Unpacking A Dylan Obsession: Michel Pomarede’s 29-Year Journey with Come Writers and Critics

As a longtime Dylan fan, it's been gratifying to see the influx of new fans drawn into the Dylan circle. Maybe even a few of you will join us in the Northland when we celebrate Bob's 85th birthday at Duluth Dylan Fest 2026 next May.

If you're a new fan, there are a surprising number of websites devoted to Dylan. I read somewhere that Dylan sites number in the hundreds. Here are some of the major ones that many fans visit and use regularly:

The primary source for news, lyrics, and media is The Official Bob Dylan Site (bobdylan.com)  

Expecting Rain (expectingrain.com) is a long-standing, comprehensive mash-up of news and discussions pertaining to everything that is published anywhere each day pertaining to Dylan directly or indirectly.  

Bob Links (boblinks.com), curated by collector Bill Pagel (who owns both of the houses Bob grew up in here in the Northland) is a site dedicated to providing Bob Dylan concert information. In addition to past and future show times and locations, you can also find setlists, reviews and links to other Bob Dylan related sites.

Founded and curated by Tony Attwood, Untold Dylan (bob-dylan.org.uk) is a site devoted to in-depth song analysis of Dylan's extensive catalog, not just dissecting lyrics but the music itself. 

 

The Bob Dylan Fan Club (thebobdylanfanclub.com) is a fan-run site initiated at Dylan’s request (I was told), focusing on his recent activities.

The Bob Dylan Center (bobdylancenter.com) in Tulsa is relatively new, and designed to be a Mecca for Dylan fans. The website offers a "sneak preview" of what's happening there and when.

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As noted, Dylan websites are legion but the top drawer sites all have something in common. Each legacy site is the product of an immense amount of dedication, commitment and personal sacrifice.   

One such site is Michel Pomarede's Come Writers and Critics  (https://www.bobdylan-comewritersandcritics.com). Pomarede, who lives in Southern France, presents on his site the most complete collection of Dylan book covers I've ever seen. I have a few rarities myself but when I attempted to stump him I found he already had these in his catalogue.   

If you're seeking digital works with URLs, it's near certain you'll find a link on Expecting Rain. But when it come to print, Come Writers and Critics will most assuredly astound you with its breadth.

Here's a recent exchange we had regarding his site.

EN: What prompted you to start this website?

Michel Pomarede: I really started collecting Dylan in 1978, when I read Paul Cable's His Unreleased Recordings.

https://www.bobdylan-comewritersandcritics.com/pages/books/his-unreleased-recordings-cable-hardback.htm

I had some bootleg records, but with that book I really discovered the hidden part of the iceberg (tapes), and the Dylan books. At that time, it was quite possible to buy all the Dylan books available, and even in their different editions !

I was also interested in magazines, and bought everything I  could find. In the pre-Internet time I mostly bought from Wanted Man in the UK and Rolling Tomes in the USA. That was before the flood (that started in the late 90s) when it became impossible to get everything that was published. In a way it became a kind of stress as new books were appearing from all sides.

Then came the Internet. I was immediately interested in that technology, and started to build the Website in 1996. It was an excellent therapy: I stopped buying everything and concentrated on the books I had a chance to read, that is those in English, French and Spanish. With the website I could have a large collection, even if it was virtual, and the publication of a list of what existed seemed useful to other collectors.

See what I write about that in the About page of the site:

https://www.bobdylan-comewritersandcritics.com/pages/about.htm

At the beginning... 'it was just a list of Bob Dylan books, sorted by languages and illustrated by small not enlargeable vignettes: there was no high-speed Internet at that time, and large images took a long time to load'. It started with my own book collection; it quickly grew with other people's help.

EN: What have been your most gratifying "finds"?

MP: I met European collectors, had access to their lists and discovered the extraordinary Japanese books, then the Iranian rarities for example. I bought for the fun some books in exotic languages: each time it is a thrill to receive these items (I confess I continue to buy some of them). I think I have in my own collection about 10% of what is presented on the site: nobody could own all that stuff at home.

EN: How long have you been collecting for this site?
MP:The first version of the site was put online in 1996. At that time I was working (I am a Pharmacist), and had not too much time for it, but I added to it every item I heard about. It is only in 2017 that I really seriously worked on the site, but I have been collecting items for about 29 years so far.

The site is entirely built by me, written in html code, in the old fashion way, without any Joomla! or WordPress. It is quite stimulating for my 73 years old brain. 

EN: I'm impressed. Do you have a favorite Dylan album?

MP: I like all Dylan albums till Infidels. My favorite album, except the 1965/66 trilogy of course is Street Legal, very underrated IMO, and also Desire... It is hard to choose.

EN: Yes to Street Legal being underrated. How many times have you seen Dylan?

MP:  I saw Bob Dylan for the first time at the Paris 1978 concert (3 times), then in 1981 (2), in 1984  (2), 1987 (2)... and then at least twice on every European Tour till 2024. I do not know how many times that makes, may be 30 or 40, in France and UK.

EN: What makes Dylan such a global phenomenon?

MP: Bob Dylan is quite unique in his lyrics and the way he sings them.

Nobody can compare to him: he is THE cultural and poetic reference of his generation. During at least 25 years he had the faculty to write what we had in mind but could not say; he really showed the way to many of us.

 

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Do YOU have a favorite "Go To" Dylan site 

that you visit or use regularly?

Please share it in the comments.