Two autobiographies I haven't read

[David Godwin]

I normally "skim read" the Telegraph book review on Saturdays. This is the only day the paper is bought in the household, and then for the practical bits that I don't usually look at. But there were two interesting reviews on Saturday. First of all, James Walton's lengthy review, or rather lambasting, of Donovan's autobiography "The Hurdy Gurdy Man". This book has come out with interesting timing, with the current Dylan events. This review caught my eye, because it is the most vitriolic that I have seen for a long time. The writer winds himself up from paragraph to succeeding paragraph, listing the various ways that Donovan trumpets his contribution to modern culture. These boasts, he says, range from rising to the position of house captain at school to claiming credit for Andy Warhol's banana cover on the Velvet Underground LP cover (apparently this was inspired by the song "Mellow Yellow"). Having wound himself up over several hundred words, Walton triumphantly concludes " somebody from his family or publishers could have pointed out the obvious fact that 300 pages of mad boasting isn't going to make people think that you are great after all. Instead, it's far more likely to make them think you're a berk".

The second review is that of the paperback version of Bob Dylan's Chronicles, of which there is little need to comment on, except that the reviewer compares this book in quality to Charles Mingus "Beneath the Underdog". This is high praise - but I have never read this book - does anyone know it?

[garth cartwright]

I read Beneath The Underdog several years ago and remember it starting off brilliantly (ie madly) then losing direction. It didn't compare to Mister Jelly Roll or Honey Boy Edwards The World Don't Owe Me Nothin' as far as American music oral autobiographies. As for the comparison with Chronicles - both Bob and Charlie are big fibbers and selfmythologisers so maybe this is the link. I've glanced at Chronicles but the tidal wave of Dylan hype we've had to endure this year means i'm unlikely to read it in the next decade.

[garth cartwright]

I read Beneath The Underdog several years ago and remember it starting off brilliantly (ie madly) then losing direction. It didn't compare to Mister Jelly Roll or Honey Boy Edwards The World Don't Owe Me Nothin' as far as American music oral autobiographies. As for the comparison with Chronicles - both Bob and Charlie are big fibbers and selfmythologisers so maybe this is the link. I've glanced at Chronicles but the tidal wave of Dylan hype we've had to endure this year means i'm unlikely to read it in the next decade.

[RobHall]

I don't recall "Beneath the Underdog" losing it's way to any great extent. It rambles, certainly, but the quality throughout remained pretty constant for me. Good call on the comparison with Dylan in regard of their penchant for self-mythologising though.