Series: N/A
Author: Jan Harold Brunvand
Page Count: 256
Published: October 15th, 2004
Published: October 15th, 2004
Publisher:W.W Norton & Company
5 Stars ★★★★★
This book is a compilation of urban legends both new and old. It contains multiple versions of many urban legends and compares older stories with their modern incarnations.
From the classic scary story 'Bloody Mary' to chain emails warning of the newest dangers, this book is sure to have something for everyone.
I found myself revisiting many of the scary stories I had shared with my friends as a child as I read this book, and I appreciated that the author included the sources of the stories and that he compared and contrasted different retellings.
Amongst these older and more familiar urban legends were newer ones, stories that I hadn't heard before. I was disturbed by many of them; rats disguised as dogs, venomous snakes hiding inside bed sheets and children's clothing. I enjoy being unnerved and as a result this book was perfect for me.
Deliciously disturbing and perfectly eerie, this compilation of urban legends is not for the faint of heart or the easily upset. I'd like to mention that it contains stories which include emotional deaths and child neglect. As these are themes which some may be sensitive to I feel it is an important courtesy to give potential readers a heads up
I recommend this book to those who love creepy stories and urban legends, and to those interested in learning about different versions of popular and sinister stories. If you love horror-esque tales, this is definitely for you.
