African American Folktales: Stories from Black Traditions in the New World (Pantheon Fairy Tale & Folklore Library) [Paperback]

Roger Abrahams (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up | Series: Pantheon Fairy Tale & Folklore Library

From the canefileds of the ante-bellum South, the villages of the Caribbean islands, and the streets of contemporary inner cities, here are more than one hundred tales from an "incredibly rich and affirmative storytelling tradition" (Choice).

Full of life, wisdom, and humor, these tales range from the earthy comedy of tricksters to stories explaining how the world was created and got to be the way it is, to moral fables that tell of encounters between masters and slaves. They includes stories set down in travelers' reports and plantation journals from the early nineteenth century, tales gathered by collectors such as Joel Chandler Harris and Zora Neale Hurston, and narratives tape-recorded by Roger Abrahams himself during extensive expeditions throughout the American South and the Caribbean.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Earthy and comedic...a rousing good read.... I suspect Mr. Abraham's book will be read a generation hence."
--New York Times Book Review

"Another masterful addition and accessible introduction to the captured myths of what the Mede calls 'God's Chiefdom'.... Sweeping across the continent...the juxtaposition of tribes and pacing of story lengths make for lively reading."
--Washington Post Book World

From the Inside Flap

From the canefileds of the ante-bellum South, the villages of the Caribbean islands, and the streets of contemporary inner cities, here are more than one hundred tales from an "incredibly rich and affirmative storytelling tradition" (Choice).

Full of life, wisdom, and humor, these tales range from the earthy comedy of tricksters to stories explaining how the world was created and got to be the way it is, to moral fables that tell of encounters between masters and slaves. They includes stories set down in travelers' reports and plantation journals from the early nineteenth century, tales gathered by collectors such as Joel Chandler Harris and Zora Neale Hurston, and narratives tape-recorded by Roger Abrahams himself during extensive expeditions throughout the American South and the Caribbean.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Pantheon (January 9, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375705392
• ISBN-13: 978-0375705397
• Product Dimensions: 6.2 x 0.8 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #641,668 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars African American Folktales: An absolute must!, March 27, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: African American Folktales: Stories from Black Traditions in the New World (Pantheon Fairy Tale & Folklore Library) (Paperback)

As I am of African descent I can safely say that never before has reading children's literature been so exciting. This compendium of over one hundred riveting tales invites the reader into a world of mysicism and magic. The characters portrayed are, for the mostpart, very life-like and easily idendified with. The descriptions in this book provide the reader with vivid and very beautiful images of America and the islands that surround it. The diversity of the collection means that the reader is all the time finding out and learning more and more about different cultures and traditions. I would recommend this book very highly to all school teachers as it is an excellent read and it provides a wealth of knowledge about the Afro-American peoples.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars For those who love fairy tales from all cultures, October 25, 2006

By 

Natalie Norris "mainecoast mama" (Maine) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: African American Folktales: Stories from Black Traditions in the New World (Pantheon Fairy Tale & Folklore Library) (Paperback)

I agree with the previous reviewer - some of these tales are not suitable for children. But that can be said of many of the Grimm's fairy tales. Fairy tales and folktales are not for the faint of heart. They can be quite harsh - even gruesome.

That said, this is a wonderful and scholarly collection of African-American tales. These tales have a different feel and cadence from the better known European tales. I love them for their novelty.

The book is divided into different sections - if memory serves me - trickster tales, Carribean, Creole, and many, many more... Unfortunately I've lost my copy, I wish I could remember better. I am here now to replace it.

2 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Thankfully, I read an excerpt of the book before I actually bought it., March 8, 2006

By 

Juanita (San Jose, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: African American Folktales: Stories from Black Traditions in the New World (Pantheon Fairy Tale & Folklore Library) (Paperback)

I was very excited to find this book, as I have read other works by Roger Abrahams and absolutely loved them. Unfortunately, however, upon reading an excerpt of the book I discovered that one of the stories contained a tale in which a man, in his attemps to assert his superiority over a woman, repeatedly beats her. While I am not sure of what age bracket this book is meant for, the fact that that story was included, regardless of it folkoric accuracy, is very shocking. I'm very dissapointed.