Why Bob Dylan Matters

“The coolest class on campus” – The New York Times

When the Nobel Prize for Literature was awarded to Bob Dylan in 2016, a debate raged. Some celebrated, while many others questioned the choice.  How could the world’s most prestigious book prize be awarded to a famously cantankerous singer-songwriter who wouldn’t even deign to attend the medal ceremony?

In Why Bob Dylan Matters, Harvard Professor Richard F. Thomas answers this question with magisterial erudition. A world expert on Classical poetry, Thomas was initially ridiculed by his colleagues for teaching a course on Bob Dylan alongside his traditional seminars on Homer, Virgil, and Ovid. Dylan’s Nobel Prize brought him vindication, and he immediately found himself thrust into the spotlight as a leading academic voice in all matters Dylanological. Today, through his wildly popular Dylan seminar—affectionately dubbed "Dylan 101"—Thomas is introducing a new generation of fans and scholars to the revered bard’s work.

This witty, personal volume is a distillation of Thomas’s famous course, and makes a compelling case for moving Dylan out of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and into the pantheon of Classical poets. Asking us to reflect on the question, "What makes a classic?", Thomas offers an eloquent argument for Dylan’s modern relevance, while interpreting and decoding Dylan’s lyrics for readers. The most original and compelling volume on Dylan in decades, Why Bob Dylan Matters will illuminate Dylan’s work for the Dylan neophyte and the seasoned fanatic alike. You’ll never think about Bob Dylan in the same way again.

• Classical Poetry Meets Rock & Roll: Discover the surprising and profound connections between Bob Dylan and the ancient poets Homer, Virgil, and Ovid, as a Harvard Classics professor makes the definitive case for Dylan’s place in the literary pantheon.
• The Nobel Prize Explained: Go beyond the headlines and explore the magisterial argument for why the world’s most prestigious literary award was given to a singer-songwriter, changing the definition of literature forever.
• Decoding Dylan’s Lyrics: Move beyond listening and learn how to read Dylan's work as poetry. This volume offers a masterclass in interpreting the dense, allusive, and brilliant lyrics that have defined a generation.
• From the Harvard Classroom: Based on Professor Richard F. Thomas’s wildly popular "Dylan 101" seminar, this book distills years of academic research and passionate fandom into an accessible, witty, and personal volume.