Tarantula - Hardcover

Bob Dylan

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0025344501 ISBN 13: 9780025344501

Publisher: The Macmillan Company, 1971

Synopsis

Ever since its publication, Tarantula has always divided opinion, with most readers coming down in the 'anti' camp. I belong to the recalcitrant minority. Yes, it's dense, and in places it collapses into pure gibberish (and it doesn't help that the first page is probably the most impenetrable in the entire book. Stick with it, it does get better). But there are also some wonderful things in here, that could have been written by no-one else. If you find the prose sections heavy going, try starting with the letters, which are never less than entertaining and often downright hilarious. One of Dylan's lesser-known gifts is that he can be a very fine comedian when he wants to be, and the letters (eg those of Toby Celery, Zeke the Cork and the butter sculptor) are full evidence of that. All in all, Tarantula should be compulsory reading for any Dylan fan, whichever side of the debate over its merits they end up coming down on.

Edition details

• Publisher: The Macmillan Company
• Publication date: 1971
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0025344501
• ISBN 13: 9780025344501
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 137