Simon & Schuster announced Tuesday that Will Patton is the narrator, reciting such lines as “raggedy ann daughter of brazos and teeth in the necklace.” Dylan first wrote “Tarantula” in the mid-1960s, at the height of his career. But his 1966 motorcycle accident delayed publication and made the book a kind of underground legend, with unauthorized versions turning up. By 1971, Dylan’s influence had waned and reviewers were unimpressed. Village Voice critic Robert Christgau called “Tarantula” an unsatisfying and aimless throwback to Dylan’s 1960s writings, and Dylan himself would say the book was his manager’s idea, although it still has a cult following.
The audio of “Tarantula” comes out December 3.
Dylan remains the rare singer whose work is worth reading on the page. His words are consistently funny, alive to the sound of language, and of course appealingly cryptic.” —The New York Times Book Review
A new collection of Bob Dylan’s most essential lyrics—one hundred songs that represent the Nobel Laureate’s incredible range through the entirety of his career so far.
Bob Dylan is one of the most important cultural figures of our time, and the first American musician in history to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. 100 Songs is an intimate and carefully curated collection of his most important lyrics that spans from the beginning of his career through the present day. Perfect for students who may be new to Dylan’s work as well as longtime fans, this portable, abridged volume of these singular lyrics explores the depth, breadth, and magnitude of one of the world’s most enduring bodies of work.