Counting Down is a unique series of titles designed to select the best songs or musical works from major performance artists and composers in an age of design-your-own playlists. For fifty years; Bob Dylanrsquo;s music has been a source of wonder to his fans and endless fodder for analysis by music critics. In Counting Down Bob Dylan; rock journalist Jim Beviglia dares to rank these songs in descending order from Dylanrsquo;s 100th best to his #1 song. Surveying the near six-decade career of this musical legend; Beviglia offers insightful analyses into the music and lyrics and dishes out important historical information and fascinating trivia to explain why these 100 rank among Dylanrsquo;s best to date. At the same time; a portrait of the seemingly inscrutable Dylan emerges through the words of his finest songs; providing both the perfect introduction to his work and a comprehensive new take on this master of American songwriting.This work will appeal to the legions of Bob Dylan fans who have taken to analyzing his music. Unlike other Dylan books; which vary between the academic and the journalistic; Counting Down Bob Dylan uniquely renders Dylanrsquo;s music approachable to new fans by highlighting the powerful emotional forces that fuel his dazzling lyrics.
#976027 in eBooks 2013-11-01 2013-11-01File Name: B00E0KQU5U
Review
24 of 24 people found the following review helpful. The Role of the IntellectualBy Luca Graziuso and Marina RossHaving reluctantly read some of the crude reviews on this gem I could not pass adding my two cents. This is one of those books one must read constantly so as to remind oneself what it means to be an intellectual. Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak is never pretentious; eloquent beyond belief; nimble and erudite in her intimations of postcolonialism; feminism; postmodernism; multilingualism; politico-theoretical positionsings; materialism; and cultural criticism in general. However the most outstanding force of this collection of interviews; spanning five years in range; is the definition that surfaces on what it means to be an intellectual within an institutional establishment; Acknowledging that we all speak form a specific perspective; ideological assumption and subjectivity; Spivak articulates what is the pedagogical responsibility of an intellectual; and how and why. Spivak; most notably remembered for her redoubtable translation to Derridas Grammatology is a tireless; humble cultural critic that believes intellectuals do have a place and a fearless call of responsibility. All the talk about postmodern ethics being a paradox and a paralysis of the philosophers trade is here left standing with no credit whatsoever. Spivak never oversimplifies the theoretical presence and is always attentive to the deconstructive fallacy of being an edifying mouthpiece to the discourse that produces the intellectual milieu in the first place.Since the advent of postmodernism; with the mantra to "enjoy your symptoms"; whenever a critic seems to indulge in a materialist reading of historical narratives; or adopt a political strategy wherein to extract such a context; s/he is charged with ideological bias; as if in denial of the relativism that academic freedom deliberates. Spivak is not Chomsky or Baudrillard. We find in her interlocutions; while responding to Elizabeth Grosz; Sarah Harasym; and Harold Veeser among others; a vocie that is aware of the pitfalls postmodernism posits; and the dangers a politico-theoretical renunciation announces. The space she works within is the domain where theory and practice collide. Her notions of representation; and the myriad structures of violence that we must "negotiate" within a given institution; and more affectedly within the academic realm; are timeless. She is like no other (save possibly the late Edward Said) able to expound such a tangled web while never pretending to have a voice that is universal. In fact she will argue that the claim to a neutral dialogue "denies history; denies structure; denies the positioning of subjects. One must learn to read how desire for neutrality; or desire for the Other articulates itself". Spivak shows us why being an intellectual is a responsibility that cannot be taken too lightly. Any pedagogue (as in a teacher) or writer; or socially engaged agent MUST read these interviews at least once a year. There is too much to learn from these. The fact that they are dialogues is of paramount importance. The fact that there isnt an extensive introduction before each interview is done by design. Some have claimed that this is a book thrown together. Routledge for all their faults does not throw a book together. Its editor Sarah Harasym does not do anything hastily.What is the role of the academic institution? Not since Gramsci do we have as engaged a speaker who invites us to the dialogue while being intent on truly listening.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. and it is amazing. But it is probably one of the hardest ...By Nacho DaddyI guess this is the "easiest" Spivak to read. That is what I have been told at least. I am still trying to finish this one; and it is amazing. But it is probably one of the hardest books I have ever read. Even while speaking; Spivak is saying so much! Totally recommended; but if you arent a super academic; be prepared to go really really slow.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Easy to read and very informativeBy N. ZaragociI was very satisfied with the book. It contains most of what one needs to know about Spivaks views.As dialogues; the reader feels invited to participate in the discussion; unlike reading a heavily-worded text.