Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid: The Book of Scary Urban Legends

You've undoubtedly heard some of these "true" stories that very definitely happened to a friend of a friend of a friend, but if you've not read any of Jan Harold Brunvand's books about where they come from and what they really tell us, this volume of the scarier tales is a good place to start. Part spooky tale told around a campfire, part lesson in modern folklore, urban legends are both fun and instructive when told by the master, as Brunvand is.If you've read a number of Brunvand's many other popular books on urban legends, you won't find a lot new here, though that doesn't make it any less an entertaining read. For a first timer, this is a five star book. Devotees of urban legend lore (like me) will want it to complete their collections.Just don't dim the lights too much as you read it.

Best of both worlds: don't be misled by the book's cover, this is expert, well-researched, well-told folklore., it's great fun to read, so get your Halloween on and enjoy the calorie free way.

I just got mine a few days ago and I must say, this book surprised me. It is a relatively easy read and can give one the jitters if read alone at night ;) My only knock on this book is that I was hoping it would have more ghost tales but I'd still recommend this book especially during Halloween.

This book was not quite what I had imagined. I love Urban Legends, they're terrifying, bizarre, probable and, as I believe there is always a grain of truth behind every fiction, I am always wondering if at some point this really DID happen to someone's sister/cousin/neighbor...etc.If you're expecting something in the line of a book of short stories based on Urban Legends with a bit of effort but into literary endeavors you'll be disappointed. It's very heavy on the text book explanations and light on the telling of the story itself. The possible historical origins of the legend and the efforts to capture its variations are explained, and some casual "De-bunking" (I hate that word it's an oxymoron) is thrown in. An example of a particular legend is given and following it are retellings of the same exact story, except a man is the victim this time or the child is 8 in this version, or the dog was killed in this rendition from Kentucky. It becomes repetitive and dull.I'm sending it back.

It was super creepy of how many of these stories I already knew about. Urban legends get around.

As described Shipped quickly !

Good read

Some of the ground is familiar from his other books, but still interesting

Jan Harold Brunvand wrote the first widely available discussion of Urban Legends and their meanings. Unfortunately since  The Vanishing Hitchhiker: American Urban Legends and Their Meanings  his subsequent books have tended to revisit the same myths over and over again.I was quite looking forward to this collection but it is the same stories retold in different accounts collected over the years. Each chapter begins with a short piece putting the legends in some context and then just trots out verbatim the various versions of the legends from different sources.If you are looking for a straight-forward collection of Urban Legends then this book is probably OK, but if you were after some new material, or discussion of what these myths tell us about ourselves and society then look elsewhere. The Vanishing Hitchhiker is still his best book. Start there. The Vanishing Hitchhiker: American Urban Legends and Their Meanings

These are those little nasty tales that happen to a friend or a cousin or your neighbours fathers mothers uncle..and they swear they are true.The book is broken down into sections; 'accidents','precursors','chills up your spine' etc and range from the disgusting to the darkly humorous to the down right terrifying. Each story is short but concise with some just variations on a theme, some so well known that they qualify for classic spook stories status and most have none too subtle morals at their core.The only problem with this book is that some of the stories have been covered before in Jan Harold Brunvand's other Urban Legends books but otherwise it is a fun little collection that you can use to entertain your friends with young or old as you do your bit for urban myths and pass these tales along. Enjoy. Thank you.

A collection of tales that you heard happened to a friend of a friends friend , relative or colleague. Urban Legends in other words - things that make you wonder could that really have happened? - The tale of the giant thailand rat purchased under the impression that it was a cute little dog,- the beakless featherles KFC chickens and the cyanide laced envelopes at bank of America ATM`s. its all here folks , recommended!

...by this I mean, text heavy like a paperback novel – think of old Mills and Boon. It could have been nicely broken up for a quick read when you're at a loose end. Probably ok if you're on a long journey and can immerse yourself. The recipient of this gift didn't think it was very 'fun' to read, but the content was fine.

Item arrived on time and in good condition