Faces in the Mirror: The Urban Legend of Bloody Mary
Bloody Mary is a scary urban legend that has been told for decades, but what might psychology tell us about its appeal and origins?
Mark Twain’s Wild West and the Presidential Election of 1872
In a daring act, facing frightful peril, Mark Twain exploited a legend to launch his onstage comic career. With his future as a lecturer on a knife’s edge, Twain decided to open with a worn-out narrative that had seen better days. A disgruntled audience nearly drove him from the stage … until they understood his brilliant manipulation of their own folklore.
Cars, Coins and Cursed Colours: A Brief Introduction to the Folklore of Vehicles
Cars and motorbikes have been with us for over 130 years. In that time they’ve gathered superstitions and urban legends around them like exhaust fumes.
Loud and Proud: Battle Jackets as Folk Art
What unites bikers, punks, feminists and sewing? Scott Malthouse explores the social history of battle jackets.
The Tales We Tell: Urban Legends as Modern Folklore
Contemporary life is full of folklore, including urban legends, those odd, funny, or scary stories suited to the times and places we live in.