Synopses & Reviews
Through the lens of four seminal concerts,acclaimed poet and biographer DanielMark Epstein offers an intimate, nuancedlook at Bob Dylan: a vivid, full-bodiedportrait of one of the most influential artistsof the twentieth century, from his birth tothe Never Ending Tour.
Beginning with 1963s Lisner Auditoriumconcert in Washington, D.C., Epstein revisitsDylans astonishing rise as the darling ofthe folk revival, focusing on the people andbooks that shaped him, and his struggle tofind artistic direction on the road in the1960s. Madison Square Garden, 1974, shedslight on Dylans transition from folk iconto rock star, his family life in seclusion,his subsequent divorce, and his highly anticipatedreturn to touring. Tanglewood,1997, reveals how Dylan revived his flaggingcareer in the late 1990s—largelyunder the influence of Jerry Garcia—discoveringnew ways of singing and connectingwith his audience, and assembling the greatbands for his Never Ending Tour. In abreathtaking account of the Time Out of Mindsessions, Epstein provides the most completepicture yet of Dylans contemporary workin the studio, his acceptance of his laurels,and his role as the éminence grise ofrock and roll today. Aberdeen, 2009, bringsus full circle, detailing the making of Dylanstriumphant albums of the 2000s, as well ashis long-running radio show.
Drawing on anecdotes and insights fromnew interviews with those closest to theman—including Maria Muldaur, Happy Traum,D. A. Pennebaker, Nora Guthrie, Ramblin JackElliott, and Dylans sidemen throughout the years—The Ballad of Bob Dylan is a singulartake on an artist who has transformed generationsand, as he enters his eighth decade,continues to inspire and surprise today.
Review
“If you like Keith Richards Life, then read The Ballad of Bob Dylan. Just in time for the musicians 70th birthday, Daniel Mark Epsteins biography offers a vivid portrait of the visionary artist.” US Weekly
Review
"Even [Dylan] might approve of the mission that inspires the most recent crop of writing about him: to 'celebrate the impossibility of pinning down Bob Dylan'....That means exploring the desire for change that drove Dylan from the start and still consumes him...as Epstein understands in his biography." John Dickerson, Slate
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"[Epstein's] appreciation of Dylan's art is subtle and multi-layered....The broad picture that emerges, both of the man and his work, is coherent and convincing.... [Ballad] will send you back to his music with your ears reopened and your mind refreshed." Simon Griffith, Mail on Sunday (UK) (4 out of 5 stars)
Review
“In The Ballad of Bob Dylan, Daniel Mark Epstein does what few have been able to do at all, much less this well: capture that spirit, and in so doing, somehow manage to get closer to the essence of an American icon.” Dave Moyer, New York Journal of Books
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“Brilliantthat Daniel Mark Epstein is both a poet and a biographer stands him in good stead in this penetrating, compassionate (but utterly clear-eyed), beautifully written portrait of Bob Dylan as an artist and a man. Among the very best writing about Dylan, ever.” James Kaplan, author of < i=""> Frank: The Voice <>
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“What sets Epsteins book apart is its accessibility. . . . Epstein is refreshingly direct and approachable, and while the author, also a folk musician, makes much of his extensive quotes from Dylans lyrics, it is his own clear, emotional enthusiasm that carries the tale.” Rob Fitzpatrick, Sunday Times (London)
Review
"Epstein, an accomplished poet and biographer, is one of the better stylists to tackle the Dylan story.... A musician himself, Epstein is particularly good on tunings and chord progressions, on where Mr. Dylan's capo is placed in each song and the sound his harmonica makes clicking into its holder." David Yezzi, Wall Street Journal
Review
“Offers a portrait that explodes the semi-hostile cliché of much unauthorized biography. New interviews and photographs add depth to an account distinguished by a fine sensitivity to all aspects of Dylans art, from the personal to the musics history.” Tim Martin, Telegraph (London)
Synopsis
Drawing on revelatory interviews, a rich analysis oflyrics, and a lifelong study of one of the greatest songwriters of our time,Daniel Mark Epstein delivers a singular, nuanced, and insightful examination ofBob Dylan—the poet, the musician, and the man. Interweaving in-depthconversations with Dylan collaborators and contemporaries, including Eric Andersen,Tom Paxton, Woody Guthries daughter Nora Guthrie, RamblinJack Elliott, Pete Seeger, Maria Muldaur, John P.Hammond, and many others, Epstein crafts a vivid and unforgettable portrait ofthe inimitable poet and performer. Readers of Christopher Ricks Dylans Visions of Sin, the Dylanautobiography, Chronicles, or Sean Wilentzs Dylan inAmerica, as well as fans enthralled by expository musician stories, such asKeith Richards Life and PattiSmiths Just Kids, will be captivatedby Epsteins unprecedented and incisive look at Bob Dylan, musics mostineffable creator.
About the Author
Daniel Mark Epstein has written more than fifteen books of poetry, biography, and history, including the award-winning Lincoln and Whitman and The Lincolns: Portrait of a Marriage, named one of the top ten books of the year by the Wall Street Journal and Chicago Sun-Times.