Born out of the legend that the artist formerly known as Robert Zimmerman took the name of the famous Welsh poet as his first of many monikers, Bob Dylan And Dylan Thomas: The Two Dylans is an illuminating comparison of two literary legends is a true work of love and dedication by Jeff Towns and KG Miles.
A lifelong fan and co-creator of The Dylan Room at London’s Troubadour Club, Miles covers the Bob content while Towns – founder of Swansea’s legendary Dylan’s Bookstore – looks after Dylan Thomas. With subjects who were very much part of different generations, cultures and backgrounds, the two authors take the Bob Dylan approach of gathering from coincidence.
With each section title, as diverse as Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Jimmy Carter, Towns and Miles take it in turns to bring out details on their specialist subjects. The downside of this is that the reader is left to draw their own conclusion as to how much these links actually warrant investigation – but the upside is a gradual buildup of facts that create a web of connections far greater than just the five letters of their name. The separate sections on Allen Ginsberg and Idris Davies’ Bells Of Rhymney are a real treat.
Bob Dylan And Dylan Thomas: The Two Dylans, Jeff Towns & KG Miles (McNidder & Grace)
Price: £14.99. Info: here
words JOHN-PAUL DAVIES
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