James P. LearyReviews
Author of So Ole Says to Lena: Folk Humor of the Upper Midwest
Reviews
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Wisconsin stands somewhere in the middle. Franz Rickaby collected many lumbering songs, and other Wisconsin songs were printed by Harry S. Peters. Walker D. Wyman published a thin book of Wisconsin Folklore, and Robert E. Gard and L. G. Sorden a much thicker book of Wisconsin Lore. These are good books -- but they have real defects as references, including the lack of an index.
James P. Leary's Wisconsin Folklore is thus a welcome addition to the field. Much better organized than the others, it consists of a number of articles on all topics of folklore and folk song. Although much of the material was published elsewhere, these publications are hard to find. Thus Leary's is the single most accessible source for much important material. It doesn't entirely supersede the others -- but it's a much better place to start.