Like a Rolling Stone: Bob Dylan at the Crossroads

Sardonic, bitter, threatening, compassionate, gleeful, and above all, loud – 'Like a Rolling Stone' is much more than simply a song. Six minutes and six seconds in length, it was released by Dylan despite the prevailing wisdom of the day regarding what constituted a single.

Originally published on the 40th anniversary of its release and recording, Greil Marcus's extraordinary book reconstructs the context in which the song first appeared. This includes examining Dylan's own career (specifically his controversial transformation from folk singer into rock 'n' roll icon) and the wider world (Vietnam, the Watts Riots, and the burgeoning counter-culture of the time). This meticulously set stage then allows Marcus to recreate the song on the page – detailing its emergence from fragments, its potent words, its distinctive sound, and its ultimate self-discovery.

As an analysis and critique of an artist at the zenith of his creative powers, it offers a unique insight into the mistakes, inspirations, and sheer bloody-mindedness that converge only in the very highest cultural moments.