The Dylanologists: Adventures in the Land of Bob

From the time he started out on the folk music circuit in the early 1960s, Bob Dylan (b. 1941) has attracted devoted and obsessed fans. Journalist Kinney (The Big One) takes a close look at some of Dylan's devotees in his engaging new book. The profiles include Bob and Linda Hocking, who own Zimmy's Restaurant in Hibbing, MN (Dylan's hometown); Bill Pagel, who created the website Bob Links; and Glen Dundas, whose mission was to preserve every Dylan show on tape. The author also talks with leading Dylan scholars and critics, delves into the highly competitive world of the British fanzines devoted to the musician, and interviews some of the women who follow each tour and try to connect with their hero. The most fascinating stories are of Scott Warmuth, who is tracking down the original sources of Dylan's lyrics and prose, and compulsive fan Charlie Cicirella, who tries to get front and center for every performance. Some might dismiss these people as fanatics; Dylan himself has told them to "get a real life." Yet Kinney helps us understand why they are drawn to the artist.