We all know the stories
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A fabulous introduction into the propagation of urban legend. We already know the stories - the hook or alligators in New York's sewers. The book is appropriate for the general audience, but has an academic twist. Can't wait to read the rest of the series!
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Excellent book about stories and culture
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This book is excellent. By reading it you get a good scope on what urban legends are and how they fulfil their role in communication in society. I have done some research in Folklore and Urban Legends in the Netherlands, and Brunvand's work has had a major influence on the scope of my thesis. He knows what he is talking about. This book gives a good insight in storytelling, culture and American Society. A must for researchers in cultural studies, and probably a good book for those who want to learn more about the American society. It is fun to read, clearly written and Brunvand has a nice style of writing. I think many people would like this book, whether they are doing research, are on holiday, on the train or whatever. It's a book of all times, and so are the stories...
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Entertaining one-day read, but only for fun
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I bought this book to get a better understanding of WHY urban myths and other word-of-mouth stories are passed along in our society. Basically, this is the first of many books later published by Brunvand which documents examples of popular urban legends.
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Excellent introduction to urban folklore
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"The Vanishing Hitchhiker," folklorist Jan Harold Brunvand's first book on urban legends, provides a thorough introduction to the definition, interpretation, and themes of urban folkore. About three dozen classic "friend of a friend" tales are covered in depth; each is presented through several examples, accompanied by a detailed analysis, and listed in a Notes section highlighting folklore journal articles about it. All in all, an excellent introduction for those who care to learn more about the field of urban folklore rather than just read collections of urban legends.
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