The Marrow of Human Experience: Essays on Folklore

by William A. Wilson, Jill Terry Rudy (Editor)

Composed over several decades, the essays here are remarkably fresh and relevant. They offer instruction for the student just beginning the study of folklore as well as repeated value for the many established scholars who continue to wrestle with issues that Wilson has addressed. As his work has long offered insight on critical matters—nationalism, genre, belief, the relationship of folklore to other disciplines in the humanities and arts, the currency of legend, the significance of humor as a cultural expression, and so forth—so his recent writing, in its reflexive approach to narrative and storytelling, illuminates today’s paradigms. Its notable autobiographical dimension, long an element of Wilson’s work, employs family and local lore to draw conclusions of more universal significance. Another way to think of it is that newer folklorists are catching up with Wilson and what he has been about for some time.
As a body, Wilson’s essays develop related topics and connected themes. This collection organizes them in three coherent parts. The first examines the importance of folklore—what it is and its value in various contexts. Part two, drawing especially on the experience of Finland, considers the role of folklore in national identity, including both how it helps define and sustain identity and the less savory ways it may be used for the sake of nationalistic ideology. Part three, based in large part on Wilson’s extensive work in Mormon folklore, which is the most important in that area since that of Austin and Alta Fife, looks at religious cultural expressions and outsider perceptions of them and, again, at how identity is shaped, by religious belief, experience, and participation; by the stories about them; and by the many other expressive parts of life encountered daily in a culture.
Each essay is introduced by a well-known folklorist who discusses the influence of Wilson’s scholarship. These include Richard Bauman, Margaret Brady, Simon Bronner, Elliott Oring, Henry Glassie, David Hufford, Michael Owen Jones, and Beverly Stoeltje.

327 pages, Paperback

First published September 30, 2006

About the author

William Albert "Bert" Wilson was a scholar of Mormon folklore.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William...

Librarian Note:
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Joseph Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars because my grandfather wrote it

[Raven · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're in to folklore, this is a great read. Wilson's writing is clear and easy to follow and he does a great job weaving analysis and actual folk items. Gave me new perspective on folklore, and especially on LDS folklore.

[Jessica Nish · Rating 5 out of 5]

After years of seeing this book in my parents house, I finally decided to complete my grandpa Bert’s essays on folklore. I’m so glad I did. I’m proud of him and the sacrifice he made to bring folklore into the human consciousness.

[Bernice · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I learned from this book is that we need to be more aware of contemporary folklore. What we write in our journals, on blogs and the stories we tell within our families should be carefully preserved so that great-great grandchildren will have a rich treasure of folklore to share. I expected more old folk tales but the lectures provide lessons in writing a more interesting family history.