker’s encyclopædic catalogue discusses 550 songs that Dylan played up to 2008. A supplement adds 188 songs, notably Dylan’s covers of the Great American Songbook
ISIS MAGAZINE part 2 (of 2)
Bob Dylan Anthology Volume 2: 20 Years of ISIS (2005) is a selection from the first 100 issues, complementing the book covered in my previous post.
Bob Dylan Anthology Volume 3: Celebrating 200 Editions of ISIS Magazine (2019) has articles from more recent issues.
ISIS MAGAZINE: PREMIER DYLAN FANZINE part 1 (of 2)
ISIS was a paper magazine every two months, 1985-2022. Then, after 218 issues, it changed to a quarterly e-journal.
The best of ISIS is in three anthology books.
ISIS A Bob Dylan Anthology (2004) is a selection from the first 100 issues.
THE BOB DYLAN LYRICS BOOKS - 1961-2020 - DOES IT EVEN EXIST?
I suspected that The Lyrics 1961-2020, covering writing up to Rough And Rowdy Ways, didn’t exist. I couldn’t confirm on official, publisher or Amazon sites.
A helpful Commenter’s photo confirms it does exist, so it’s the obvious buy.
THE BOB DYLAN LYRICS BOOKS - 2014 and 2016
The Lyrics 1961-2012, published in 2016, covers writing up to Tempest. It’s the current collection. Every Dylan home should have one.
2014’s The Lyrics: Since 1962 is a de luxe collectable. Mine’s still shrink-wrapped, as its weight makes it unusable.
THE BOB DYLAN LYRICS BOOKS - 2004
This - the third - edition covers Dylan’s songwriting up to “Love And Theft”. The drawings have been replaced by monochrome album covers.
I find the dust jacket unusually dull. Jerry Schatzberg’s Dylan portrait is weaker than his iconic pic on the pbk edition.
THE BOB DYLAN LYRICS BOOKS - 1985
Lyrics 1962-85, the first update of 1973’s Writings and Drawings, covers Dylan’s songs up to Empire Burlesque.
The 1985 US hbk with the striking cover is shown, with two UK pbks, from 1987 and 1994. I missed the UK hbk - it had same cover pic as the large pbk.
THE BOB DYLAN LYRICS BOOKS - 1973
Dylan’s status as rock’s premier songwriter was cemented by the 1973 publication of Writings and Drawings, covering songs to New Morning.
The US pink hardback (Knopf) was followed by the UK 1974 paperback (Granada), here with DIY binding, and the 1980 reprint.
SUPERSTAR BOB DYLAN PLUS CAT
This image of a fur-clad Dylan, with kitten in a limo, is from a painting by Belgian artist Guy Peellaert. It’s cropped from his “Superstar Bob” in Rock Dreams, the classic 1973 book, which has several other images of Dylan.
NEW BOB DYLAN BOOKS IN 2026
2026 could be another bumper year for Bob Dylan books. I’m already looking forward to this trio of new titles, due in March and April:
- Dylan, filmmaker
- Dylan’s late career work, in many media
- Teaching Bob Dylan - new pbk ed, priced for fans, not academia.
NEW BOB DYLAN PORTRAIT
A surprise Christmas gift, from an 8 year old fellow Dylan fan. She was inspired by Dylan’s striking recording of Adeste Fidelis on Christmas In The Heart.
Four key gaps in my Dylan book collection - filled In 2025.
Why on Earth did I ignore these four Dylan books when first published, long ago? Asleep at the wheel! Jewish roots, The Bible, early Dylan and early Uncut. Key gaps finally filled.
Dylan books added to my collection in 2025: Part 3 - 9 recent books I’d missed
In 2025, I’ve added 26 Bob Dylan books to my collection.
Part 2: 9 new Dylan books
The hit film A Complete Unknown inspired a surge of new Dylan books - I reviewed them here on DYLAN BOOKS.
Expect the flow to continue in 2026!
In 2025, I’ve added 26 Bob Dylan books to my collection.
Part 1: 4 books BY Dylan
I’d been looking for these versions of the Lyrics books for a while (I already had less attractive versions). Point Blank is one of the weaker Dylan art books. The Bootleg Series vol.18 booklet is very slim.
Je viens d’ajouter à ma collection L’histoire de Bob Dylan, une « bookazine » de 130 pages. Je suis impressionné. Il est éditorialement large, richement illustré et joliment conçu. Le texte que j’ai échantillonné est détaillé et vivant.
EARLY DYLAN - AN EXCELLENT BOOK YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED
The Formative Dylan: Transmissions and Stylistic Influences 1961-63 (Todd Harvey, Scarecrow Press, 2001, hbk, 240pp) is an excellent guide to the early Dylan songs covered by The Bootleg Series vol. 18. It’s little-known and quite rare.
Already looking forward to Dylan’s spring 2026 tour? Ready to check out the best books on Bob Dylan, live performer?
It’s worth thinking about books by Paul Williams.
His Performing Artist trilogy, plus Watching The River Flow, are central to any decent collection of Dylan books.
I’ve just discovered Christopher Rollason’s Read Books, Repeat Quotations: The Literary Bob Dylan (Two Riders, 2021, pbk, 219pp). It’s an impressive introduction to Dylan Studies.
It explains the poetics of 11 songs, from Bob Dylan’s Dream to Murder Most Foul.
