Still on the Road

June 1, 2010
With its companion, "Revolution in the Air: The Songs of Bob Dylan, 19571973", Heylin's new book provides an exhaustive chronicle of every song written by Dylan through 2006 and the album "Modern Times". As in the first book, these 300 songs are arranged in the order in which Dylan presumably wrote them, which displays the development and progression of his craft. Heylin has gathered details about the songs from interviews, journals, and studio logs and adds his personal notes about live performances. Even if one isn't familiar with the songs, these reports are never dull. Heylin is generous with his praise and pulls no punches with his criticism. He cites the first studio recording(s) and the first known performance for each song, allowing readers to discover songs that have never been performed in concert. Heylin also includes an overview of Dylan's creative output during this period and an explanation of the book's methodology. Although the author writes that this is the concluding book in the series, he might need to add a third volume because the ageless Dylan just keeps on writing and performing. VERDICT Essential for academics and general readers interested in Dylan criticism.Thomas A. Karel, Franklin & Marshall Coll. Lib., Lancaster, PA

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