grasshopper4

Customary Descriptions, July 11 2004

Readers interested in various customs will find a good starting place with this book. Tuleja describes examples of folkloric traditions that are part of everyday American life. Each entry includes information on the historical context and meaning of each custom. It's written in an accessible style, and the book is interesting both to browse through and to read as a reference source. Tuleja includes an extensive bibliography for more information. The book does include material of interest to trivia buffs, but the book also includes discussion of serious topics. Some of the entries include speculations that are a bit thin and simplistic, but the overall work encourages readers to think… Read more

Fakebook Tunes (Including Reels), July 11 2004

Brody provides a good background on fiddling and fiddle tunes in this wonderful selection of music. The book appeals to fiddlers, and it also provides violinists interested in old-time tunes with sufficient resources to begin playing in styles different from classical music. The large selection of music provides great versions of mazurkas, waltzes, hoedowns, reels, jigs, hornpipes, airs, marches, and numerous other genres. Although the focus is on tunes commonly played by old-time fiddlers in the USA, the selection is international in scope, and the book includes tunes from Scotland, Ireland, America, Canada, and other countries. Each tune is annotated with a description of where the… Read more

Basking in Basque Folklore, July 6 2004

Prior to reading this book, I did not realize that Basques have been such an important ethnic group in America's West. Thursby's book provides a fine overview of Basque settlement in the United States, and she uses this historical context to provide understanding of important forms of folklore in present day Basque cultural expressions. The major portion of the book is an overview of genres and forms of folk culture from areas with large populations of Basques. She provides special attention to the importance of women's contributions to the preservation and adaptation of this ethnic group's folklore, and she concludes her study with a thought-provoking and well presented analysis of the… Read more