blog post What'cha Readin'? Goodbye Lightfoot, hello Dylan

Hey! Still finishing up this months book. Really interesting read. I look forward to next month.

I think my question for Mr. Epstein would be whether he thinks when Bob Dylan is no longer with us will he be known more as a larger than life folk hero or will his legacy be more tangible as a great song writer and artist? I ask this because I often feel there is a disconnect between the man and the legend that has built up around him.

Oh and of course I am a Bob Dylan fan. Honestly, I think its pretty hard not be one.

Another good comment. Mike is on a roll everyone! 

@Vish Can't you get Levon or Gary to do it? Maybe they can be a team?

ANOTHER GREAT COMMENT BY ME!

Thanks Ian. Will do.

Not a bad question for someone who hasn't read this book yet. I say you win.

Hang on to this question when we have our live chat in June ok?

Also, please send me an e-mail.

thanks again.

Thanks Vish, will do. The e-mail is on it's way.

MikeV is on a roll- like a rolling stone.

I am the biggest Bob Dylan fan I know, even travelling to US for "Dylan days" and spending way too much time betting on which songs he will play on tour with other fans.

As the descption says : A "rich analysis of lyrics" my question is, how do you ever really do an analysis of lyrics? Can songs mean different things at different times? Do you believe that anyone can really ever have the same experience with lyrics as powerful and well written as Dylan's? 

@laurierockshop Hey, me too! Huge Dylan fan. Nice to meet you here

Great questions. You win a book. Please e-mail me and I'll send you a copy.

Hi, Book Clubbers! I had a lot of fun this month, especially during the live inteview with Bidini, so thanks for making it happen, y'all!

Holding the interview via the chatbox feature stilts the convo to a certain degree, but such is life in a text-based medium. I wish Bidini got more of a sense of our gratitude for his participation, but reading back, the chat nonetheless captured a cool hour's worth of unique info. Awesome job!

For a final word on Writing Gordon Lightfoot, I'd like to borrow the scale system Vish used, and rate my fandom of GL as 8 before reading the book, and 10 now. Bidini rises up my scale of 'noted Canadian writers' as well. He should continue writing from his unique perspective, telling Canada's best stories of lore, and maintaining the names of our rock and roll past. 

My not so thoughtful question

How did the "Judas" comment affect Bob Dylan if at all?

@zoot Hmm, not sure how the live chat would stilt conversation. If anything, it's live and happening now right?

re: Live Chat, very true! It's an instantaneous connection. I guess that I felt personally stilted by the need for brevity, and the limited timeframe. None of this stuff detracted from my total enjoyment of the interview, though. In fact, I can see that the one-hour interview format does a good job to keep the flow of conversation at a high level, so please continue offering up these unique opportunities to meet with our authors, Vish. I'll be there with bells on.