Land of the Millrats (Hardcover)

by Richard M. Dorson (Author)
Key Phrases: hot strip mill, third helper, ethnic folklore, Land of the Millrats, East Chicago, United States (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Most of Richard Dorson's thirty years as folklorist have been spent collecting tales and legends in the remote backcountry, far from the centers of population. For this book he extended his search for folk traditions to one of the most heavily industrialized sections of the United States. Can folklore be found, he wondered, in the Calumet Region of northwest Indiana? Does it exist among the steelworkers, ethnic groups, and blacks in Gary, Whiting, East Chicago, and Hammond?

In his usual entertaining style, Dorson shows that a rich and varied folklore exists in the Region. Although it differs from that of rural people, it is equally vital. Much of this urban lore finds expression in conversational anecdotes and stories that deal with pressing issues: the flight from the inner city, crime in the streets, working conditions in the steel mills, the maintenance of ethnic identity, the place of blacks in a predominantly white society. The folklore reveals strongly held attitudes such as the loathing of industrial work, resistance to assimilation, and black adoption of middle-class-white values.

Miliworkers and mill executives, housewives, ethnic performers, storekeepers, and preachers tell their stories about the Region. The concerns that occupy them affect city dwellers throughout the United States. Land of the Millrats, though it depicts a special place, speaks for much of America.

About the Author
Richard M. Dorson is Associate Professor of History at Michigan State University. He is review editor of the Journal of American Folklore and author of Jonathan Draws the Long Bow, a collection of New England tales.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 265 pages
• Publisher: Harvard University Press (November 17, 1981)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0674508556
• ISBN-13: 978-0674508552
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,478,343 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Overlooked Classic of Folklore Study, March 13, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Land of the Millrats: Urban Folklore in Indiana's Calumet Region (Paperback)

It is so good to see this book back in print! At the time it was published, it received luke-warm reviews. I'm not sure why reviewers did not originally appreciate this very fine study. The topic is fascinating. There are engaging discussions of the method Dorson used in studying the lives of millworkers. But the content of the stories that Dorson documents must be recognized as an incredibly important contribution to the historical record. Every chapter is highly readable, and the stories are fascinating, poignant, and moving. There are rich and vibrant descriptions of the vitality of life within steel mills, and the work is an important contribution to preserving a record of an industry that has undergone rapid change. Although some of the major theoretical issues that Dorson addressed are now dated, a reminder that this book was written almost 20 years ago reveals that the book has grown old gracefully. This book is great reading for anyone interested the occupational culture of steel mills and life in a milltown. It is now essential reading for anyone interested in the history of the region.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book about the Calumet Region, March 5, 2008

By	Brian Frank (Dyer, Indiana USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Land of the Millrats: Urban Folklore in Indiana's Calumet Region (Paperback)

I read this book about 20 years ago while in college. I grew up in the Calumet Region. My grandfather worked in the steel mills, as did his father upon arrival from Poland. This book offers a nice history of Lake Michigan's south shore. The author does a great job of investigating the hard-working, down-to-earth, no-nonsense culture of the "regionites."