Whoever it was in 1969 who named the very first Bob Dylan bootleg album “Great White Wonder” may have had a mischievous streak. There are any number of ways you can interpret the title — most boringly, the cover was blank, like the Beatles’ “White Album” — but I like to see a sly allusion to “Moby-Dick.” In the seven years since the release of his first commercial record, Dylan had become the white whale of 20th-century popular song, a wild, unconquerable and often baffling force of musical nature who drove fans and critics Ahab-mad in their efforts to spear him, lash him to the hull and render him merely comprehensible. --- Bruce Handy, NYTimes ____________________________________________ I figured we can start fresh with Bob Dylan. Couldn't resist this photo of him striking a Woody Guthrie pose. Looks like only yesterday. Here is a link to the comments building up to this reading group.
I was surprised I got my copy so soon. I remember the official release date being Nov. 30. We almost share the same birthday.
ReplyDeleteIt's available now here as well.
ReplyDeleteAnd Huckleberry Finn turns 125:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-ca-mark-twain-20101114,0,5921342.story
I would really love to start the new year by reading the Twain book with everyone; can it be deemed history? It certainly is historic.
ReplyDeleteI think the book is in the spirit of this place and many of us already have it. Might take a year long commitment to read it, though -- it's LONG and this is only volume 1.
ReplyDeleteIf you do read it, we can always set up a page for your thoughts/comments where others can join in if they decide to also read it.
And ... it's a best seller!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/20/books/20twain.html
Yardley is fast becoming my favorite reviewer:
ReplyDeleteReading the "Autobiography of Mark Twain" too often is like being trapped in a locked room with a garrulous old coot (Twain turned 70 just before these dictations began) who loves the sound of his own voice and hasn't the slightest inclination to turn it off.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/19/AR2010111906788.html
Rather sad to see Twain get bumped by Dubya in the Amazon Top 100.
ReplyDelete