Just as he urges his students to do, Toby Thompson was once a young writer who decided to leave the desk life and search for a story.

What he found was the story -- an intimate look into the life of music legend Bob Dylan that focuses on his youth and hometown.

Researching and even traveling to Dylan's hometown of Hibbing, Minn., led to Thompson's book, Positively Main Street: Bob Dylan's Minnesota, in 1971. At 7 tonight, Thompson, an associate professor, will read from his book to kick off "Wordstock," a four-day literary event hosted by Webster's Café.

"The idea is to celebrate language in all of its forms," Webster's owner Elaine Meder-Wilgus said. "We try to find events that spark ... interest in things that extend beyond the topic."

With eight scheduled acts, "Wordstock" will showcase spoken and written language and performance, Meder-Wilgus said.

She also said some of the charm of the event is its spontaneity, and by the end, there will inevitably be some unplanned speakers and events squeezed in between other acts.

"It's important for students to step out of the boundaries of the Penn State community and understand that they're part of this community, too," Meder-Wilgus said.

The reason she said she thought Bob Dylan was a great topic for the first event is because "he himself is such a fantastic master of language and words."

Thompson, a creative writing professor, said he plans to read the chapter in which he's driving with Echo, Dylan's "Girl From the North Country," to Minneapolis. Webster's will have the book for sale, and Thompson will sign autographs.

"You can't just sit there and wait to be illuminated," Thompson said as a word of advice to student writers.

Thompson said he wasn't much older than many undergraduates when he decided to take the chance of driving out to Dylan's hometown.

What resulted was a much greater outcome than he had imagined. He said his is a story of "hitting the jackpot."

The book takes a look into Dylan's past through Thompson's interactions with many of Dylan's family and closest friends from his youth.

"It's the ultimate fan's journey into the past of his hero," he said.