Fairy Lore - (Greenwood Folklore Handbooks) by D L Ashliman (Hardcover)

About the Book

Fairy lore concerns beliefs about elves, dwarfs, gnomes, trolls, mermaids, brownies, pixies, leprechauns, and many other beings found in world folklore. Written for students and general readers, this book is an introduction to fairy lore from around the world. The handbook defines and classifies types of fairies, provides numerous examples and texts, overviews scholarship, and discusses the role of fairies in art, film, and popular culture. It closes with a glossary and a bibliography of print and electronic resources.
The first part of the handbook defines and classifies different types of fairies. It provides numerous examples of fairy lore along with excerpts from different traditions, then examines various approaches to the study of fairies. A final chapter looks at the presence of fairy lore in literature, art, film, and popular culture. The handbook closes with a glossary and a bibliography of print and electronic resources for student research.

Book Synopsis

Fairy lore concerns beliefs about elves, dwarfs, gnomes, trolls, mermaids, brownies, pixies, leprechauns, and many other beings found in world folklore. Written for students and general readers, this book is an introduction to fairy lore from around the world. The handbook defines and classifies types of fairies, provides numerous examples and texts, overviews scholarship, and discusses the role of fairies in art, film, and popular culture. It closes with a glossary and a bibliography of print and electronic resources.

Review Quotes

"Lower-division undergraduates and general readers." --Choice

"One in a series of folklore handbooks, this guide concentrates on the fairy lore of northwestern Europe. Ashliman devotes a large portion of the book to examples and texts and maintains that the majority of the stories were originally presented as authentic experiences to a believing audience. The premise for most of these stories being that unseen beings exist which influence our human lives. Also included is a chapter devoted to definitions and classifications of fairy mythology, a glossary of fairy terminology as well as a comprehensive list of web resources." --Reference & Research Book News

About the Author

D. L. Ashliman is Professor Emeritus of German at the University of Pittsburgh and the author of Folk and Fairy Tales: A Handbook (Greenwood, 2004).