Book excerpt: Though he's spent nearly 40 years in the spotlight, Bob Dylan remains one of our most enigmatic and reclusive public figures. As the 20th Century's most influential songwriter, dozens of books have been written about him, primarily biographies, lyric analysis, and reference materials. Encounters with Bob Dylan is the first to examine his life and career from his fans' perspective. Included are 50 first-person accounts of fans who have had a close encounter (usually face-to-face) with him. The contributors come from around the world, and some even have recognizable names, such as mandolinist David Grisman, journalist Nat Hentoff, Hall-of-Fame pitcher Jim "Catfish" Hunter, tapper Kurtis Blow, and noted groupie/author Pamela Des Barres. The common link is a love and appreciation for the words and music of Bob Dylan and his impact on modem culture. Collectively, their stories provide compelling, sometimes amusing, insight into Dylan and his long and complicated relationship with his legion of devoted admirers. The stories are presented chronologically, beginning in 1956 with Margaret Stark's account of her high school date with Bobby Zimmerman and their subsequent meeting at Bob's 10-year Hibbing High School reunion. Along the way, you'll hear from fans like Marc Silber, who met Bob in 1962 and arranged for his appearance at the University of Michigan Folk Festival, and Timothy Chisholm, who was invited to meet Bob after a show because of his enthusiastic front-row response to Dylan's performance. Due to the constantly changing circumstances of the encounters, each story is unique in character and impact.