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"I'd come from a long ways off and had started a long ways down. But now destiny was about to manifest itself. I felt like it was looking right at me and nobody else."
Bob Dylan's Chronicle: Volume One explores the critical junctions in his life and career. Through Dylan's eyes and open mind, we see Greenwich Village, circa 1961, when he first arrives in Manhattan. Dylan's New York is a magical city of possibilities -- smoky, nightlong parties; literary awakenings; transient loves and unbreakable friendships. Elegiac observations are punctuated by jabs of memories, penetrating and tough. With side trips to New Orleans, Woodstock, Minnesota and points west, Chronicles: Volume One is an intimate and intensely personal recollection of extraordinary times.
Revealing, poetical, passionate and witty, Chronicles: Volume One is a mesmerizing window on Bob Dylan's thoughts and influences. Dylan's voice is distinctively American: generous of spirit, engaged, fanciful and rhythmic. Utilizing his unparalleled gifts of storytelling and the exquisite expressiveness that are the hallmarks of his music, Bob Dylan turns Chronicles: Volume One into a poignant reflection on life, and the people and places that helped shape the man and the art.
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"Gives insight into the mind of an enigmatic individual without giving too much away. Dylan is an amazing writer whether it's poetry, lyrics, or as in this case, literature. He doesn't delve into his past where people may have expected or hoped for. Instead he describes times and scenarios that paint pictures and images of feelings rather than dates. I truly hope he writes more books. I had an extremely hard time putting it down."
— Kirstinw (5 out of 5 stars)
“Chronicles is hardly tame. It is lucid without being linear, swirling through time without losing its strong storytelling thread.”
— New York Times“A remarkable achievement, and like Henry Miller’s best personal writings, it is a story that opens up the times that it portrays, and then reveals the possibilities of the human spirit.”
— Rolling Stone“Off the beaten path as it is, Chronicles is nevertheless an astonishing achievement. As revelatory in its own way as Blonde on Blonde or Highway 61 Revisited.”
— Amazon.com“Bob Dylan sure can turn a phrase. He engages the reader with his...forays into absolute down-home clarity.”
— Barnes&Noble.com“[A] superb memoir...That he has been so thoughtful in the creation of this book is a measure of his talents and a gift to his fans.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)“[A] wonderful production...Most strikingly, Sean Penn [has an] ideal voice for a reluctant pop hero desperately trying to put the genie back in the bottle.”
— AudioFile" I'm not a huge Dylan fan but I thoroughly enjoyed this very well written autobiography and eagerly await the 2nd volume. "
— Roddy, 2/17/2014" Great book by Dylan.. it skips around a bit and rambles like his songs. It talks about his early career in New York when he was sleeping on couches and playing small clubs. I loved it. "
— Meghan, 1/14/2014" I liked this book, but I could have loved it had I known who many of the people he talked about were. I was impressed with his craft for writing and really enjoyed his descriptions of how life felt at very specific moments in his maturity and during his creative process. I would recommend to any music lover. "
— Annie, 1/7/2014" Bob focuses on the songwriters he meets when he moves to New York and it takes you all the way into the 90s. Great read for hardcore Dylan fans. I devoured it in a week. "
— Dorie, 1/6/2014" I would imagine that an influential figure and lyrical genius would have a knack for storytelling. Instead, we jump back and forth as Dylan reflects on his life. I was really disappointed as I had hoped to see more of the 1960s era and his unique writing style. Although it starts that way, it eventually leads to a bland voiceless anecdote. "
— Carla, 1/5/2014" He is an all-time favorite artist. He will never go wrong. "
— titi, 12/19/2013" Bob Dylan is as eloquent with prose as he is with writing lyrics. "
— Li, 12/6/2013" Ohhhh this one was good! Bob Dylan on Bob Dylan - perfect! Although the ramblings sometimes left me a little lost, I loved that it was HIS perspective on HIS life. To me it seems like Dylan wouldn't have wanted it any other way. I loved all of this. "
— Nicole, 12/5/2013" This is how an autobiography should be written: a collection of stories about an interesting life that clearly describes his life without reading like a textbook. Tremendous. "
— Steve, 11/27/2013" wow, bob dylan, could you be more boring & obtuse? seriously, just shut up. "
— Stephanie, 11/24/2013" Bobby here tends to get a bit too descriptive with uninteresting things. "
— Thomas, 8/23/2013" I can see why people would like it, especially hard core Bob Dylan fans, because it certainly goes into a lot of detail. But it rambles on too much, and many of the details he rambled on about in such great detail did not pique my interest at all. "
— Keeley, 7/25/2013" This book, especially the parts that touch on Dylan's early career, transport you to another time and place. Love it. "
— Chuckmetcalf, 2/24/2013" Some magic, some truth, and a good amount of lies. Dylan. "
— Patrick, 10/22/2012" Pleasantly surprised. Ever since i saw Bob ol boy in concert i was under the impression he thought of himself as a god, but this book lets you into a different side, his story reveals a very humble appreciative outlook. "
— Bethany, 8/16/2012" Maybe I was daydreaming, but I was completely lost in the organization of events in this book. I did however have very detailed knowledge of the look, smell, and texture of scenes these events took place in... oddly enough "
— Devin, 8/11/2012" Great book but you'll probably only like it if you're a big Dylan fan. Mainly covers his coming to NYC and his folk days. Looking forward to more volumes. "
— Bess, 7/14/2012" I'm an extreme Dylan fan. This fed my addiction to the man and his mythology. "
— John, 11/7/2011" more than an autobiography, a true american epic from one of the greatest musicians of all time "
— Lucas, 6/26/2011" Pretty awful. <br/>It is a ramble of common place thoughts.<br/>Better to just put B.D. on the stereo and read a good book, not this book. "
— Bcoghill, 6/24/2011" Excellent audio book! Sean Penn's reading of the book is well worth listening to. "
— Meredith, 6/4/2011" Started off brilliantly, offering an intriguing, first-hand account of the life of a musician in New York. If the whole book was as good as the first half, I probably would have given it five stars. "
— Matt, 5/17/2011" This book, especially the parts that touch on Dylan's early career, transport you to another time and place. Love it. "
— Chuckmetcalf, 4/27/2011Bob Dylan is one of the most lauded songwriters and performers of all time. A musical and cultural icon since his debut in the 1960s, he has written more than six hundred songs and sold more than one hundred million records around the world. In addition to his numerous awards for songwriting and performance, he was granted a Pulitzer Prize Special Citation for his profound impact on popular music and American culture. Expanding from his lyric writing background, Dylan has authored numerous books showcasing his unique blend of poetry and prose.