The times they are a-changin’.
In a pretty notable break from tradition, Bob Dylan was just awarded the Noble Prize in Literature. He’s the first American to win the award since Toni Morrison in 1993.
What do you think of Dylan’s win?
Bob Dylan wins Nobel Prize in Literature
Twangalistic with a human twistic.
I'm surprised, and not pleasantly. Bob Dylan is a brilliant songwriter, and I'm a fan, but it's like giving the economics prize to Jeff Bezos rather than to an economist.
I approve. Not that anyone on the committee asked me, but his songs changed an entire generation. I for one cannot take a stroll without humming…"They'll stone you when you're walking down the street"
It's about time. We always knew he was the poet of his age.
It's about time. We always knew he was the poet of his age.
It's high time and it's so timely. Out national discourse has drifted, withered, reeked and threatened citizens in their homes, hearts and minds. Dylan's lyrics championed the struggles of civil rights and resistance to the Viet Nam war. Listen to them now and they were prophetic of our present global condition of child soldiers, dying oceans and the hollowness of greed and wealth in the hands of the few. His noble words have inspired people all over the world to resist oppression and hold out for beauty, high purpose, decency and love. Right On NOBEL PRIZE COMMITTEE. And I'll bet the living American winners would agree. Thank you Sweet Bobby Dylan. Julia V.
So Dylan was my generation and I loved him, bought his records. However, putting all of Dylan's original lyrics together they might make a beautiful book. . . . but the best living writer of words alive in the world today? Not a chance. His activism was largely driven by his relationship to Joan Baez and he backed completely away after their relationship ended. (But she likes his win.)
Sorry.
If I wanted a lyricist, I'd have chosen Joni Mitchel.
My first choice for a living author would be to see Ursula K. Le Guin a Nobel winner. Her influence on other authors of, you know, books . . .
I'm a member of the Authors' Guild, which disapproves of Dylan's selection for the Nobel. Yet, I think Dylan deserves the award as a long-time very influential poet in the realm of political commentary. Leonard Cohen, too, if not more so.
I'm happy that he won given he's from my generation, so I was around at the time his music was popular and saw the effect his music had on the minds and hearts of those who listened to it. Does his prodigious body of work deserve a Noble Prize? The Answer Is Blowing In The Wind.
Time to create a separate nobel prize for lyrics?
Although I am a great Dylan fan, I agree with Stephen Parrish.
It kind of changes the defition of literature. Now you can just say somrting or sing something profound and be in thr running for the Nobel .
I was happily surprised by his award. I recently listened to Freakenomics podcast on Nobel Prizes, and the process is far more in-depth than I ever realized before. I imagine the people in charge of choosing the literature winner put a great deal of thought and effort into the process. Dylan transcended being a musical artist, and I think the committee realized that.