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Encyclopedia of Urban Legends
The definitive word on the subject from the dean of urban legend studies. We all know those stories that are too bizarre to be true―roasted babies, vanishing hitchhikers, scuba divers in trees―but have you heard about the ice man or the bullet baby? This comprehensive and compellingly readable reference work will answer all your urban legend questions, offering alphabetical entries on every aspect of the subject, including descriptions of hundreds of individual legends and their variations, legend themes, and scholarly approaches to the genre. Other entries discuss the relationship of urban legends to literature, film, comic books, music, and many other areas of popular culture. A Booklist Editors' Choice 2001 Reference Book. "Unlike most encyclopedias, this one may be read cover to cover."― Choice "Compiled by the foremost authority on this form of contemporary folklore....Superb."― Library Journal 60 black and white illustrations
560 pages, Paperback
First published June 4, 2001
31 people are currently reading
830 people want to read
About the author
Jan Harold Brunvand
50 books67 followersJan Harold Brunvand (born 1933) is a professor emeritus of English at the University of Utah in the United States, best known for spreading the concept of the urban legend, or modern folklore. Before his work, folk tales were associated with ancient times or rural cultures; Brunvand's breakthrough was to take concepts developed in the academic study of traditional folktales and apply them to stories circulating in the modern world.
Brunvand is the author of several well-known books on the topic of urban legends, starting with The Vanishing Hitchhiker in 1981. This book brought urban legends to popular attention in the United States. Follow-up works include The Choking Doberman (1984), The Mexican Pet (1988), Curses! Broiled Again! (1990), The Baby Train (1993), and others. He also edited the one-volume American Folklore: An Encyclopedia (1996), as well as several textbooks.
Born in Cadillac, Michigan, Brunvand received a Ph.D. in folklore from Indiana University in 1961. He taught at several U.S. universities before joining the University of Utah in 1966. He retired in 1996, but remains a popular speaker and writer; he gave the keynote address at the 2003 meeting of the Missouri Folklore Society, of which he is a longtime member.
Brunvand is the author of several well-known books on the topic of urban legends, starting with The Vanishing Hitchhiker in 1981. This book brought urban legends to popular attention in the United States. Follow-up works include The Choking Doberman (1984), The Mexican Pet (1988), Curses! Broiled Again! (1990), The Baby Train (1993), and others. He also edited the one-volume American Folklore: An Encyclopedia (1996), as well as several textbooks.
Born in Cadillac, Michigan, Brunvand received a Ph.D. in folklore from Indiana University in 1961. He taught at several U.S. universities before joining the University of Utah in 1966. He retired in 1996, but remains a popular speaker and writer; he gave the keynote address at the 2003 meeting of the Missouri Folklore Society, of which he is a longtime member.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
January 11, 2021
Man, urbāno leģendu cienītājai, šī grāmata bija īsts atradums. Vēl interesantāk bija atklāt, ka dažas no tām sociālajos tīklos kā baltu taisnību šēro arī Latvijas iedzīvotāji.
Domāju, pēc covid-19 ēras šo enciklopēdiju varēs papildināt par veselu nodaļu.
Urbānā leģenda (var saukt arī par moderno folkloru) ir tas, kas notika ar jūsu brālena sievas frizieres labāko draudzeni. Visi zina šo stāstu, taču neviens īsti nav runājis ne ar tā varoņiem, ne zina, kā to pierādīt :) Tas ir plašs žanrs, kurā var izvērsties visos virzienos, tāpēc jo interesantāk.
Domāju, pēc covid-19 ēras šo enciklopēdiju varēs papildināt par veselu nodaļu.
Urbānā leģenda (var saukt arī par moderno folkloru) ir tas, kas notika ar jūsu brālena sievas frizieres labāko draudzeni. Visi zina šo stāstu, taču neviens īsti nav runājis ne ar tā varoņiem, ne zina, kā to pierādīt :) Tas ir plašs žanrs, kurā var izvērsties visos virzienos, tāpēc jo interesantāk.
November 4, 2007
This is not the most entertaining book to start with if you are just learning about urban legends. You don't get fun retellings here, you get the basic outlines of the stories, with source information. This is a reference work, which is not to say it's not fun to browse.
If you are looking for retellings, though, Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid by Brunvand also, is better at providing fleshed out versions of scary urban legends (creepier, too), and Urban Legends: 666 Absolutely True Stories that Happened to a Friend of a Friend of a Friend just gives you the stories without the academic stuff to wade through.
If you are looking for retellings, though, Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid by Brunvand also, is better at providing fleshed out versions of scary urban legends (creepier, too), and Urban Legends: 666 Absolutely True Stories that Happened to a Friend of a Friend of a Friend just gives you the stories without the academic stuff to wade through.
June 2, 2019
It is pretty comprehensive, which means you’re getting more than just the gruesome stuff (which is what I was looking for).
I was amazed by how many of these I had heard over the years, usually presented as true stories.
Sadly, as I read through these, I only remember a handful of the entries to recount later. A lot of it goes into my mind and then right back out 🤷🏻♀️
It is a good reference book though.
I was amazed by how many of these I had heard over the years, usually presented as true stories.
Sadly, as I read through these, I only remember a handful of the entries to recount later. A lot of it goes into my mind and then right back out 🤷🏻♀️
It is a good reference book though.
January 7, 2008
This is quite a thorough book -- helpfully listing each Urban Legend in alphabetical order.
Additionally, many of the large-print, fun-to-read entries contain references to other similar topics that one may look up in the book.
There will probably be several myth stories which you can think of but which are not included in the book. However, those disappointments may well be outnumbered by the tales that ARE urban legends that you always had thought were true! At least, that's what happened with me...
Don't pick it up unless you have a half hour or more to kill -- it's like looking in a movie review guide... you mean to only look up one entry, but then keep thinking of more and more. Pleasingly addictive! :)
Additionally, many of the large-print, fun-to-read entries contain references to other similar topics that one may look up in the book.
There will probably be several myth stories which you can think of but which are not included in the book. However, those disappointments may well be outnumbered by the tales that ARE urban legends that you always had thought were true! At least, that's what happened with me...
Don't pick it up unless you have a half hour or more to kill -- it's like looking in a movie review guide... you mean to only look up one entry, but then keep thinking of more and more. Pleasingly addictive! :)
June 21, 2008
I love this book! I grew up reading urban legends, so the have a special place in my heart. This book delves into the psychological/sociological aspects of urban legends, which, combined with its thoroughness (even includes other countries' popular legends), makes it a must read for anyone who likes urban legends.
June 22, 2007
My sister gave me this book for Christmas. It is really cool.
I studied urban legends as an anthropology major in college. I think they are really cool and fun, so I was excited to get this huge, fat encyclopedia. Everything you've ever wanted to know about urban legends should be in here.
I studied urban legends as an anthropology major in college. I think they are really cool and fun, so I was excited to get this huge, fat encyclopedia. Everything you've ever wanted to know about urban legends should be in here.
June 17, 2008
Due to my short attention span lately, I started reading urban legend books. Fun times I can tell you. Make you realize how stupid people really are.
August 19, 2009
its an encyclopedia of every creepy or just handspun tale you cant think of. its wonderful if you have time to kill
July 10, 2024
This is a fairly hefty tome, though it’s not the kind of book most people will want to read cover to cover. I did so, and it can be enjoyed that way, but it seems to be intended more as a sort of desk reference for anyone interested in urban legends and folklore.
On the positive side, this is the most comprehensive catalog of urban legends I’ve ever come across. If you’ve heard one of these tall tales, there’s a very good chance it (or a variation thereof) is listed in these pages. And it’s written with both respect for its subject and a twinkle in the eye. That is, the author clearly takes the study of urban legends seriously, but doesn’t expect the reader to suspend disbelief and take the stories themselves too seriously.
However, if you’re looking for a lot of academic scholarship on the urban legends, this isn’t the best book for that. It does have a few more scholarly entries and opens with a more academic introduction, but it doesn’t go into great detail on the history of most of the legends, doesn’t track their development over time, and doesn’t go too deeply into explanations of why certain legends propagate more rapidly than others.
So whether this is the book for you or not depends on your purpose in reading it. If you want a comprehensive catalog of urban legends, it’s probably as close to complete as any book could ever hope to be. But if you really want to understand the legends, it will provide only a brief introduction and you’ll need to do some follow-up reading.
On the positive side, this is the most comprehensive catalog of urban legends I’ve ever come across. If you’ve heard one of these tall tales, there’s a very good chance it (or a variation thereof) is listed in these pages. And it’s written with both respect for its subject and a twinkle in the eye. That is, the author clearly takes the study of urban legends seriously, but doesn’t expect the reader to suspend disbelief and take the stories themselves too seriously.
However, if you’re looking for a lot of academic scholarship on the urban legends, this isn’t the best book for that. It does have a few more scholarly entries and opens with a more academic introduction, but it doesn’t go into great detail on the history of most of the legends, doesn’t track their development over time, and doesn’t go too deeply into explanations of why certain legends propagate more rapidly than others.
So whether this is the book for you or not depends on your purpose in reading it. If you want a comprehensive catalog of urban legends, it’s probably as close to complete as any book could ever hope to be. But if you really want to understand the legends, it will provide only a brief introduction and you’ll need to do some follow-up reading.
January 30, 2019
This book was very dry, repetitive and lacked a lot of the essence of the myths it was portraying, but the biggest problem by far was the attempt to explain many Urban Legends with eye-rollingly bad science. I will put it this way, a first year psychology student will learn that Freud did some positive things for the field of psychology, like talk therapy, but the idea of trying to relate absolutely everything back to sex is not one of them. So when this book repeatedly referenced Freudian theorists on myths from the hookman to bloody Mary to the solid-cement Cadillac it made it hard to take any of it seriously. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.
What is weird is that I absolutely loved
Too Good to Be True: The Colossal Book of Urban Legends which was written by him three years earlier, but I think did a better job covering the essence of the myths, not merely trying to document them in an encyclopedia format.
What is weird is that I absolutely loved
Too Good to Be True: The Colossal Book of Urban Legends which was written by him three years earlier, but I think did a better job covering the essence of the myths, not merely trying to document them in an encyclopedia format.
December 12, 2022
Hours of fun reading.
This book is what its title implies, “Encyclopedia of Urban Legends.” This is an attempt to alphabetize the legions by title, however, there is no good way to alphabetize them or any order to read them. So I suggest after a few random reads to just start from front to back. Each entry is sort of annotated and referenced. Many times, the annotation helps yet occasionally it just distracts and would have been better off just telling the story and moving on. Some of the entries have handwritten graphics. In the back, there is an index that tries to organize the stories.
Do not forget to look for your personal favorite from childhood.
I do find myself repeating some of the legends to others. You can get some of the weirdest looks.
This book is what its title implies, “Encyclopedia of Urban Legends.” This is an attempt to alphabetize the legions by title, however, there is no good way to alphabetize them or any order to read them. So I suggest after a few random reads to just start from front to back. Each entry is sort of annotated and referenced. Many times, the annotation helps yet occasionally it just distracts and would have been better off just telling the story and moving on. Some of the entries have handwritten graphics. In the back, there is an index that tries to organize the stories.
Do not forget to look for your personal favorite from childhood.
I do find myself repeating some of the legends to others. You can get some of the weirdest looks.
November 9, 2020
This encyclopedia hits on a variety of topics ranging from Academe Legends to Zipper Stories. Though it has a broad range of urban legends, it doesn’t have a broad scope on individual stories. It gives just enough information to get the ‘gist’ of the story.
For reference, straight-to-the-point, basic information, this book is great. But if you’re like me and like to look at the legends, where they may have originated, most popular retellings and written in a format that is entertaining and informative, I’d look elsewhere.
For reference, straight-to-the-point, basic information, this book is great. But if you’re like me and like to look at the legends, where they may have originated, most popular retellings and written in a format that is entertaining and informative, I’d look elsewhere.
January 14, 2021
I have an obsession with urban legends and unexplained events. I love picking this book up and flipping through to read pages at random. Alligators in sewers, rat burgers, all the fun ones of my 1990s childhood. It’s fun to see what was behind all those stories. My husband and I enjoy remembering and looking up these stories. Lots of fun.
January 24, 2019
This thing hits my sweet spot, mixing my love of the paranormal with the studious categorization of what these stories and their varieties speak about different cultures over time.
It can be a slog, but is still worth at least a casual review.
It can be a slog, but is still worth at least a casual review.
November 6, 2021
A good source of information but I wished it just told the stories or least the version of the story then went into more academic details about the source of the legend, the variations, or other related stories. As it does feel like a more academic source instead of a collection of urban legends.
February 13, 2019
Intriguing analysis of urban legends from across America with a sprinkling of other lands.
Read
December 17, 2024""
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2021
This was a fun detailed read.
November 23, 2016
An interesting read (and such a fine line between urban legend and ancedotes)
A few slightly bemusing (i.e. Toilet blocks in england only if a separate block outside, otherwise just toilets - Toppling Penguins, semi true but exaggerated and the penguins learned and stopped doing it (via RAF pilots/crew of the time) - horsemeat..... - The Unlucky Driver's Examination, none of those would ever happen? espec not following in a police car (British tests the examiner is in the car at all times) I suspect from sound, it's the weird police tests thing, but told odd to whoever the data is from (those I have encountered and people 'believe as true'). )
A few slightly bemusing (i.e. Toilet blocks in england only if a separate block outside, otherwise just toilets - Toppling Penguins, semi true but exaggerated and the penguins learned and stopped doing it (via RAF pilots/crew of the time) - horsemeat..... - The Unlucky Driver's Examination, none of those would ever happen? espec not following in a police car (British tests the examiner is in the car at all times) I suspect from sound, it's the weird police tests thing, but told odd to whoever the data is from (those I have encountered and people 'believe as true'). )
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 28, 2011
I love this stuff. Everytime (and you KNOW it happens often enough) someone (especially my kids!) starts with a FOAF story that gets way outa hand - it's nice to pull this off the shelf ... more oft than not, you can find a similarly incredulous tale. There's also an Urban Legend website that's great for mythbusting.
April 20, 2012
I read this book and I really enjoyed it seeing as Im the type of person who likes myths and horror stories and things that aren't true but are realistic to a point! Its been awhile since I read this book so I cant remember the stories that well to tell you which one was my favorite. But I highly recomend this book for anyone who likes myths or urban legends.
December 31, 2007
This is a great compendium of those "I swear this happened to a friend of mine" stories. Brunvald is the king of the urban legend.
January 29, 2008
this is a great book if you like urban legends. it basically breaks down where any urban legend you've heard of comes from.
February 28, 2008
Essential reference volume if you're an urban legend nut like myself.
April 11, 2008
I got this book a few years ago. I totally get into such things that people cant prove if its true or not. I havent read it yet but I think I may have read a legend or two when I first got the book.
December 3, 2011
Very fun. But the tale of Bloody Mary isn't an urban legend - it totally happened to a friend of a friend of mine.
April 28, 2012
this is a good book to read bout myths of life and to understand facts
June 28, 2013
Never the subtle racism in the tale of Goldilocks and the Oregon trail.
April 28, 2014
This is one of my coffee table books, simply because its really entertaining. Everyone who comes in my house picks it up and starts reading. Easy and fun to read.
March 7, 2008
this is the one you should read...saves a lot of money on the little books brunvand wrote.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews