Libraries Of Leaders: On The Bookshelves Of Legendary Musicians

Songwriters, musicians, and composers are a creative lot, and not surprisingly, have some esoteric material on their bookshelves. On this week’s edition of Libraries of Leaders, we took a peek into the libraries of three iconic musicians. All three have been awarded America’s highest civilian honour - the Presidential Medal of Freedom and one of them has won the Nobel Prize for Literature. Here are some of the books that Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, and Bruce Springsteen hold dear.

Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, making him one the best-selling artists in the world. He shot to prominence in the 1960s with songs that addressed themes of social and racial unrest in the U.S. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2016 for his contribution to “the great American song tradition”. Here are some of his favourite books, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

1. On The Road by Jack Kerouac

The book is the story of the author’s journey through North America, in quest of self-knowledge and experience. Dylan said the book changed his life, just like everyone else who read it.

2. The Complete Works Of Arthur Rimbaud

This 19th Century French poet is someone who Dylan has mentioned as one of the people who left a lasting impression on him several times in the course of his career. The volatile, libertine poet’s works are known to have had a significant impact, not only on music but several other art forms including literature.

3. On War by Carl Von Clausewitz

Clausewitz served in both the Prussian and Russian armies. On War was inspired by Napoleon’s decimation of the Prussian army at the battle of Jena-Auerstedt in 1806. The book is considered the Holy Grail of military literature, and the only all-encompassing, thorough epic that explores, breaks down and explains every facet of war.

Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney is a singer and songwriter who was part of one of the most iconic pop bands in music history, The Beatles. McCartney is a well-known face of the vegan movement and is a honorary detective of the New York Police Department. Knighted in 1997, Macca as he is known, hold a Guinness World Record. His song Yesterday is the most covered song in the world with over 3,000 known versions in existence. He shared some of his favourite books with the Telegraph.

1. The Miller’s Tale by Geoffrey Chaucer

A faithful translation from the Middle English of The Canterbury Tales, the book is a delightful and humorous read. It chronicles an illicit affair between a devious young scholar and the pretty young wife of a drab middle-aged carpenter. The outlandish scheme that the scholar adopts to keep the relationship going without the husband finding out and to stave off competition in the form of a lewd pastor is the highlight of the book.

2. Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens

The book is a riot of characters - rogues, knaves, cheats and the like. Though humorous and colourful, the underlying theme is one of rebellion against ill-treatment as in most of Dickens’ works. The book centres around a penniless boy’s travails as he tries to find his way through the world after his father’s death. McCartney said this was his favourite book.

Bruce Springsteen

Springsteen is probably best known for his album Born In The USA which has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. His music, which was grounded in the folk tradition, and his lyrical approach to music led to early comparisons with Bob Dylan. His first real successful stint was a national tour with the E Street band in 1972. Let’s take a look at some of his favourite books, according to the Telegraph.

1. Moby Dick by Herman Melville

The story of one man’s obsession for revenge, the book explores concepts ranging from spirituality to faith to philosophy. It is full of characters that endure. Springsteen said that it took him a long time to start reading it because it was built up as a difficult read. But once he started he didn’t want the book to end.

2. Love In The Time Of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Set in the Caribbean, the book tells the story of a young couple. The woman chooses to marry a rich doctor, which leaves the protagonist heartbroken. After the doctor’s death 50 years later, he again professes his love for her.

3. Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy

A hard-hitting tale that deromanticises the Wild Wild West, the book is a masterful tale of the indiscriminate and mass slaughter of native American Indians. The book draws on historical events linked to America’s expansion west and delivers a powerful and telling narrative.