American Folklore

Here, grounded firmly in American history, is a skilled folklorist's survey of the entire field of America's folklore- from colonization to mass culture.
Tracing the forms and content of American folklore, Mr. Dorson reveals the richness, pathos, and humor of genuine folklore, which he distinguishes from the "fakelore" of popularizers and chauvinists. At the same time, however, he shows what the creation of spurious folklore (the Paul Bunyan legends, for instance) discloses about our national character. Based upon authentic field collections and research, the examples cited include folkways, jests, boasts, tall tales, ballads, folk and legendary heroes.
"His volume enlarges our understanding of the American past and present through an empirical survey of the extant folk traditions and it also provides us with the means for appreciating what is valuable in these folk traditions."- "Virginia Quarterly Review "

About the author

Richard M. Dorson was Distinguished Professor of History and Folklore and director of the Folklore Institute at Indiana University. His many books include "Buying the Wind: Regional Folklore in the United States; The British Folklorists: A History; Folklore and Folklife; "and "Folktales Told around the World," all published by the University of Chicago Press.

Product details

• Authors: Dorson, Richard M. Dorson, Richard Mercer Dorson
• Assisted by: Daniel J. Boorstin (Editor)
• Publisher: University Presses
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 15.01.1961
• EAN: 9780226158594
• ISBN: 978-0-226-15859-4
• No. of pages: 324
• Dimensions: 13 mm x 20 mm x 2 mm
• Weight: 397 g
• Series: Chicago History of American Ci; The Chicago History of American Civilization; History of American Civilization; Chicago History of American Civilization CHAC (CHUP); Chicago History of American Civilization CHAC
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History > Regional and national histories; Non-fiction book > History > Miscellaneous; Social sciences, law, business > Ethnology > Folklore; USA, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Folklore & Mythology, HISTORY / United States / General, Folklore, myths & legends, United States of America, USA, History of the Americas, Folklore studies / Study of myth (mythology)