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| Nearly everyone who read the first volume of Bob Dylan's Chronicles when it was published in 2004 was ready by the time they finished it for the second instalment, which in the opinion of all and probably sundry couldn't come quick enough. Well, it's now nigh on seven years since Chronicles came out and despite the occasional rumour that a follow-up was definitely in the works, Dylan working on the manuscript between tours and other commitments, there's been nary a sign of the elusive second volume, let alone a date for its publication. The last we heard, in fact, was that Dylan didn't even have a deal in place for a new book, although when Chronicles was published it was loudly talked up as the first of three volumes of memoirs. In news just in, though, we hear that Dylan has just signed a new deal, with Simon & Schuster, who published Chronicles and have long maintained they had an agreement with Bob to put out the two further volumes of Chronicles, as previously announced. The deal is apparently for six Dylan books – the two follow-ups to Chronicles and four more apparently based on Dylan's Theme Time Radio Hour, which will presumably be based on Dylan's often hilarious commentary and links between songs, although this has yet to be confirmed. The new contract with Simon & Schuster has been brokered by American literary agent Andrew Wylie, whose nickname in appropriate circles is ‘The Jackal’, due to his aggressive pursuit of big money deals for his clients and the ruthlessness with which he makes sure the writers he represents are paid top dollar, nothing less, and usually a lot more. Among the authors Wylie represents are Martin Amis – who he controversially poached from a rival agent in 1995, setting off all manner of literary blood feuds – Dave Eggers, Al Gore, Salman Rushdie, Philip Roth and Elmore Leonard. He apparently also looks after the estates of Saul Bellow and John Updike. Although Simon & Schuster have always insisted they had the rights to any Chronicles sequels, Wylie, living up to his reputation and nickname, has recently been touting Dylan around to other publishers, much to Simon & Schuster's evident discomfort. Wylie apparently contested their claim to the Chronicles sequels because, he argued, and this is interesting, Chronicles wasn't exactly a ‘memoir‘, so much as it was a collection of ‘non-fiction stories’ from Dylan's life. This wasn't quite enough to encourage rival publishers to bid for the six-book package, most of them probably figuring that any new deal they signed with Wylie and Dylan would bring about a hostile response from Simon & Schuster, whose lawyers were doubtless watching proceedings on a very short leash, ready to pounce if required. We'll bring you more on this and – we hope – a date to put against the arrival of Chronicles Volume 2, as soon as we hear something. And finally, just a reminder that you can now read Uncut every month in its entirety on your iPad, laptop or home computer by subscribing to our online edition. A 12 month subscription costs only £19.99. Individual issues are priced at £2.99. Uncut is easy to read - in its entirety - on your home computer or laptop. All you need to do to get Uncut on your iPad, laptop or home computer is sign up by following this link Adios for now. Allan |
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