Bob Dylan has announced a new book titled The Philosophy of Modern Song, which will be released on Tuesday, November 8 via Simon & Schuster. It marks his first book of new writing since 2004’s Chronicles: Volume One and his first since winning the Nobel Prize for literature in 2016.
Dylan began working on The Philosophy of Modern Song in 2010. The collection includes over 60 essays that Dylan wrote about artists like Stephen Foster, Elvis Costello, Hank Williams, and Nina Simone. According to a press release, Dylan “analyzes 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. These essays are written in Dylan’s unique prose. They are 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. Running throughout the book are nearly 150 carefully curated photos as well as a series of dream-like riffs that, taken together, resemble an epic poem and add to the work’s transcendence.”
In a statement, Simon & Schuster’s president and CEO Jonathan Karp said: “The publication of Bob Dylan’s kaleidoscopically brilliant work will be an international celebration of songs by one of the greatest artists of our time. The Philosophy of Modern Song could only have been written by Bob Dylan. 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.”
Bob dylan released his most recent album, Rough and Rowdy Ways, in 2020.
