Throughout his five decades of public acclaim, Bob Dylan has never made any secret of his origins as a small-town boy from Hibbings, Minnesota. In the late 1960s, Toby Thompson—perhaps sensing that Dylan's blue collar beginnings are a vital key to understanding him—set out for the enigmatic Nobel Laureate's hometown. Gaining a level of access that's hardly imaginable now, Thompson recounts his meetings with Dylan's teachers, neighbors, employees at the local record shop, first girlfriend Echo Helstrom—known as the Minnesotan Brigitte Bardot and allegedly the inspiration for the classic song "Girl from the North Country"—and even the folk singer's chatty mom. This updated edition of the book includes ten black and white photographs and a 2005 interview with the author.