Tangled Up in the Bible: Bob Dylan & Scripture

by Michael J. Gilmour

Bob Dylan has had a profound influence on the shape of modern pop music (folk, rock, blues) and as a modern literary figure. He has also attracted enormous attention from both professional and amateur "interpreters".

In this book Gilmour offers a thorough study of Dylan's reading of scriptures. He explores the ways in which Dylan transforms biblical images and concepts when he incorporates them into his literary world; it is an attempt to...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0826416020
• ISBN13: 9780826416025
• Release Date: February 2004
• Publisher: Continuum
• Length: 146 Pages
• Weight: 0.62 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.4" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Dancing with Mr. Tambourine Man

The parallels Gilmour draws between Dylan lyrics and Bible verses are clearly presented in chart form. Far beyond my appreciation for Gilmour's scholarly research and ludidity, I appreciate his awareness of and ability to express the delicate shadings of meaning/feeling in Dylan's work, laden as it is with ambiguity, allusion, and subtle shiftings. Gilmour does not detract from its suggestive power by offering an objective analysis, but acknowledges that imaginative participation and personal interpretation are key to a rewarding experience in listening to Dylan.