Folklore: An Encyclopedia of Beliefs, Customs, Tales, and torrent

Folklore: An Encyclopedia of Beliefs, Customs, Tales, Music and Art - Thomas A. Green (ed) [epub]

This lucid, specialized reference work draws on the extraordinary scholarship of 77 authorities to provide more than 200 definitive essays on North American and European folklore. The splendidly illustrated references and in-depth, signed articles offer information on the forms of folk culture (e.g., ballad, riddle, legend, tales, myth), define the standard conceits of the discipline (e.g., hero, fool, trickster), and present extensive discussion of the methodology of the professional folklorist (e.g., comparative mythology, field work, semiotics).

The comprehensive reference covers new approaches to folk study (e.g. gender studies, gay literature, minorities), as well as traditional topics like music, dance, storytelling, and folk art. The geographic scope embraces Eastern Europe, the United Kingdom, Scandinavia, and the United States. The work provides not only a fundamental understanding of folklore but also insights into the more general story of culture and society.

Hardcover: 892 pages
Publisher: ABC-CLIO; Two-volume Reference edition (February 1998)