Huntington University’s Dr. Jeffrey B. Webb, professor of American History and department chair of History & Political Science, has published the three-volume reference work titled American Myths, Legends, and Tall Tales: An Encyclopedia of American Folklore. The project also includes the work of three other Huntington University faculty and three recent graduates.
Drs. Todd Martin, professor of English, John Noble, assistant professor of Bible & Religion, and Linda Urschel, professor of English, contributed articles, while 2016 HU graduates Andrew Wickersham, Jaime Hillegonds and Bronwen Fetters served as assistant editors.
“The encyclopedia is the work of more than a 150 scholars from around the world, including several of my faculty colleagues at Huntington University. My role as general editor allowed me to bring several HU students into the project and give them experience in professional editing and publishing. It was a great experience for them and their hard work is reflected in the high quality of the finished books,” stated Dr. Webb.
American Myths, Legends, and Tall Tales: An Encyclopedia of American Folklore is a fascinating survey of the entire history of tall tales, folklore and mythology in the United States from earliest times to the present, including stories and myths from the modern era that have become an essential part of contemporary popular culture. In modern times, folklore and tall tales experienced a rejuvenation with the emergence of urban legends and the growing popularity of science fiction and conspiracy theories, with mass media such as comic books, television and films contributing to the retelling of old myths. The encyclopedia’s entries provide a fascinating glimpse into the collective American imagination over the past 400 years through the stories that have shaped it. American Myths, Legends, and Tall Tales: An Encyclopedia of American Folklore can be ordered online through Amazon.com.