Books worth reading #8: A Miscellany of Miscellanies

I have SO many books on British folklore and folk traditions. However, I'll mention these four as definitely worth a read.

The first was compiled by the late Christina Hole who was often described in her lifetime as the leading authority on English folk customs and culture. She wrote dozens of books on related subjects and was editor of the Folklore Society's magazine, Folk-Lore. The late Katherine Briggs - another giant in this field - described her as 'one of the last of the nineteenth-century cultured ladies ... who never went to College but, nevertheless, were renowned for their expertise and knowledge in their particular fields.'

The second book is a relatively new work (2012) by Henry Buckton. It gives equal weight to modern revivals as it does to ancient customs. So expect to read about mumming, cheese rolling, tree dressing, rushbearing, beating the bounds, flitch trials and Wassailing, among many other customs, festivals and traditions.  

This third book is something of a bible for British folklorists. Published in 1973 by Readers Digest, it's a hugely comprehensive miscellany that breaks the UK down into regions and then examines each, town by town. I spent hours reading through my late Dad's copy when I was a teenager and I still dip into it regularly. It's held in such high esteem that copies regularly trade on sites like Ebay and Abebooks for anything between £50 and £100.

The final book won't cost you quite so much but it is equally stuffed with great content. I know one of the authors - Quentin Cooper - and he's a great researcher and speaker. It follows the British year, month by month, and it's the book I'd advise anyone to begin with if they want a 'starter' book on British folklore. Affordable, witty and very comprehensive.