Hoosier Folk Legends

by Ronald L. Baker

Book Overview

Spine-tingling and funny, Hoosier Folk Legends is a collection of over 300 legends gathered throughout tthe state of Indiana. Ronald L. Baker includes ghost stories, stories of the evil eye, and stories of bloodstopping. He relates legends of Jesse James, Al Capone, and John Dillinger and tells the sad story of the ghost of Diana of the Dunes. Hoosier Folk Legends explains the derivation of the names of Hobart, Jasper, Loogootee, and the...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0253203341
• ISBN13: 9780253203342
• Release Date: August 1984
• Publisher: Indiana University Press
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.87 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.3"
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Awesome

I like reading about and hearing about myths and legends and folktales of my home state

Great book

This is a great book that covers a lot of material and manages to not be overhwhelming, but still comprehensive. I used this book for an American Folklore class and found the reading very enjoyable. I had the pleasure of meeting the author today actually which is what spurred me into writing this review.

An Anthology of Legends

The legends in this collection have been and continue to be told in Indiana. There is a voice of authenticity in the texts, and readers will gain an understanding of ways that stories about hauntings, local characters, unique places, and other subjects are actually told by storytellers in Indiana. The introduction is well written, and Baker provides a good overview for ways to understand the legends. There is also an excellent bibliography for further study of this interesting facet of American folklore.

fun to read, informative and educational

good book about Indiana's legends and lores I live about five miles from spook light hill and have seen the mysterious light only once, I was amazed

Excellent variety of legends from Indiana

This book is a fine collection of a range of legends from the state. Baker includes legends about historical people such as Belle Gunness, John Dillinger, Johnny Appleseed, and other known and less-well-known Hoosiers. He also includes numerous ghost stories, urban legends, supernatural tales, and countless stories from across the state. His introduction is a fine discussion of the study of legend, and he includes an excellent analysis of what these legends may mean to the people who tell them. Essential reading for anyone interested in Indiana history.