Bob Dylan and a new Nobel era

Re “Bob Dylan, Nobel laureate,” editorial, Oct. 14

The Nobel Prize for literature awarded to Bob Dylan has been met with shock and awe by the public and media. Most intriguing to me is the break with ossification that this specific award might signal.

By recognizing lyrics as a literature form, I hope to see more expansive thinking from the Nobel committees. Notably, the six prizes omit a few very deserving fields of human intellectual and artistic endeavor.

There’s no prize in mathematics for one (do you like your computer?), geosciences (plate techtonics, anyone?) or even biology (only physiology or medicine). There’s no prize in ecology, ignoring the fact that humankind continues to change the ecosystem of our home planet.

By ignoring these and other fields, the Nobel committees have inadvertently relegated them to second- class status. I hope the committees continue their journey into the 21st century with bold thinking and appropriate action. Bruce Luyendyk Santa Barbara

I am impressed that most of Dylan’s admirers and critics judge him in the role of a poet.

While his lyrics exhibit poetic beauty, I contend that his artistry emanates from his musicianship. This includes his lyrics, his singing, and his instrumental performances in real time. Those who exhibit their craft in live performance share a challenge that is not enjoyed by writers, filmmakers, painters and sculptors.

Dylan’s approach to singing challenged the well-tempered ears of pop music fans. His cutting tone and “outside” intonation commanded the attention of his listeners. The combination of his lyrics, his singing and the evolution of his guitar and harmonica playing spanning several genres of music constitute, in my mind, the artistry that was judged sufficient to warrant this prize. Mike Keefe Los Angeles