Bob Dylan announces his first new book in nearly twenty years

Virgin Radio

10 Mar 2022, 12:11

Bob Dylan has announced he will be releasing a book of entirely new writing after nearly two decades.

‘The Philosophy of Modern Song’, which Dylan started writing in 2010, will hit the shelves on 8 November and will be a collection of more than 60 essays about the art of songwriting, including analysis of the works of Elvis Costello, Nina Simone, Stephen Foster and Hank Williams.

In the book, the music icon will dissect the art of other music icons and, according to the press release, Dylan “analyses what he calls the trap of easy rhymes, breaks down how the addition of a single syllable can diminish a song, and even explains how bluegrass relates to heavy metal.”

Dylan has released some books about his lyrics over the years, the most recent being ‘The Lyrics: Since 1962’ in 2014. However, the last book of new writing from Dylan was his 2004 memoir ‘Chronicles: Volume One’. 

In 2016 the musician was also awarded a Nobel Prize in Literature for creating “new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition”.

His latest work will be published by Simon & Schuster who have described the collection of essays as: “mysterious and mercurial, poignant and profound, and often laugh-out-loud funny. And while they are ostensibly about music, they are really meditations and reflections on the human condition.”

The book will also include nearly 150 “carefully curated photos as well as a series of dreamlike riffs.”

Speaking about the book release, CEO and president of Simon & Schuster, Jonathan Karp, said: “His voice is unique, and his work conveys his deep appreciation and understanding of songs, the people who bring those songs to life, and what songs mean to all of us.”

Dylan’s most recent record, ‘Rough and Rowdy Ways’, received widespread critical acclaim when it was released in 2020, and he is the latest high-profile artist to sell off his songwriting catalogue for a reported $300 million to Universal.

The company now has the masters and publishing rights to his life’s musical work.