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The Ballad of Bob Dylan is a vivid, full-bodied portrait of one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century--a man widely regarded as the most important lyricist America has ever produced.

Acclaimed poet and biographer Daniel Mark Epstein frames Dylan against the background of four seminal concerts, all of which he attended: Lisner Auditorium, Washington, D.C., 1963; Madison Square Garden, New York City, 1974; Tanglewood, Massachusetts, 1997; Aberdeen, Maryland, 2009. Recreating each performance song by song, Epstein places them within the larger context of Dylan's life, from his meteoric rise as a young folksinger through his reemergence in the 1990s and his role as the éminence grise of rock and roll today.

Epstein explores the star's private side, including marriage and fatherhood, and his struggle to overcome substance abuse. He also traces the influences that shaped Dylan's career and offers a thoughtful analysis of his work and fresh interpretations of his lyrics. (He is the only biographer who has ever been granted permission to quote from all of Dylan's lyrics.)

Here, too, are anecdotes and insights from those closest to the man, including D.A. Pennebaker, Allen Ginsberg, Nora Guthrie, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, and Dylan's sidemen throughout the years.

Beautifully written, The Ballad of Bob Dylan is a unique, eye-opening portrait of the artist who has transformed generations and continues to inspire and surprise today.