Why Bob Dylan Matters

Synopsis

When The Nobel Prize For Literature Was Awarded To Bob Dylan In 2016, A Debate Raged. Some Celebrated, While Many Others Questioned The Choice. How Could The World's Most Prestigious Book Prize Be Awarded To A Famously Cantankerous Singer-songwriter Who Wouldn't Even Deign To Attend The Medal Ceremony? In 'why Bob Dylan Matters', Harvard Professor Richard F. Thomas Answers This Question With Magisterial Erudition. A World Expert On Classical Poetry, Thomas Was Initially Ridiculed By His Colleagues For Teaching A Course On Bob Dylan Alongside His Traditional Seminars On Homer, Virgil, And Ovid. Dylan's Nobel Prize Brought Him Vindication, And He Immediately Found Himself Thrust Into The Spotlight As A Leading Academic Voice In All Matters Dylanological. Today, Through His Wildly Popular Dylan Seminar - Affectionately Dubbed Dylan 101 - Thomas Is Introducing A New Generation Of Fans And Scholars To The Revered Bard's Work. This Witty, Personal Volume Is A Distillation Of Thomas's Famous Course, And Makes A Compelling Case For Moving Dylan Out Of The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame And Into The Pantheon Of Classical Poets. Bob Dylan's Discography -- Why Does Dylan Matter To Us? -- Together Through Life -- Dylan And Ancient Rome: That's Where I Was Born -- Vibrations In The Universe: Dylan Tells His Own Story -- The Early Thefts: Mine've Been Like Verlaine's And Rimbaud's -- The Gift Was Given Back: Time Out Of Mind And Beyond -- Mature Poets Steal: Virgil, Dylan, And The Making Of A Classic -- Modern Times And The World's Ancient Light: Becoming Homer -- The Show's The Thing: Dylan In Performance -- Conclusion: Speechless In Stockholm. Richard F. Thomas. Includes Discography. Includes Bibliographical References (pages [333]-336) And Index.