Attention Dylan Fans

Now available at the library, The Bob Dylan Encyclopedia by Michael Gray (782.42164092).

Michael Gray, author of Song and Dance Man: the Art of Bob Dylan, is recognized as the world authority on the work of Dylan and an expert on the history of rock and roll and the blues. Gray’s newest book, The Bob Dylan Encyclopedia, has received rave reviews.

“Author Michael Gray outdistances them all with this voluminous collection of all things Dylan. Gray’s knowledge of his subject is seemingly boundless, yet he manages to maintain a critical eye and keep Dylan’s work in perspective. While Gray is certainly a fan, it’s this impartiality that fuels the book and gives it weight. Insightful and entertaining, Gray’s tome will broaden appreciation of the artist, his influenced and his legacy.” –Publisher’s Weekly, June 2006

“This is no mere catalog of facts, but a work of oceanic immersion. It has wit, opinion, style and asks to be read, not just consulted. Gray details every artist Dylan has ever interpreted or collaborated with along with all of his critics and chroniclers, logger and bloggers, trash collectors and microbe hunters.” –The Village Voice, June 2006

"There is always room for a volume as utterly brilliant as Michael Gray’s The Bob Dylan Encyclopedia. It is a wonderfully serendipitous read. There’s plenty for everyone from the most hardened Bobcat to the general music lover. Strikingly intelligent, poetic, subtly humorous and buzzing with an awareness of the richness of life, he’s the perfect match for his subject." –What’s On in London, July 14, 2006

“Few will be disappointed by The Bob Dylan Encyclopedia. It’s likely to become the biggest selling Dylan book of all. The Encyclopedia majors on its author’s unparalleled expertise, his critical judgment and a ready intelligence and authorial finesse rare among writers of Dylan books. The Bob Dylan Encyclopedia’s strengths include authoritative essays positioning Dylan’s work in the context of other artistic traditions—notable the Bible, English Literature, the blues, rock ‘n’ roll, nursery rhymes and film. Gray’s analysis of the influence on Dylan’s work of the Book of Ecclesiastes is the most evocative piece of writing on the musician you’re likely to encounter.” –CHOICE, July 2006

Check out this new title.

Mystery Book Review

1001 BOOKS YOU MUST READ BEFORE YOU DIE
American detective stories, part 2.

Red Harvest by Dashiell Hammett is the first and best hard-boiled detective novel. The Continental Op, has no identity beyond his function as a detective, who battles violence by being a tough guy himself.
Maltese Falcon, features Sam Spade, who tries to find the killer of his partner, Lew Archer while holding off a bunch of killers searching for the Maltese Falcon.
The Thin Man: Nick and Nora Charles, rich, charming, and witty; they solved crime while having a busy social life.

The Big Sleep and the Long Good-bye by Raymond Chandler are Philip Marlowe stories. We only see him in action when there is a crime to solve. A cynical world view seeps into the atmosphere surrounding the crimes to be solved.

Black Dahlia by James Ellroy. Police detective Bleichert must track down the killer of Elizabeth Short, a woman who arrives in Hollywood to be a star and instead becomes a prostitute. An adaptation of the book will be out in movie theaters in September.