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The Vanishing Hitchhiker: American Urban Legends and Their Meanings (Paperback)

by Jan Harold Brunvand Ph.D. (Author) "We are not aware of our own folklore any more than we are of the grammatical rules of our language..." (more)
Key Phrases: other urban legends, fried rat, red velvet cake, New York, United States, Salt Lake City (more...)

3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)

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Editorial Reviews

Review
A uniquely entertaining book, edifying scholarship, diverting social history. (Elaine Kendall -Los Angeles Times Book Review )

A uniquely entertaining book, edifying scholarship, diverting social history. -- Elaine Kendall, Los Angeles Times Book Review

Product Description
The book that launched America's urban legend obsession! The Vanishing Hitchhiker was Professor Brunvand's first popular book on urban legends, and it remains a classic. The culmination of twenty years of collection and research, this book is a must-have for urban legend lovers.

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Product Details

Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: W.W. Norton & Co. (February 1989)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0393951693
ISBN-13: 978-0393951691
Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)

Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)

Amazon.com Sales Rank: #20,241 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)
Popular in these categories: (What's this?)
#1 in Books > Entertainment > Humor > Urban Legends
#17 in Books > Literature & Fiction > World Literature > Mythology > Folklore
#21 in Books > Nonfiction > Social Sciences > Sociology > Urban

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Inside This Book (learn more)

First Sentence:
We are not aware of our own folklore any more than we are of the grammatical rules of our language. Read the first page

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
other urban legends, fried rat, red velvet cake, folklore class, modern folklore, legend texts, modern legend

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
New York, United States, Salt Lake City, The Boyfriend's Death, Indiana Folklore, The Runaway Grandmother, The Kentucky Fried Rat, Indiana University, The Death Car, Waldorf Astoria, The Roommate's Death, Linda D�gh, Jan Harold Brunvand, The Killer, Tidewater Publishers, Alan Dundes, Ann Landers, Journal of the Folklore Institute, San Francisco, Southern Folklore Quarterly, Associated Press, Hot Dog, Los Angeles, Oregon Folklore Bulletin, Salt Lake Tribune

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Citations (learn more)

This book cites 30 books:

The Study of American Folklore: An Introduction (4th Edition) by Jan Harold Brunvand on 5 pages
Readings in American Folklore by Jan Harold Brunvand on 4 pages
American Folklore (The Chicago History of American Civilization) by Richard M. Dorson on 4 pages
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers on page 148, and page 152
Type and Motif Index of the Folktales of England and North America by Ernest W. Baughman on page 41, and page 71

See all 30 books this book cites

45 books cite this book:

Picturing Extraterrestrials: Alien Images in Modern Mass Culture by John F. Moffitt on page 440, and Back Matter
Shadows and Cypress: Southern Ghost Stories by Alan Brown in Front Matter, and Back Matter
Spirits of St. Louis II: The Return of the Gateway City Ghosts by Robbi Courtaway on page 157, and page 238
Death Foretold: Prophecy and Prognosis in Medical Care by Nicholas A. Christakis in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
Death Foretold: Prophecy and Prognosis in Medical Care by Nicholas A. Christakis in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)

See all 45 books citing this book

Books on Related Topics (learn more)

Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid by Jan Harold Brunvand

Discusses:

The Truth Never Stands in Way of a Good Story by Jan Brunvand

Discusses:

The Choking Doberman by Jan Harold Brunvand Ph.D.

Discusses:

Encyclopedia of Urban Legends by Jan Harold Brunvand

Discusses:

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	87% buy the item featured on this page: The Vanishing Hitchhiker: American Urban Legends and Their Meanings 3.9 out of 5 stars (13) $11.16
	5% buy Encyclopedia of Urban Legends 4.3 out of 5 stars (6) $13.57
	4% buy Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid: The Book of Scary Urban Legends 4.2 out of 5 stars (4) $11.16
	2% buy The Choking Doberman: And Other Urban Legends 4.7 out of 5 stars (6) $11.86

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Customer Reviews

13 Reviews

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

Average Customer Review

3.9 out of 5 stars (13 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Vanishing Hitchhiker, May 10, 2000

By	steven (Rhode Island) - See all my reviews

This is a book about American Urban Legends and their meanings. The book has two aspects to it. Firstly, it describes many common urban legends, and tries to trace the origin and evolution of the stories.

Secondly, it attempts to provide an analysis or the reason for such legends appearing. The book has been organized under several broad categories for the purpose of analysis: CLASSIC AUTOMOBILE LEGENDS, TEENAGE HORRORS, DREADFUL CONTAMINATIONS, FEAR OF DEATH, NUDITY, and BUSINESS RIPOFFS.

I enjoyed many of the urban tales. It brought back memories of my childhood when I was hearing or telling the same stories. There were also some stories that were new to me, and I look forward to telling them to my friends! The author also did a good job discussing the origin and history of each of these urban myths.

Overall I enjoyed the book and would recommend to anyone who likes these types of tales.

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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Does This Book Actually Exist? or Is It Just A Rumor?, August 14, 2001

By	Gypsychick "gypsychick" (miami, fl USA) - See all my reviews

Brunvand was so ahead of his time. This book was originally published before the term URBAN LEGEND was a film, a sequel and a catch phrase. In these days of email boxes crammed to the brim with fake virus alerts, cookie recipes, pyramid schemes, and hundreds of forwards you cannot open, we forget the origin of "urban legends." Told and retold from generation to the next, Brunvand tells us the history of these "sworn to be true' stories such as "The Hook" and "The Boyfriend's Death" - how the stories got started and how they evolved into permanent teenage and campfire lore. Sure you can look 'em up on the Internet now, but you will never get the rich and wild history of tales told by the sister of an old boyfriend who had a cousin who SWORE it happened to her unless you read this book, and the many that Brunvand followed it up with.

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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book about stories and culture, August 7, 1998

By A Customer

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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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Groundbreaking study of contemporary folklore
Jan Harold Brunvand collects some of the most well-known urban legends in the US, traces them to their possible origins, and explores their importance to society as reinforcers of... Read more

Published 2 months ago by David Bonesteel

4.0 out of 5 stars Good
Item was well packaged and in good condition. It arrived a little later than I would have liked, but other than that, I have no complaints.

Published 2 months ago by Bethany L. Ennis

3.0 out of 5 stars Displaced by Snopes
In 1981, when this book was first published, it was probably a decent collection of the origins of certain urban legends. Read more

Published 10 months ago by Patrick W. Crabtree

4.0 out of 5 stars Reviewing another review
I bought this book and found it great. Enough said. However, I'm here mainly to review another review on here. Read more

Published on September 11, 2006 by J. R.

5.0 out of 5 stars Original Text for Urban Legends
Thanks to the work of Jan Brunvand, the term "urban legend" has become part of the English language lexicon. Read more

Published on January 29, 2004 by grasshopper4

5.0 out of 5 stars The very best book ever on this subject
This author is a rare find in literature of this kind: a genuine, professional folklorist who carefully documents his subject and traces its beginnings. Read more

Published on November 18, 2001

1.0 out of 5 stars Not A Book About Urban Legends
I bought this book thinking that it was a collection of short stories about urban legends. I was partly right. Read more

Published on September 16, 2001

4.0 out of 5 stars We all know the stories
A fabulous introduction into the propagation of urban legend. We already know the stories - the hook or alligators in New York's sewers. Read more

Published on January 15, 1999

3.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining one-day read, but only for fun
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. Read more

Published on June 22, 1998 by Challenge Dividender

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent introduction to urban folklore
"The Vanishing Hitchhiker," folklorist Jan Harold Brunvand's first book on urban legends, provides a thorough introduction to the definition, interpretation, and themes... Read more

Published on May 12, 1997

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