The Nobel Prize in Literature may be the world’s most important literary award, but not everyone who wins can make it to the ceremony. Among the reasons given by past laureates for failing to travel to Stockholm to accept the award: being gravely ill and in a wheelchair (Harold Pinter, 2005); being so anxious and agoraphobic that you are “not suited as a person to be dragged into public” (Elfriede […]
In the introduction to a new exhibition of his landscapes opening Saturday at London’s Halcyon Gallery, the recent Nobel laureate says, “The idea was to create pictures that would not be misinterpreted or misunderstood by me or anybody else.” In 1974 I played the first of many shows with the Band—maybe in eight years. We were in a hockey arena in Chicago. There were maybe 18,000 people there. The Band […]
“Isn’t that something…?” Bob Dylan isn’t exactly making a big deal out of being awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. But at least the 1960s trailblazer is finally acknowledging his becoming the first musician to be granted admission to the world’s most elite literary club. When I ask him about his reaction to hearing the news a fortnight ago that he is to follow in the footsteps of George Bernard […]
Bob Dylan's website takes down acknowledgment that he is a Nobel Prize winner Bob Dylan recently added Nobel Prize laureate to his list of accomplishments — but fans of the famously elusive singer-songwriter wouldn't know it by looking at his official website. BobDylan.com has quietly scrubbed the one mention of him as the "winner of the Nobel Prize in literature" in "the lyrics" section of the site following his […]
When news broke that Bob Dylan had been awarded the Nobel Prize in literature, thousands of enthusiasts lined up to pay kudos and to thank the Swedish Academy for acknowledging his genius. So far, Dylan himself isn’t one of them. Nearly a week after the announcement, the artist, who just finished two consecutive weekends performing as part of the Desert Trip music festival, has yet to acknowledge the honor, Sara Danius, permanent secretary […]
Newly-minted Nobel laureate Bob Dylan kept cool as a cucumber on stage in Las Vegas, barely speaking a word to the audience in his first public performance since winning the coveted prize. As the audience chanted for more songs on Thursday night, Dylan gave just a brief encore, ending his set with a mournful yet playful cover of Frank Sinatra’s Why Try To Change Me Now. Dylan hurtled to prominence […]
Singer-songwriter awarded for ‘having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition’ Bob Dylan was named the surprise winner of the Nobel prize for literature in Stockholm today “for having created new poetic expressions with the great American song tradition”. Speaking to reporters after the announcement, the permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy, Sara Danius said she “hoped” the Academy would not be criticised for its choice. “The […]
Tangled Up in Blue!” That was one audience member’s shouted request to Bob Dylan on Thursday night, made only minutes after the 75-year-old singer had performed that very tune. Given Dylan’s tendency to dramatically remake his old material in concert, you might’ve thought the fan was being serious: Maybe this guy really didn’t realize he’d just heard his favorite song. But “Tangled Up in Blue” was actually one of the […]
A draft of the lyrics for Bob Dylan's protest song "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" is going up for auction in London next month and is expected to fetch up to 200,000 pounds ($314,000 dollars), Sotheby's auction house said on Tuesday. The type-written manuscript, with the date 1962, contains many scribbled revisions and scratchings-out to the song that Dylan released as a single in December 1962. Among the most notable […]
