It’s Bob Dylan’s 70th birthday.  The Guardian takes a look at how he remade the rock memoir.  What isn’t mentioned is how he also spawned 1,000 Greil Marcus imitators, but whatever.

• Zazen author Vanessa Veselka, talks to Largehearted Boy about music she likes. (Note:Larghearted Boy calls the book a “literary gem.”  We trust his taste and will now go read this book.)

• Herman Melville’s 1856 passport application.

• The Bat Segundo Show talks to Tayari Jones, author of Silver Sparrow.

• Black & white photos of New York will never get old.

• David Byrne gets the documentary DVD treatment.