• Chronicles

  • Volume One
  • By: Bob Dylan
  • Narrated by: Sean Penn
  • Length: 5 hrs and 3 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (1,118 ratings)

Editorial reviews

Why we think it's Essential: Sean Penn reading Bob Dylan's memoirs. It doesn't get any better than this. Dylan mixes his life with his music, his thoughts with his lyrics, and Sean Penn puts us right inside his head. Dylan and Penn are a perfect combination, spanning two generations of celebrity, making us feel the weight and breadth of life for Dylan and the people who have hung on his every word and note. — Chris Doheny

Publisher's summary

Bob Dylan's Chronicles: Volume One explores the critical junctions in his life and career. Through Dylan's eyes and open mind, we see Greenwich Village, circa 1961, when he first arrives in Manhattan. Dylan's New York is a magical city of possibilities: smoky, nightlong parties; literary awakenings; transient loves and unbreakable friendships. Elegiac observations are punctuated by jabs of memories, penetrating and tough. With side trips to New Orleans, Woodstock, Minnesota and points west, Chronicles: Volume One is an intimate and intensely personal recollection of extraordinary times.

Revealing, poetical, passionate and witty, Chronicles: Volume One is a mesmerizing window on Bob Dylan's thoughts and influences. Dylan's voice is distinctively American: generous of spirit, engaged, fanciful, and rhythmic. Utilizing his unparalleled gifts of storytelling and the exquisite expressiveness that are the hallmarks of his music, Bob Dylan turns Chronicles: Volume One into a poignant reflection on life, and the people and places that helped shape the man and the art.

©2004 Bob Dylan (P)2004 Simon & Schuster Inc. AUDIOWORKS is an imprint of Simon & Schuster Audio Division, Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Critic reviews

  • Audie Award Winner, Biography/Memoir, 2005
  • 2005 Quill Award Nominee
  • Grammy Award Nominee, Best Spoken Word Album, 2005

"Volume 1 of Dylan's memoirs was pretty cool to begin with. But to have it read by Sean Penn on audio takes it to a new level: the most talented songwriter of all time as performed by the most talented actor of his generation. Mr. Penn clearly has a blast inhabiting the role and navigating Dylan's jagged, impressionistic prose." (The New York Times)

Featured Article: Tune In to Our Favorite Music Memoirs


We’ve been finding solace in stories that follow our other favorite thing to listen to: music. We’ve gathered a selection of pitch-perfect memoirs from music legends in a variety of genres and styles. By turns bold, brash, and moving, these listens shed light on the sold-out shows, backstage drama, and sometimes dark underbelly of the recording industry, while highlighting the charisma, energy, and artistry that had us hooked from the first soundwave.

What listeners say about Chronicles

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Abridged version = bad idea

This audiobook is a lesson in how to ruin a good autobiography by making a bad abridged version. Sean Penn provides a well fitting narration, speaking closely to how Dylan speaks. I felt robbed that the only audible version offered was this choppy abridged one. As frustrating as that was, the content that was retained was probably still worth it.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Damn...Abridged...Good Nevertheless...

I virtually never (intentionally) get an abridged title....somehow I did not notice this was abridged before purchase. I have not read the text, so I am not sure of what is missing, but this production is somewhat disjointed.

This is a monologue of an artist discussing his art from a historical perspective. From a fundamental perspective this is inherently nonlinear and is intentionally non-temporal. As the first installment of a out-of-order telling, it is definately incomplete.

The best parts of this book were about Dylan's confrontation between fame and his real life along with his striving to capture the ephemeral essence of truly great performances. I enjoyed hearing about (and then listening to) the influences Dylan discusses.

I found the narration totally excellent.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Like reading today, only yesterday

WORDS AND WRITING ALL FUTURE BOOKS OUGHT TO BE JUDGED BY.

(twelve. thirteen. fourteen. fifteen)

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

strange but Dylan is brilliant

what a strange flow, I feel lost after finishing this book. Dylan is a litterary genius and this book grants insight into his deep misunderstood mind. a must read for true fans but if you only dabble stay away. Slow train coming..

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Dreamy narration

I love having the story read to me so I can concentrate and make up my own imagery of an iconic time

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Too many Bob Dylan Biographies

I wanted to read a biography on Bob Dylan but it seems so many people get him wrong and I didn't want to waste time on things I couldn't trust. Only thing to do is to read his autobiography and hope that no one was allowed to mess with it too much. I feel that so got an entertaining story into his background without slot of other peoples opinions added into it. Now there is no longer a feeling of wanting. to read a biography. I am good with his actual words and interviews of him rather than what other people think of him. Thank you to Mr. Dylan for sharing this piece of himself which he doesn't owe to anyone. Thank you for sharing.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

fast reader

Sean Penn kept a fast pace, when savoring the story would be more appropriate, particularly since it is not very long.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Chill

Chill guys. Aint read it yet, but I love it already. Its not a book, its not a story, its a 5 star audio leopardskin pillbox hat. If you follow that, you dig. If you dont, have a try. Pity its abridged, but I suppose the vandals took the handles.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Fascinating glimpse

into the mind of a creative artist. Dylan describes the unfolding of his career, as well as his artistic process. If you love Dylan's music, you'll want this book! Sean Penn does a fine job reading. I for one will be waiting eagerly for Volume Two.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A different journey

Written in a not entirely linear way, the journey through his influences and mind sets vs straight what happened. It makes for a fascinating and enjoyable.journey.

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