Bob Dylan: Chronicles Volume One, My Thoughts

Hi everybody, welcome back to Big Blog Theory, I hope you’re all doing well.

Before I begin this post, I would like to say well done to all of those who took part in the Chicago marathon on Sunday, you all did so well, including my big sister who also took part. She is really amazing, I am so proud of her, I have no idea how she did it, she was telling us how difficult it was because it was really hot. We got really worried because on the live marathon we saw runners collapsing and passing out, it was really bad but she made it in the end, due to her testament of strength. Well done guys, you all did remarkably well.

Today, I thought I would like to share some of my thoughts on Bob Dylan’s memoir which is called Chronicles Volume One because I finished reading it about a week ago and I want to talk about it.

I really loved this book, it really took me on a journey and I think Bob Dylan wrote this book amazingly well. In this book, he was talking about his childhood, where he grew up, his parents and eventually ended up in New York at the beginning of his music career, the friends, people and various characters he knew along the way. This book really did something to my soul whilst reading it and I thought it was really wonderful. It was very cosy and I feel like it is the perfect book to read for winter, it will really warm your chilled bones and it’s a good book to get lost in. I just absolutely devoured this book, I loved it so much.

I really loved how he introduced all of these characters and old friends who he once knew during that time and those who played a major role in his life and career and helped him get to where he is now. On reading this book I got inside of Bob Dylan’s mind and at times it really felt as if I was there and there were times when I felt as if he was talking to me. There were times when I was laughing and there were also some very profound moments when I read it and took a moment to process what I had just read.  Some of it really struck a chord with me and Bob Dylan really brings it to life with his magical writing.

There were some really poetic written passages in this book and it really felt like I was listening to a Bob Dylan song, he really has a way with words, to be honest I would expect no less from him, he is the story, he is the word, he is the song. Also, as the book goes on, he talks about some of his inspirations, musical influences and idols, including the whole debacle with Woody Guthrie which I really enjoyed, was also one of the main reasons why he ended up in New York in the first place. This was a very young Bob Dylan having his fan boy moments. This part of the book does kind of show you that even musicians and artists can completely fan boy or fan girl over a particular artist and I loved it I thought it was really cute.

Reading this book really inspired me to get creative again after a period of not feeling very inspired to do anything creatively in terms of writing poetry, making music or just writing in general, I mean, I was still writing and doing whatever I could but I just wasn’t really feeling it, so I am very thankful for this book ending up in my hands at the right time. There really is a thing where a form of media finds itself in your life at a time when you need it the most and this could be anything artistic whether it’s films, music, books, art, television, anything, I find it is very evident with me and when this sort of thing happens I don’t question it, I just welcome it with open arms. This book felt like a warm hug and it showed me that you can find inspiration, creativity and stories in everything, even if it’s just something mundane like having a coffee with a friend, or walking down the street on a misty, cold day or something like a particular thing that’s been happening in the world or where you live or something that you’re very fond of or passionate about. There are stories everywhere you go, you just need to know where to find them, stories on city streets and places like that. In this case they were in New York and there was a really wonderful passage in this book where he was saying how New York at the time was the place to be to get noticed and that New York was the magnet and without the magnet everything soons falls apart, I love that.

Also, he talked about the whole thing concerning him changing his name and lying about his home life, where he was from and he lied about his parents which I find very fascinating and very mysterious. I don’t know if he just didn’t want people to know about those things or whether it’s something completely different altogether but I always found that rather interesting. I find everything about Bob Dylan interesting, I have always been very curious and fascinated in him especially late this year and I always will be, he was a very odd, fascinating character but he is also really wonderful and doesn’t care what people think and you need people like that in this world. Some people will say it’s arrogance but I don’t think so, he was very head strong and didn’t let others dictate him and there’s nothing wrong with that. I’m so glad we have him in this world. The guy’s in his eighties now and he’s still touring and performing, he is a legend. I do understand that he’s not everyone’s cup of tea, everyone will have their own opinion but to me, he will always be a legend and he’s done whatever it takes to get his work and his music out in the world which I really respect and I really do hope he continues. 1960s Bob Dylan is iconic and he always will be, that era of Bob Dylan is my absolute favourite, he really was a force to be reckoned with. I’m talking about the whole debacle with him ranting about glass being thrown in the street, that level of dementness. To be honest, I would have reacted the same way but I do think he got a little bit carried away there. That archive always sends me into a laughing fit, how he just storms into the hotel room shouting and having a go at everyone, there is Joan Baez, Donovan and everybody else sitting in the hotel room trying to take in all the chaos thinking ” What the hell?”, I love it. It was a moment in time. Bob Dylan in his rogue era, he was such a mood.

I also really want to watch No Direction Home which is a Bob Dylan documentary that was directed by Martin Scorsese, bear in mind it’s like three hours long, but it has so much brilliant archives and unseen footage of Bob Dylan and I really need to watch that. I watched the trailer of it and it does look really good. Three hours of Bob Dylan footage, I feel like I need that in my life. My dad wants to watch it too, I’ve introduced him to Bob Dylan and I’ve educated him and recommended that he play more of his music so I think we both want to watch this documentary, I suppose you just have to find the time, really but I am very excited about catching it, especially now that I’ve read the book.

Reading this book definitely opened my eyes about Bob Dylan and it taught me things I never knew and coming away from it, I have a new found respect for him, even though I already loved him before I read the book. I totally recommend this book to all Bob Dylan fans, even the ones who don’t know much about him or just starting to listen to his music, you’re all in for a treat.

That’s all for today, I hope you all enjoyed this post. I had a wonderful time talking about this book and how much I liked it, I’m so glad I read it, it’s definetly one of the best books I’ve read this year, I wholeheartedly recommend it to everybody, even non Bob Dylan fans. I hope you all have a wonderful day wherever you are, love you guys and stay tuned for more work here on Big Blog Theory.