Only for the initiated - Rated 
Heylin is an exceptionally well-informed fan who presents himself as a serious biographer. With a more interventionist editor at Penguin (perhaps from the literature or history depts rather than the music desk), such a claim could be within his reach. As it is, however, his prose often slips into "rock-speak" and unsubstantiated opinion, especially when discussing the actual music. In addition, comments as to how certain songs were performed on specific nights in 1991 may establish his credentials with fellow anoraks, but to the general reader (surely the target audience for a Penguin biography), this means very little. Perhaps it was a subconscious admission of guilt when he critcised another would-be biographer of Dylan as having a "writing style [that] had editors scampering for the hills". If you own more than 30 Dylan albums, you've probably already got this book (and no doubt really enjoyed it for the content rather than the style). If you haven't, then "Down the Highway" by Howard Sounes is a better buy.
Cold and condescending. What about the music? - Rated 
I read this biography not just because I'm a big and longstanding fan of Bob Dylan, but also because of the strength of many of the accolades the book has received, both in Amazon and elsewhere. I couldn't have been more disappointed. The biography is clearly well-researched, despite Heylin's proud but unconvincing defence of the fact that he has never met Dylan. However, the biography lacks any warmth or feel for Dylan and the huge and deep contribution his music has made to modern culture. The book comes down with detail, but much of it is incidental and irrelevant. Moreover, Heylin manages to be condescending and irritatingly opinionated, especially and unnecessarily so about other biographers. His constant use of direct quotes merely breaks the flow of the text and rarely adds much. Normally, when one reads a biography of a musician and songwriter who has played such an important part in one's own life, and especially when the author admits to being fan, one would expect to be driven back to the music with renewed vigour and interest. In the case of Heylin's biography this didn't happen. I can still recall the huge impact that some of Dylan's albums had on my life, and music more generally, but this does not come across in Heylin's often flat and at times self-important writing style. While there is plenty of gossip around Dylan's fondness for women, drugs and drink, few original insights are offered about his music. Indeed, Dylan's music is hardly assessed at all, apart from occasional references to the views of other critics. Dylan's life and music deserve a lot more.
Flat, cold and often irritating - Rated
I read this biography not just because I'm a big and longstanding fan of Bob Dylan, but also because of the strength of many of the accolades the book has received, both in Amazon and elsewhere. I couldn't have been more disappointed. The biography is clearly well-researched, despite Heylin's proud but unconvincing defence of the fact that he has never met Dylan. However, the biography lacks any warmth or feel for Dylan and the huge and deep contribution his music has made to modern culture. The book comes down with detail, but much of it is incidental and irrelevant. Moreover, Heylin manages to be condescending and irritatingly opinionated, especially and unnecessarily so about other biographers. His constant use of direct quotes merely breaks the flow of the text and rarely adds much. Normally, when one reads a biography of a musician and songwriter who has played such an important part in one's own life, and especially when the author admits to being fan, one would expect to be driven back to the music with renewed vigour and interest. In the case of Heylin's biography this didn't happen. I can still recall the huge impact that some of Dylan's albums had on my life, and music more generally, but this does not come across in Heylin's often flat and at times self-important writing style. While there is plenty of gossip around Dylan's fondness for women, drugs and drink, few original insights are offered about his music. Indeed, Dylan's music is hardly assessed at all, apart from occasional references to the views of other critics. Dylan's life and music deserve a lot more.
The dirt of gossip blows into my face and the dust of rumour - Rated 
There is a problem with biographies about very private people. The problem is that almost 95 per cent of what is written is either gossip or hearsay. Clinton seems to pride himself on the fact that he has interviwed many people within Dylan's close proximity. Now Mr Clinton should realise that not only is his information secondhand but thirdhand by the time it gets to the reader. Clinton also smugly knocks other biographers while claiming to be a "professional biographer" himself. A man who has such faith and trust in one liners from contacts such as some man who once lifted Bob Dylan's amplifier from the back of a van and into some dodgy folk bar in Greenwich in 1962. Even people who were directly connected to dylan are always going to give their own version of a story in the light of the fact that its cool to have known Dylan at all, all these people were or are in the entertainment field, they are attention seekers, egomaniacs. Clinton prides his book on these bits and pieces of gossip and inane trivialities that he thinks are great insights into Dylan's life, the whole thing is ludicrous, Dylan has done a great job on keeping his life private and fans should respect that. If you want a good Dylan book get Michael Gray's book Song and dance man Gray does not deal with gossip or rumours he deals with the academics of Dylan's art itself which is really all we can do and all we should do if we have any respect for Dylan at all as an artist.
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