American Folklore: An Encyclopedia

Brunvand, author of the standard textbook The Study of American Folklore (Third edition, 1986) and best known for his collections of urban legends, presents the ultimate reference work on folk culture in the US and Canada. Some 500 articles cover folk literature, music, crafts, sports, legendary figures, performers, writers, holidays, and religious beliefs and practices. They include something for every level of researcher--definitions of terms such as anecdote for beginners, an entry on Elvis sightings for the dabbler, and extensive articles on ethnomusicology and folklore scholarship for academics. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

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.}