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Jeff Taylor and Chad Israelson: The Political World of Bob Dylan – Freedom and Justice, Power and Sin (Palgrave Macmillan)

Robert Dean Lurie, National Review, 31 December 2015

WRITING ABOUT Bob Dylan's politics would seem to be a thankless task. The famously curmudgeonly songwriter claims to know and care little about the subject, and what he has said comes across as confused and contradictory. He distrusts authority and empathizes with the underdog; score two for the Left. He is a Barry Goldwater fan and feels alienated from the counterculture he helped create; score two for the Right. He has kind words for George W. Bush...but he likes Obama too. "[Obama] loves music. He's personable. He dresses good," Dylan told Rolling Stone when prodded to share some thoughts on the president; but then he added, "What the fuck do you want me to say?"

Total word count of piece: 1505

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