Bob Dylan's contribution to popular music is immense. A new book published on September 27 will, for the first time, look at Dylan as a rock star and cast new light on the life, times and significance of one of the most important popular musicians of the 20th century.

As such a famous figure, Dylan has been the subject of countless books and research looking at both the man and his music.

Showing how theories of stardom can help to understand both Bob Dylan and the history of rock music, Bob Dylan: the never ending star by Bristol University sociologist, Dr Lee Marshall, gives new insight into how Dylan's songs acquire meaning and affects his relationship with his fans, his critics and the recording industry. 

The book discusses Dylan's emergence as a star in the folk revival and the formative role that Dylan plays in creating a new type of music - rock - and a new type of star.

Bringing the book right up to date, Lee also sheds new light on how Dylan's later career has been shaped by his earlier star image and how Dylan repeatedly tried to throw off the limitations and responsibilities of his stardom.

The book concludes by considering the revival of Dylan over the past ten years and how Dylan's stardom has developed in a way that contains, but is not overshadowed by, his achievements in the 1960s.

Dr Marshall, commenting on his book, said: "Dylan's career and his work since the end of the sixties has been just as interesting as the early years, and I wanted to write a book to do justice to that.

"Whatever else he is, Dylan is a star - iconic, charismatic, legendary, enigmatic. No one else in popular music has maintained such star status over so long a period."

Dr Lee Marshall is Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Bristol. His research interests include the sociology of art and culture, specialising in intellectual property and popular music.