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.

Judas! magazine was published in 20 issues 2002-2007. The consistently impressive quarterly was edited by Andrew Muir, a deeply knowledgeable Bob expert. Each issue had half a dozen engaging, varied articles, by well-known Dylan writers, scholars and superfans. A cornerstone of Dylan Studies. “

BOB DYLAN’S BOOTLEG SERIES: AN ILLUMINATING MOJO BOOK(LET) MOJO Music Guide - Bob Dylan's Bootleg Series is a liitle gem. Published with the mag’s Dec 2015 issue, it’s an illuminating 52pp pbk book(let). A range of writers supply cogent reviews of Vols 1-3 to Vol. 12 The Cutting Edge (2015).

BOB DYLAN’S MUSIC - A NEW EXPERT ANALYSIS Until last week, my near-500 collection of Dylan books had only two titles addressing Dylan’s legacy from a music theory perspective. Steven Rings’ new scholarly What Did You Hear? is the first full-length study of the music I’ve seen. Recommended.

BOB DYLAN FOR BEGINNERS Chris O’Connor’s You Don’t Need A Weatherman: Bob Dylan For Beginners (Melbourne Books, 2025, pbk, 219pp) is a fine new intro. Gen Z-ers ready to board the Dylan train will welcome it. It answers key questions - why is Dylan important and how do I explore his legacy?

THE DECLINE OF DYLAN’S SONGWRITING? Bob Dylan: Things Have Changed, is a celebration of Dylan’s genius. It’s original, engaging… and partisan. Author Ron Rosenbaum is no fawning fanboy. He argues that, after Street-Legal, Dylan’s writing changed for the worse - there are very few great songs.

A VERY IMPRESSIVE NEW BOB DYLAN BOOK Bob Dylan: Things Have Changed (Melville House) is one of the most enjoyable Dylan books I’ve read for ages. It’s: ambitious, challenging, eloquent, engaging, erudite, iconoclastic, idiosyncratic, irreverent, literate, profound, stimulating, stylish, witty… .

THE BOOTLEG SERIES VOLS 1-18 : YOUR DYLAN BOOKS HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT As a fan, you’re likely to have a valuable Dylan book(let) collection - The Bootleg Series book(let)s of liner notes. Typically about 60 pages long, the booklets of the standard CD releases are a rich source of Dylaniana.

THE BOOTLEG SERIES VOL. 18 (2CD): BRILLIANT MUSIC, DISAPPOINTING BOOK(LET) I’m loving the new release - a forceful reminder of Dylan’s genius, right from the off. Sheer, unalloyed brillance! But I’m disappointed by the liner notes book(let) - at 32pp, it’s only half the length previous Vols.

EARLY DYLAN: THE 4 BEST BOOKS ON THE MUSIC OF BOOTLEG SERIES VOL. 18, 1956-63 I don’t possess a single volume dedicated solely to the music of early Dylan, 1956-63. Fortunately, these four picks - all from my Best 10 Dylan books - will enhance your appreciation of the new TBS Vol. 18.

Why Bob Dylan REALLY matters Why Dylan Matters, by Harvard’s Richard F Thomas, is invaluable - a well-written, expert analysis of Dylan’s borrowings from Greek and Roman literature. And his intertextuality. But its title is misleading. Dylan matters for his writing, recording and performing.

DYLAN FOR BEGINNERS - NEW BOOK EXCEEDS MY EXPECTATIONS I’ve just added to my collection The Story of Bob Dylan, a 130 page “bookazine” published in Aug by Future (Bath, England). It’s editorially broad, richly illustrated and attractively designed. The text I’ve sampled is detailed and lively.

DYLAN’s NOBEL LECTURE : A TREASURED MEMENTO As it’s Nobel Prize time again, here’s a reminder of Dylan’s response to receiving his 2016 award. Bob Dylan The Nobel Lecture is a beautiful little artefact (thank you, Simon & Schuster) and it repays close reading. My third favourite book by Dylan.

EXCELLENT NEW BOOKLET - RAY PADGETT’S ROLLING THUNDER ‘75 DAY BY DAY A welcome addition to my DYLAN BOOKS collection. Short chapters on all 31 gigs of Dylan’s tour of NE North America. Setlist changes, contemporary reviews, special guests, extracts from Sloman and Shepard etc. Pbk, 84pp.

BOB DYLAN ON THE COVER OF UNCUT: MY (ALMOST) COMPLETE COLLECTION UNCUT, the English rock monthly, has published as many Dylan covers as MOJO, even though it started four years later - the two mags are equally rich sources of Dylaniana.

BOB DYLAN ON THE COVER OF MOJO: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION? Rock monthly MOJO has had loads of Dylan front covers. Seeing them appear on sale has always been a thrill. The 16 monthly issues and four one-offs I’ve bought are a rich source of Dylanology. Is my collection complete?

THE BEST BOB DYLAN BOOK (not written by Dylan) is… … in my opinion, Anthony Varesi’s The Bob Dylan Albums (Guernica Editions, 2nd ed 2022, pbk, 523pp - also in Kindle). It’s comprehensive, detailed and up-to-date, as well as independent-minded, knowledgeable, insightful, nuanced and stylish.

LATEST DYLAN ART BOOK - POINT BLANK (QUICK STUDIES) I’m enjoying Point Blank, bought in May. It’s an intriguing set of charcoal/pencil sketches of people and objects. Though it’s one of the lesser titles in my collection of about 30 Dylan art books, it’s certainly worth having.

PEAK DYLAN SHOWS (AND BOOTLEGS)? 25th ANNIVERSARY TODAY Dylan’s Europe 2000 tour is widely regarded as one of his best. I saw the 24 and 25 September shows in Portsmouth, England - exactly a quarter of a century ago today (and tomorrow). I stood just under Dylan’s mic for two perfect gigs.

DYLAN MOJO COVERS - FROM THE VERY FIRST ISSUE No surprise to see Dylan fronting the new MOJO. The English rock monthly has always championed Dylan. Its Nov 1993 launch issue has Bob on the cover with John Lennon.

NEW BOOTLEG SERIES (vol 18) - COVER OF NEW MOJO, OUT TODAY An 11 page feature article on Dylan 1956-63 plus 15 track cover-mount CD, The Best of Greenwich Village 1959-65. Excellent package.

BOB DYLAN COVER - NEW ISSUE OF MOJO Another Bob Dylan cover, another must-buy. MOJO has supported Dylan ever since the very first iissue paired him and John Lennon on the cover.

THE 10 BEST BOB DYLAN BOOKS: NEW, REVISED RANKING - CHRONICLES AND RAY PADGETT ADDED Ranks the key titles in the key areas - writing by Dylan, critiques, lyrics, bio, live and insights. The pile in the video is arranged in rank order, from 10 Chronicles on top, to 1 Lyrics at the bottom.

IMPRESSIVE 1978 (“BUDOKAN”) WORLD TOUR BROCHURE The Australian leg of the 1978 tour had a very impressive brochure. It’s a precious memento. I bought it at the remarkable 1 April Sydney Showground gig. The ace setlist had 30 songs! Full article in Substack - link above. #bobdylanaustralia

ANOTHER MUST-HAVE DYLAN BOOK FROM TULSA, OK Mark Davidson and Parker Fishel (eds), Bob Dylan: Mixing Up The Medicine, Callaway, 2023, hbk, 608pp. It’s magnificent… Full article - Substack DYLAN BOOKS - link above.

THE WORLD OF BOB DYLAN : A MUST-HAVE DYLAN BOOK This week’s The World of Bob Dylan 2025, organised by The Institute For Bob Dylan Studies at the University of Tulsa, Thurs 24 - Sun 27 July, will be a unique gathering of Dylan experts. The 2019 meet proceedings are a must-have Dylan book.

NEW DYLAN BOOK : Bob Dylan: Jewish Roots, American Soil Just how Jewish, how American, is Bob Dylan’s work?

MORE WONDERFUL DYLAN BOOKS HIDING ON YOUR MUSIC SHELVES The Bootleg Series delivers over 800 excellent pages of text and photos in mini-book format, by formidable writers. Here’s what you have in the standard CD releases of vols 11-17: … full text in DYLAN BOOKS on SUBSTACK - link above

YOUR WONDERFUL COLLECTION OF DYLAN BOOKS - HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT Even if you don’t buy Dylan books, you probably have an impressive library sitting on your music shelves. The Bootleg Series has a vital collection of substantial mini-books… … full text in DYLAN BOOKS on SUBSTACK - link above

JUST HOW JEWISH AND HOW AMERICAN IS DYLAN’s WORK? I hope to find out from Harry Freedman’s intriguing new book, Bob Dylan: Jewish Roots, American Soil, Bloomsbury Continuum, 2025, hbk, 256pp. Freedman wrote a revelatory similar Leonard Cohen book in 2021.

DYLAN’s EVERYWHERE! Spotted in the IBIS Hotel, Rouen, Normandy on Saturday, celebrating France’s Fête de la Musique. Daniel Kramer, Bob Dylan: A Year And A Day, Taschen, 2018. His photos were used on Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited and Biograph. #bobdylanphotos #dankramer

PEAK DYLAN: THE BEST BOOKS ON HIS 1960s LEGACY Please see detailed article in DYLAN BOOKS on Substack - link above.

THE 7 BEST BOB DYLAN BOOK COVERS Book covers are key marketing tools. Every book competes with innumerable others to catch your eye in the bookshop/store or on Amazon and publishers’ websites. Most of the 400+ … please see full text of article in Substack DYLAN BOOKS - link in Profile, above.

WRITINGS AND DRAWINGS BY BOB DYLAN (Highlights of My Collection no. 2) First edition of the first book of lyrics. Early confirmation of Dylan’s greatness as a songwriter; hints of visual art ambitions. Good used copies common in USA, less so in Europe. (Alfred A. Knopf, 1973) #bobdylanlyrics

THE 5 BOB DYLAN BOOKS ENDORSED BY DYLAN Dylan rarely comments on books about him. My collection of 400+ Dylan books has only 5 which he’s endorsed, in one way or another. Here they are, in endorsement date order. Please see full article posted in Substack/DYLAN BOOKS - link in Profile, above.

THE BEST DYLAN BOOK NOT WRITTEN BY BOB DYLAN (Highlights of My Collection no. 1) Knowledgeable, insightful, nuanced, stylish, detailed, comprehensive, independent-minded, up-to-date… . Deserves a much wider audience. #guernicaeditions

THE 9 BEST BOOKS ON THE BOB DYLAN ALBUMS Details; why these books? Please see full article in DYLAN BOOKS Substack - link above, in Profile.

PEAK DYLAN - BRAND NEW BOOK Author Sean Egan tackles the key Dylan era. Looks promising - review to follow. I’ll be looking for original info, judgment and perspective. #seanegan #jawbonepress

THE 6 BEST BOB DYLAN BIOGRAPHIES Biographies dominate the music bookshelves, following the success of Dylan’s Chronicles, Volume One. There are loads of Bob Dylan biographies. Here’s my ranking of the best six. … full article in DYLAN BOOKS Substack - link above, in Profile.

Outstanding - a must-buy. A bold, original idea, well executed. Songwriting and tireless performing are what make Dylan great. Who better to dissect his life as a performing artist than c50 musicians who’ve accompanied him, over so many years? Insights aplenty. @raypadgett.bsky.social

CHRONICLES VOLUME TWO: WHERE WOULD IT RANK? Chronicles Vol 2 when/if it appears, is likely to rank 2/3 in my pick of The 6 Best Books BY Bob Dylan. Even if it matches the excellence of Vol 1, THE LYRICS 1961-2012 will remain Dylan’s magnum opus. #bobdylanchroniclesvolumetwo #chroniclesvolumetwo

POINT BLANK (QUICK STUDIES): NEW DYLAN ART BOOK Complements new Dylan art show at Halcyon Gallery, London. Charcoal/pencil sketches. Hbk, 194pp, £45, Castle Fine Art. Worth buying? Do bears sh** in the woods? #bobdylanpointblank #castlefineart #halcyongallery @castlefineart @halcyongallery

DRAWN BLANK - DYLAN’S FIRST ART SHOW… … was staged in Chemnitz, Germany in 2008. This is the superb catalogue. Point Blank has just opened at London’s Halcyon Gallery. 🎶 🎶 “Seventeen years…” . 🎶 🎶 - of art shows. #bobdylanart #drawnblank #pointblank #halcyongallery #kunstsammlungenchemnitz

THE 10 BEST BOB DYLAN BOOKS My ranking from my collection of over 400. #bestbobdylanbooks #bobdylanbooks