Customer Reviews

Living Folklore: An Introduction to the Study of People and Their Traditions

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I had to buy this text book for a college course - American Floklife -- and I did not enjoy it. It may be because our professor expected us to know very random and trivial facts from this text, but it also seemed like there were a whole bunch of facts thrown together and bound into a book. It felt like the author was going off on tangents or getting distracted, and never really got to the point they were trying to make.. in every, single, chapter. It read better than a "regular" textbook -- but I felt like I was either reading in circles or I was just plain confused because it jumped to a new argument without finishing the last one.

Gives you what you need for class, but that's about it.

Finally, an introduction-to-folklore textbook that doesn't read like a textbook. The clarity, illustrations, and organization of this book are perfect for folklore students. I wish I had a book like this when I was a beginning student.

I had to buy this book for a course in college, or else I probably would have never even looked at this book. I imagine anyone else who is buying this book is in the same boat as me, if so, then good luck. If you don't absolutely have to buy this book for a course, then don't. It is boring, confusing to read, and never really clarifies anything. The author explains what folklore isn't, not what it is. They explain why folklorists methods don't really work, not which ones do work. Everytime I have to read for an assignment I come out feeling just a little more stupid than I was before. Do not buy this book unless you have to!!!