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Shingling the Fog and Other Plains Lies
'More than corn grows tall on the American Plains. Here for the delectation of amateur folklorists is a collection of country whoppers from the frontier of Nebraska, Oklahoma and Iowa - funny and fantastic yarns and anecdotes of pioneer vintage that belie the erroneous notion that the men and women who settled the Plains were 'grimly serious' forerunners of Grant Wood's farming couple' - "Publishers Weekly". 'The compiler of "A Treasury of Nebraska Pioneer Folklore" [also a Bison Book] has now collected tall tales, lies, and fantabulous descriptions from the Plains states. These constitute a jackpot of pioneer humor; and by making them available in one volume, the author has preserved a lively segment of popular culture' - "Library Journal".'Roger Welsch has an uncanny facility for producing books in which the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Like his earlier "Sod The Story of the Nebraska Sod House", this volume is a collection of many bits and pieces that, taken as a whole, present a vivid picture of life on the American prairie' - "Journal of American Folklore". Roger Welsch has written numerous books. He delivers a "Postcard from Nebraska" on CBS Sunday Morning.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 1980
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About the author
Roger Welsch
80 books10 followersRoger Lee Welsch (November 6, 1936 – September 30, 2022) was an American news reporter who was a senior correspondent on the CBS News Sunday Morning program, and was featured in a segment called "Postcards from Nebraska." An author, humorist and folklorist, Welsch was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, the only son of Christian Welsch, who worked in a Goodyear tire factory and Bertha (Flach) Welsch, a homemaker.[1] He lived outside of Dannebrog, Nebraska.
Welsch earned a bachelor's degree in 1958 and a master's degree in 1960, both in German and both at the University of Nebraska. He also studied folklore at the University of Colorado and Indiana University.[1]
Welsch was the 2005 winner of the Henry Fonda Award from the State of Nebraska Travel and Tourism Division.
Welsch earned a bachelor's degree in 1958 and a master's degree in 1960, both in German and both at the University of Nebraska. He also studied folklore at the University of Colorado and Indiana University.[1]
Welsch was the 2005 winner of the Henry Fonda Award from the State of Nebraska Travel and Tourism Division.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 17, 2024
This is a book that was chosen for me since of my intrigue in such genres like mythoi and folklore. And although I was expecting a few of the stories that I knew there wasn't really as much that.
Instead Shingling the Fog was a look into the exploration of tall tales and Plains lies mostly collected from the state of Nebraska. Occasionally there are some nods to a few other states from the area although the Dakotas really didn't make an appearance.
The book is divided into various chapters that tackles the different subjects that may be made into a tall tale thus if you are only looking for something specific than you can explore that way and leave the rest. And unfortunately one of the weakest chapters at least to me was the one about people.
Secondly since of the age of the book there are some politically incorrect terms but they really don't take away from the book.
Probably the largest thing that took away from my reading pleasure of the book was besides that it slowed down fast was the author's opinion about the Native Americans. For all intents he says he is part of the Omaha tribe while basically chalks up their part in the history of the times as: 1. Being a misunderstanding due to the settlers didn't live by the Golden Rule that they preached, 2. Indirect suggestion that since they were stealing from the same Native Americans it was tit-for-tat (although most other sources tell me the Native Americans didn't claim the bison and land as their exclusive own) and finally 3. Most of the stories about Native American interactions and/or violence were made-up stories told around the fire like these tall tales that we are reading about. Since of that last sentiment it really makes me wonder about the author's own sources in the book.
All in all it was an okay book but one that is more a record for its own time and not exactly ours while although some of these stories may still be around, they are most definitely fading fast.
Instead Shingling the Fog was a look into the exploration of tall tales and Plains lies mostly collected from the state of Nebraska. Occasionally there are some nods to a few other states from the area although the Dakotas really didn't make an appearance.
The book is divided into various chapters that tackles the different subjects that may be made into a tall tale thus if you are only looking for something specific than you can explore that way and leave the rest. And unfortunately one of the weakest chapters at least to me was the one about people.
Secondly since of the age of the book there are some politically incorrect terms but they really don't take away from the book.
Probably the largest thing that took away from my reading pleasure of the book was besides that it slowed down fast was the author's opinion about the Native Americans. For all intents he says he is part of the Omaha tribe while basically chalks up their part in the history of the times as: 1. Being a misunderstanding due to the settlers didn't live by the Golden Rule that they preached, 2. Indirect suggestion that since they were stealing from the same Native Americans it was tit-for-tat (although most other sources tell me the Native Americans didn't claim the bison and land as their exclusive own) and finally 3. Most of the stories about Native American interactions and/or violence were made-up stories told around the fire like these tall tales that we are reading about. Since of that last sentiment it really makes me wonder about the author's own sources in the book.
All in all it was an okay book but one that is more a record for its own time and not exactly ours while although some of these stories may still be around, they are most definitely fading fast.
December 15, 2023
Interesting and amusing. Definitely different!
August 16, 2014
What a great read. Some fascinating stories of life on the Great Plains.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews