Ozark Magic and Folklore

My parents still live in the Ozarks, and I recognised some of the things that were common superstitions, phrases, etc.I found it very entertaining to read, and being born in MO myself, and having lived in some of those areas on and off, made it even more enlightening.I also noticed tiny hints here and there of the Scottish influence, as that is my ancestry, and something I spend much time studying. Many did settle in the hills around there when they came, preferring that over cities. Makes it even more intriguing, that some bits peek out, mingled and changed with the new culture.Good stuff!

Wonderful lifetime body of research collected as he lived among the Ozark people. I grew up in Ozark Co. in the 60's-70's and was fortunate to see and hear much of the rich folklore he records. For an outsider (even marrying into an Ozark clan didn't make him a local boy) Randolph obtained a staggering amount of information which is presented in a humerous yet respectful style. When so much of our culture preverted for the neon cash/trash of Branson it's refreshing to read Randolph and remember when stories were told around wood fired stoves and in the summer's evening on front porches. Anyone interested in the real Ozarks should read this...and before you dismiss it all as ignorant fantasy,I can attest that witching water works, and I've touched the otherworldly feather crowns found in death pillows among many other oddities he records.....can't explain it but here it is for what it's worth.

This is an affectionate and amazingly detailed journalistic look at the folklore of northern Arkansas and southern Missouri during the last generation before television, the 1930s and 40s. The lucky persons who read this book will be amazed at the depths of complexity and sophistication which Vance Randolph's neighbors brought to bear when living their daily lives. Now that the world of folklore-belief is as dead as a doornail (except in bits and pieces, such as Hollywood gossip), we can see how admirable their achievement was. Read this book.

I have owned this book for several years now and still enjoy thumbing through it. If you buy this book you will not be disappointed. I was amazed to find many of my parent's superstitions right here : like NEVER putting shoes on the table. I could never understand why putting NEW shoes (even if they were still in the box) on the table horrified my parents. Now I know. This book is well-written and delightful as well as informative.