Jan Harold Brunvand
Jan Harold Brunvand (born March 23, 1933 in Cadillac , Michigan ) is a retired English professor at the University of Utah in the United States , best known for his collection and publication of modern legends or modern folklore . Brunvand's achievement was that he first applied concepts developed while studying traditional folk tales to stories circulating in today's world.
Brunvand is the author of several popular books on modern legends, starting with The Vanishing Hitchhiker in 1981 . He also authored several textbooks and edited American Folklore: An Encyclopedia (1996). Together with Robert Loren Fleming he wrote the graphic novel The Big Book of Urban Legends .
Brunvand received a Ph.D. in 1961. in Folklore from Indiana University . He taught at several universities and stayed at the University of Utah from 1966 until his retirement in 1996.
Works
- The Vanishing Hitchhiker (1981, WW Norton & Company )
- The Choking Doberman (1984, WW Norton & Company)
- The Mexican Pet (1986, WW Norton & Company)
- Curses! Broiled Again! (1989, WW Norton & Company)
- The Baby Train (1993, WW Norton & Company)
- Too Good to Be True: The Colossal Book of Urban Legends (1999, WW Norton & Company)
- The Truth Never Stands in the Way of a Good Story (2000, University of Illinois Press)
- Encyclopedia of Urban Legends (2001, ABC-CLIO)
- Casa Frumoasa: The House Beautiful in Rural Romania (2003, Columbia University Press)
Web links
- Brunvands official website (English)
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Brunvand, Jan Harold |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American storyteller |
| DATE OF BIRTH | March 23, 1933 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Cadillac , Michigan, USA |