*Folk Music: A Bob Dylan Biography in Seven Songs* by Greil Marcus, translated by Mariko Sakamoto

ISBN:978-4-910511-94-8

The most original book by the writer who best understands the music that fueled Dylan’s imagination.
—The New Yorker

A work of cultural criticism that reads like a long detective novel, and a musical love story.
—Rolling Stone (Selected as one of the Best Music Books of 2022)

A book of sharp insight and lyricism from Marcus. A brilliant synthesis of extensive information on Dylan and his music, evocative prose, and inspired criticism. It is a book worthy of the most original musician as told by the most original music critic.
—Joyce Carol Oates (Author)

The culmination of Dylan studies by a master of rock journalism. A dense and rich volume that weaves together an overview of Dylan’s creative and cultural development, his trajectory told through seven key songs, and reflections on the history of America and its music.

When Dylan began writing his own songs, the lineage of traditional music that gave them new life is also brought vividly back to light in these pages.

Discussions of Dylan’s songs often become repetitive, but the author presents a fresh perspective, displaying profound knowledge of the origins of Dylan’s music without ever being overbearing.

This is not just a biography of Dylan. It is the rich history of American folk song itself, to which Dylan has breathed new life through his own music.

For example, the author notes that "Blowin’ in the Wind," written when Dylan was 21, has its roots in a Civil War-era freedom song called "No More Auction Block."
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As the book travels between the past and the present, upon reading the final sentence, readers will likely find themselves thinking about something they never expected. The visuals by Max Clark, who handled the cover and illustrations, provide an exquisite resonance with the words of Marcus and Dylan. We invite you to experience this masterpiece—acclaimed by numerous media outlets upon its 2022 release—now in its Japanese edition.

[Author]
Greil Marcus
Born in San Francisco, California, in 1945. After entering the University of California in 1963, he met Jann Wenner, the founder of *Rolling Stone*, and became a leading figure in the first generation of rock critics. In 1975, he published the first edition of *Mystery Train*, a book that continues to be widely read today.

His 1989 book *Lipstick Traces* (not yet translated into Japanese) is known as a seminal work that traces the origins of the Sex Pistols back through Situationism, Dada, and even medieval millenarian sects, discussing punk within the context of populist protest poetry.

He is also the author of the influential *Invisible Republic: Bob Dylan’s Basement Tapes* (also untranslated), which discusses America through the lens of the informal recordings made by Dylan and The Band. Among his many other works, those translated into Japanese include: *Rock's "New Wave": From Punk to Neo-Dada* (translated by Toru Mitsui, 1984, Shobunsha), *Mystery Train: Images of America in Rock Music* (translated by Toru Mitsui, 1989, Daisan Bunmei Sha), *Dead Elvis* (translated by Toru Mitsui, 1996, Kinema-Junpo Sha), and *Like a Rolling Stone: Bob Dylan at the Crossroads* (translated by Heckel Sugano, 2006, Hakuyosha).

46-ban size / 368 pages