Folklore and Fakelore: Essays Toward a Discipline of Folk Studies

by Richard M. Dorson

Richard M. Dorson was a Distinguished Professor of History and Folklore at Indiana University and Director of its Folklore Institute. Whether describing his own fieldwork in Ireland’s County Kerry or with Maine lobstermen, analyzing the media’s glamorized Paul Bunyan creation or John Henry’s place as a folk hero, attacking “fakelore”, the misguided popularization of folklore, or introducing the fascinations of the new urban folklore, Dorson’s personal style is free-wheeling, even flamboyant. Nor does he shrink from controversy; witness his crusades, his combats with politicians and university administrations. These far-ranging subjects reflect the diverse interests of a lifelong, folklorist, one still enthusiastic about working in this rapidly expanding field. His original thinking will interest amateur and professional alike.

Genres: Folklore, Anthropology, Nonfiction

378 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1976