From Library Journal
ea.vol.: Lincoln-Herndon Pr. l988. pap. $9.95. humor The Great American Liar is an entertaining collection of tall tales spanning over 200 years of American history. The editor has divided the stories into seven categories: "Hunting and Fishing," "Weather," "Legendary Heroes," "The Farm Whopper," "Railroads and Rivers," "Pestiferous Critters," and "Down-Home Folks." The reader, looking for a tall tale about Paul Bunyan or Mike Fink, must scan the 55 pages of "Legendary Heroes." Though an index would have enhanced this book as a reference, it is recommended for public libraries as fun reading. Culling from Alfred Henry Lewis's books of cowboy humor, the editor has collected 33 representative stories that not only give the reader a taste of late 19th-century humor, but also an insider's view of the frontier. Lewis, a lawyer, politician, wandering cowboy, and Hearst journalist, was known for his amusing, wise, and perceptive writing on the Western ethos. The editor has also included an informative preface written by Lewis, "Some Cowboy Facts," presenting eight pages of useful background material on the American cowboy and his environment. Recommended for academic and public libraries. Ken Phifer, Montgomery Cty. P.L. and Montgomery Coll. Lib., Rockville, Md.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.
