Foxfire Story: Oral Tradition in Southern Appalachia

(Paperback)

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A fascinating exploration of the rich oral traditions of Southern Appalachia, and the latest volume in the classic, multi-million-copy-selling Foxfire series. An Anchor Original. Since 1972, the Foxfire books have preserved and celebrated the culture of Southern Appalachia for countless readers all around the world. In Foxfire Story, folklorist (and Foxfire director) T.J. Smith collects some of his favorite stories from the archives to explore the oral traditions that have been part of the culture of the mountains for centuries. Here are instances of mountain speech, proverbs and sayings, legends, folktales, anecdotes, songs, and pranks and jests, along with ghost tales and accounts of folk belief, as well as stories from half a dozen of the region's finest storytellers. Smith digs deep into the role storytelling plays in the Southern Appalachian community, identifying the different traditions that can be found in Southern Appalachia and exploring how they convey a sense of place--and of identity.

Reviews

"A spirited, entertaining collection of stories and traditions that bear emulating in other regions of the country."Kirkus Reviews

"Both timeless and curiously of the moment. . . . Folklore and timeworn tips from Southern Appalachian mountain dwellers collected in this latest tome from the belovedFoxfireseries." Garden & Gun

Author Bio

Founded in 1966, FOXFIRE is a nonprofit educational and heritage preservation organization. Foxfire's learner-centered, community-based approach is advocated through The Foxfire Museum and Heritage Center and grounded in the Southern Appalachian culture that promotes a sense of place and appreciation of local people and their traditions as essential educational tools. T.J. SMITH is the president and executive director of The Foxfire Fund, Inc. and holds a Ph.D. in folklore from the University of Louisiana-Lafayette.