Contents
Click here to go to a listing of folklife audio recordings
Note: The resource listings do not appear in correct bibliographic format in relation to the spacing of lines subsequent to the first. The appropriate formatting appears correctly in MS Explorer, but gets really screwed up in Netscape Navigator. Therefore, I chose the following format to appease all browsers :-).
- Burchill, James V., et. al. Ghosts
and Haunts from the Appalachian Foothills. Nashville: Rutledge Hill Press, 1993.
ISBN: 1-55853-253-6
A collection of ghost stories from Appalachia. Students of all ages will delight in the hearing of these tales.
- Clarke, Mary Washington. Kentucky
Quilts and Their Makers. Lexington, KY: University of Kentucky Press, 1976.
ISBN: 0-8131-0096-8
More than 25 stories, poems, and plays featuring the making of quilts. This book also contains some nice photos.
- Crawford. Byron. Kentucky Stories.
Paducah, KY: Turner Publishing, 1994.
ISBN: 1-56311-166-7
A collection of some of the columns written for the Louisville Courier-Journal. It is a brilliant collection of stories of many interesting Kentuckians.
- Gillespie, Paul F. Foxfire 7.
New York: Doubleday, 1982.
ISBN: 0-385-15244-2
Ministers, church members, revivals, baptisms, shaped-note and gospel singing, faith healing, camp meetings, footwashing, snake handling, and other traditions of mountain religious heritage.
- Harrison, Lowell H. and James C.
Klotter. A New Kentucky History. Lexingon, KY: University of Kentucky Press, 1997.
ISBN: 0-8131-2008-X
This work of meticulous scholarship builds upon the work of Dr. Thomas D. Clark, historian laureate. Not only does it present an excellent history of Kentucky, but it shows that history is not a static set of facts, but an ever-changing creature.
- Irwin, John Rice. Musical
Instruments of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing,
1983.
ISBN: 0-916838-80-3
Fantastic overview of instruments complete with many photos. Printed on glossy stock. Highly recommended!
- Jackson, Bruce. Fieldwork.
Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1987.
ISBN: 0-252-01372-7
A very in-depth book concerning the aspects of collecting data. It covers everything from defining he role of fieldworkers to the mechanics of recording and photographing.
- Kleber, John E. The Kentucky
Encyclopedia. Lexington, KY: University of Kentucky Press, 1992.
ISBN: 0-8131-1772-0
Simply awesome! This mammoth work was a project of the Kentucky Bicentennial Commission. It is a comprehensive reference work that contains information about people, places, things, and events. It should be placed in every Kentucky classroom.
- McConnell, John Ed. A Compendium of Kentucky Humor. Lexington, KY: Host Communications Printing, 1987.
Wonderful collection of humorous sayings, tales, and anecdotes. Priceless stuff!
- Montell, William Lynwood and Mitchell
Lynn Morse. Kentucky Folk Architecture. Lexington, KY: University of Kentucky
Press: 1976.
ISBN: 0-8131-0843-8
This well-written resource covers topics such as folk houses, barns and cribs, and construction aspects. It contains some very interesting history.
- Rennick, Robert M. Kentucky Place
Names. Lexington, KY: University of Kentucky Press, 1984.
ISBN: 0-8131-0179-4
Over 2,000 Kentucky place names are covered in this excellent resource. It gives information on families, events, politics, and local lore. A must read!
- Reynolds, George P. and students. Foxfire
10. New York: Doubleday, 1993.
ISBN: 0-385-42276-8
Railroad lore, boardinghouses, depression-era Appalachia, chairmaking, whirligigs, snake canes, and gourd art.
- Ritchie, Jean. Folk Songs of the
Southern Appalachians (2nd ed.). Lexington, KY: University of Kentucky
Press, 1997.
ISBN: 0-8131-0927-2
Wow, what a resource! The line scores, lyrics, photographs, and background information for around 80 songs important to the Ritchie family. There are a nice variety of songs included in this excellent book.
- Roberts, Leonard W. Up Cutshin and
Down Greasy: Folkways of a Kentucky Mountain Family. Lexington, KY: University of
Kentucky Press, 1988.
ISBN: 0-8131-0176-X
The narrative of the Couches—an eastern Kentucky family who have preserved the ways of their forebears. Fantastic stuff!
- Shafer, Mary A. Rural America: A
Pictorial Folk Memory. Minocqua, WI: Willow Creek Press, 1995.
ISBN: 1-57223-021-5
Beautiful photographs of rural America, complete with accompanying text. It is amazing how much one can learn about folklife from a single photograph!
- Simon, F. Kevin (ed.). The WPA
Guide to Kentucky. Lexington, KY: University of Kentucky Press, 1996.
ISBN: 0-8131-0865-9
Originally published in 1939, this volume of the American Guide Series gives an incredible description of Kentucky. It is an excellent state guide that contains directions, tourist sites, highway guides, historical information, etc…
- Siporin, Steve. American Folk
Masters. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1992.
ISBN: 0-8109-1917-6
A tribute to the nearly 150 artists who have been named National Heritage Fellows by the NEA. Printed on heavy stock, this book contains many photographs of the artists and their work. It also contains a wealth of information on their art forms. Topics include potters, tap dancers, storytellers, puppeteers, etc…
- Toelken, Barre. The Dynamics of
Folklore. Logan, Utah: Utah State University Press, 1996.
ISBN: 0-87421-203-0
A discussion of the history, meaning, and variety of folklore. This book emphasizes the fact that folklore is expressed everyday, everywhere.
- Ulack, Richard (ed.). Atlas of
Kentucky. Lexington, KY: University of Kentucky Press, 1998.
ISBN: 0-8131-2005-5
Along with the Kentucky Encyclopedia, this work should be standard in every Kentucky classroom. It draws upon the latest U.S. census data and a wealth of other sources to present a comprehensive overview of Kentucky. Maps, charts, graphs, and background information are presented in an easy-to-read format that can benefit any level of student. It also contains a couple nice transparencies for classroom use.
- Wiggington, Eliot and his students. The
Foxfire Book. New York: Doubleday, 1972.
ISBN: 0-385-07353-4
The first volume of this incredible series. Hog dressing, log cabin building, mountain crafts and foods, planting by the signs, snake lore, hunting tales, faith healing, and moonshining.
- Wiggington, Eliot and students. Foxfire
3. New York: Doubleday, 1975.
ISBN: 0-385-02272-7
Animal care, banjos and dulcimers, hide tanning, summer and fall wild plant foods, butter churns, and ginseng.
- Wiggington, Eliot and students. Foxfire
4. New York: Doubleday, 1977.
ISBN: 0-385-12087-7
Fiddle making, springhouses, horse trading, sassafras tea, berry buckets, and gardening.
- Williams, Cratis D. Southern
Mountain Speech. Berea, KY: Berea College Press, 1992.
ISBN: 0-938211-07-2
Invaluable resource for those people interested in the speech of Appalachia. This book contains a nice appendix/glossary of mountain speech.
- Willigen, John van and Susan C.
Eastwood. Tobacco Culture. Lexington, KY: University of Kentucky Press, 1998.
ISBN: 0-8131-2066-7
This is an outstanding work. It details the process of raising burley tobacco from the perspective of tobacco farmers. It also details the culture surrounding the raising of tobacco. Living in Kentucky’s Burley Belt, I can safely say that this book is accurate and a worthwhile resource.