This is perhaps the most comprehensive of Brunvand's work. Although, I wish it were as analytical as some of his others. He writes interesting books about those stories we are all "sure" are "true" and exposing them as legends. He also does a fantastic job of expaling what makes an Urban Legend an Urban Legend as opposed to just a rumor or a piece of gossip. Brunvand is also careful to explain and explore situations where the legends have truth to and in them (for example, the idea that people posion halloween candy was around long before there was a case invoving tainted candy - and even then the murderer knew the victims and did not act randomly, relying on the legend to cover his tracks). Buy this one as a handy refrence, but read the others (he also rarely doubles back on legends in the others without a reason to do so or without acknowleding that he's done this before and providing refrence points).

Effectively, this book could be about 1/3 the size of it wasn’t the same story 3-4x each. Also, I had hoped it would have reflections on the roots of the stories, and a more academic/intelligent look vs just “entertaining” stories at the lowest available rung.

Super fun, easy read. Read some Urban Legends I know and love, some I'd never heard, and some that I truly thought were just jokes or classic scary stories, but apparently people actually think they're true? Craziness.

Also, all of the earwigs in the brain, spiders in the hair, and cats in the microwave seriously creeped me out.

Very good read.

Fun and funny. Just what the title and subtitle say. Nearly 500 pages of oral tradition, about two pages per story. Some are quite hysterical -- people actually BELIEVE THIS STUFF?!