The Bell Witch in Myth and Memory : From Local Legend to International Folktale / Rick Gregory.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Gregory, Rick S., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Folklore.

Poltergeists.

Tennessee--Robertson County.

Bell family.

Bell family--Miscellanea.

Genre:

Trivia and miscellanea.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (165 pages)

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Knoxville, Tennessee : The University of Tennessee Press, [2023]

Summary:

"While dozens of books and articles have rehearsed the chilling lore surrounding the "infamous Bell Witch of Tennessee," Rick Gregory takes a different approach. He illuminates the oral traditions that preserved and disseminated the tale; discusses the major factors in its regional, national, and international spread; analyzes how the legend mirrors other national and international stories with similar themes; and finally describes its modern circulation through the World Wide Web and other technologies. In exploring the Bell Witch story in this manner, Gregory sheds light not only on the folklore of Tennessee with its strong tradition of oral history but also provides insight into the persistent, global phenomenon of folklore itself"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

The power of a story

The legend

Oral transmission

Survival and growth, 1820-1894

The power of the printed word

Academics, folklorists, and other entities fall under the spell

The Bell witch live

Pop culture queen

Experience the bell witch and come to Adams.

Notes:

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9781621908937

1621908933

9781621908388

1621908380

OCLC:

1406104075