In 'Dylan Goes Electric!', Elijah Wald delves into the cultural, political, and historical context of Bob Dylan's seminal performance at the Newport Folk Festival on July 25, 1965. The book provides new insights into Dylan’s artistic evolution, his affinity to blues, his complex relationship with the folk establishment and his mentor Pete Seeger, and how he reshaped popular music. Wald breaks down the myth surrounding this event, focusing on the social, cultural, and political changes of the 1960s and how Dylan's decision marked a significant shift from folk to rock music, making it a defining moment of the era.
The Thursday Murder Club follows four friends—Joyce, Elizabeth, Ibrahim, and Ron—living in the Coopers Chase retirement village. They meet weekly in the Jigsaw Room to discuss unsolved crimes. When a local developer, Ian Ventham, is found dead, the club becomes involved in their first live case. As more bodies are discovered, the group works with the police, particularly PC Donna de Freitas and DCI Chris Hudson, to solve the murders. The novel blends humor, wit, and suspense, highlighting the unique skills and backgrounds of the elderly sleuths, including Joyce's nursing experience, Elizabeth's mysterious past, Ibrahim's psychiatric expertise, and Ron's trade union leadership. The story is told through a mix of Joyce's diary entries and third-person narratives, reflecting Osman's television production style[2][3][5].
On this week’s show, the hosts dive into A Complete Unknown, director James Mangold’s surprisingly charming Bob Dylan biopic that’s all about fame and what it looks like to be adjacent to it. Then, the three explore Dick Wolf’s latest project: On Call, a half-hour cop procedural set in Long Beach, California that’s streaming on Prime Video. Finally, the trio remembers David Lynch, the iconic, singular filmmaker who passed away last week at the age of 78.
In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel goes electric themselves and responds to a listener question from Rob: “Would you reminisce about the most electric experience you’ve had consuming a piece of culture with other people?”
Email us at culturefest@slate.com.
Endorsements:
Dana: The Soul of the Dance, a one-hour documentary about ballerina Ulyana Lopatkina.
Julia: The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman. Alos, Julia is looking for nonfiction recommendations about Japan! Email her at culturefest@slate.com.
Steve: Two Australia-related endorsements: (1) The Fatal Shore by Robert Hughes. (2) BUSH, a restaurant in Sydney’s Redfern neighborhood.
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry. Production assistance by Kat Hong.
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