Contains over 500 articles
Ranging over foodways and folksongs, quiltmaking and computer lore, Pecos Bill, Butch Cassidy, and Elvis sightings, more than 500 articles spotlight folk literature, music, and crafts; sports and holidays; tall tales and legendary figures; genres and forms; scholarly approaches and theories; regions and ethnic groups; performers and collectors; writers and scholars; religious beliefs and practices. The alphabetically arranged entries vary from concise definitions to detailed surveys, each accompanied by a brief, up-to-date bibliography.
Special features
*More than 2000 contributors
*Over 500 articles spotlight folk literature, music, crafts, and more
*Alphabetically arranged
*Entries accompanied by up-to-date bibliographies
*Edited by America's best-known folklore authority
Biography
Jan Harold Brunvand, author of the standard text-book he Study of American Folklore, Third Edition (1986), is best known for his collections of urban legends, among them The Vanishing Hitchhiker (1981), he Choking Doberman (1984), and Curses' Broiled Again!(1989). He has been a syndicated columnist and has appeared on national television.
"American Folklore is the best encyclopedia of folklore and folklorists of the region." -- Literary Research Guide
"This fascinating new work really has no competition on the reference shelf and will be useful in high school, public, and academic libraries." -- Reference Books Bulletin/Booklist
"Packed with entries on folklorists, multiracial performers, crafts, music, and academic discussion, this comprehensive folklore encyclopedia is useful to most readers, and informative. Coverage is thorough. Above all, the encyclopedia is scholarly." -- ARBA
"...a useful contribution, which fills a real gap in the literature." -- The American Rationalist
"An excellent resource for the study of American folklore...this unique reference source is highly recommended for researchers as well as general readers with an interest in folklore studies." -- Choice
"Highly recommended for all high school, public, and academic libraries." -- Library Journal
"This will be a browser's delight as well as an excellent resource for students of American history. Highly recommended." -- The Book Report
"This thorough, facinating book would be useful for middle school readers to adults who have an academic or personal interest in folklore. Schools with an in-depth unit on folklore in their curriculum will definitely find this volume helpful for teachers preparing lessons and students writing reports." -- VOYA
"The present work is an overdue addition to the field and an excellent work of scholarship. Highly recommended for all libraries as the indispensable source for many years to come." -- Multicultural Review
