The Viking Book of Folk Ballads of the English Speaking World

by Albert B. Friedman (Editor)

Ballads from the oral traditions of the British Isles, the United States, the West Indies, and Australia are presented with explanatory notes

Genres: Poetry, Music, Nonfiction

469 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1956

About the author

Friedman was a scholar of medieval literature, English professor and author. Before earning his bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Missouri and his master’s and doctoral degrees from Harvard in 1942 and 1952, he served in World War II with an Army intelligence unit in Burma. Taken prisoner of war there, he was later awarded the Legion of Merit. He was emeritus professor of English at Claremont Graduate University, in Claremont, Calif., where he taught from 1960 until his retirement in 1988.

Reviews

[George · Rating 4 out of 5]

The perfect book for someone who is interested in folk ballads of the English-speaking world.

[Monica]

A compilation of all time greats from oral tradition set down in black and white; everything from Fair Margaret and Sweet William to Staggolee. Thanks to my Incredible String Band yahoo group friends I'm familiar with the Twa Sisters and a variation of the Braes of Yarrow.