"No Direction Home" is definitely a good book. The original Anthony Scaduto biography Bob Dylan is quite good for the early years. Some of the books that John Bauldie co-wrote are definitely worth a look.

I think "Shot of Love" is a very good album, and it has the absolutely amazing song "Every Grain of Sand" which is one of the finest spiritual songs of all time...an absolutely transcendent and beautiful spiritual with a very personal feel.

"Dylan" is mostly pretty terrible, but the "Ballad of Ira Hayes" is kinda neat.

"New Morning" is a pretty cool album, with some classic tunes.