There’s Still Time… Plus – A Review of Bob Dylan’s Chronicles

Take a look at your resolutions from last year. How’d you do? I think I did okay. I exercised more and lost a total of 12 pounds. (Of course, I’ve gained two of ‘em back since Thanksgiving.) I didn’t read as many books as I did in 2003 (which was 100). This year I only read 35. But I read hundreds of short stories and studied several of them.

I did get published – just not in the way I’d expected. I had several articles printed in the Bowie Blade (our local newspaper), which was nice. I was accepted to Clarion and loved it. I learned a mind-boggling amount of stuff in those six weeks and met some of the greatest people in the world. Since Clarion, I’ve made several self-discoveries about my writing. I think I’m really close to breaking from Damon Knight’s Stage 3 to Stage 4. (See Knight’s book Creating Short Fiction. It was one of my Christmas presents. Thanks Jan and Pete!) I’m really excited about 2005.

Resolutions? Don’t really have any. (Except finding a job!) I just plan to keep reading, writing and studying. I really believe that most of my writing problems can be solved by delving deeper into the characters and letting them tell their own stories, free from my interference and manipulation.

Chronicles, Vol. I – Bob Dylan

I don’t think anybody expected writing this strong from Dylan. I certainly didn’t. Non-cryptic, sensory-filled, and fascinating, Chronicles takes the reader through three stages in Dylan’s life: his arrival in New York, life in Woodstock in the early 70’s, and the circumstances surrounding the Oh Mercy recording sessions when Dylan was at one of the lowest points of his career.

For the first time, we get a pretty clear idea of what it’s like to be Bob Dylan. You can understand why he did some of the things he did, who and what influenced him, his dreams, fears and passions. Reading Chronicles is probably as close as we’re going to get to sitting down with Dylan and having him open up. But open up he does and what he tells us is amazing. The man knows a lot about music, people, philosophy, ideas and concepts, but he didn’t always. Watching him learn these things is almost too good to be true.

Either Dylan kept very detailed journals during the last 40 years or he’s got a fantastic memory. (Or he’s just making everything up, which I doubt.) In just a few sentences, Bob had me believing I was stepping inside a New York coffee house in 1961, listening to folk singers like Dave Van Ronk and Joan Baez.

Writers would do well to read Chronicles. Dylan’s musical journey is one that no doubt has parallels with hundreds of writers, artists, sculptors, dancers – anyone in the arts. Writer’s block? He’s had it. Depression? Yep. Feeling as if everyone is more talented than he is? Uh-huh. Whatever the problem, he’s had it, he’s been there. This is an outstanding book. Don’t miss it.

Now Playing = When I Stop Dreaming: The Best of the Louvin Brothers