Dear Andrew

I found Judas! Issue 5 stimulating and informative. Masked and Anonymous is a major event and I was glad to see it treated as such and covered so comprehensively. I can now sleep at night knowing it isn't going to be 'Hearts of Fire 2!

David Pichaske's ‘Some Notes On Bob Dylan and Language' was absorbing and always accessible. I look forward to the second part in issue six. At the risk of becoming a one-woman Nick Hawthorne appreciation society, I must say again how much I enjoy his writing. He tackled a difficult aspect of Dylan's work - the one I've always found most challenging - with sensitivity and clarity.

Thanks for the book reviews; anything helping me make an informed choice is welcome. Even I don't want every Dylan book! I shared your reservations about some of the essays in Do you, Mr Jones? at times picking up the whiff of embarrassment described by a friend as academic slumming. I think errors do matter. As a total anorak, I was irritated to see a line attributed to 'You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go' instead of 'Meet Me In The Morning' and 'Ducktown' stuck out like a sore thumb. You don't need in depth Dylan knowledge to think 'Ducktown strut' doesn't seem quite right. And finally, to letters:-

'Safe' is not a word I would have associated with Dylan gigs but, considered in the context of Adrian Richardson's letter, I take his point - just. It was good to see Jorgen in Stockholm getting in touch with his inner Swede (no, really) and to Kerry Mcilvenna-Davis (your letter was printed just above mine) hello, here! It sometimes gets lonely out here. I'm also puzzled as to why so few women are passionate about Dylan's music. I've been enthralled by it for forty years and I'm hopefully a little knowledgeable about this fascinating and complex subject.

Sincerely,

Sheila Clarke
Chester