Title John Henry : Roark Bradford's novel and play / introduction and scholarly materials by Steven C. Tracy

Published Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2008

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Description 1 online resource (vi, 210 pages) Contents Cover -- Contents -- Introduction -- Bibliographies and Transcriptions -- Works Cited -- Discography of Recordings Echoing the Folk Tradition in Bradford's John Henry -- Transcriptions of Several Versions of "John Henry" Recorded or Collected Between 1900 and 1931 -- John Henry Folk Song Bibliography -- John Henry Selected Bibliography, 1932-Present -- John Henry Discography, 1921-1931 -- Roark Bradford Selected Bibliography -- Roark Whitney Wickliffe Bradford Chronology -- PART I. John Henry: A Novel -- PART II. John Henry: A Play Summary Roark Bradford's 1931 novel and 1939 play dealing with the legendary folk-hero John Henry (both titled John Henry) were extremely influential in their own time but have long been unavailable or extremely hard to find. In this unique collection, Steven C. Tracy has joined Bradford's seminal works in a new critical edition to help contextualize both the novel and play, making these vital texts widely available again for scholars of folklore and African American literature. This new volume includes an expansive introduction that explores Bradford's life and work, critical responses to the novel and play, and a survey of John Henry's pervasive influence in folk, literary, and popular culture. It also features a wide array of supplementary materials, including a selected bibliography and discography related to Bradford and John Henry; transcriptions of a number of folksong texts and recordings available during the 1930s; and a chronology of the lives of both Bradford and Henry. As Tracy's introduction makes clear, such a consideration of Bradford--set in the context of writers, both black and white, drawing upon African American folklore and using dialects along with stereotypical and non-stereotypical portrayals--is long overdue. In pairing Bradford's two treatments of the quintessentially American story of John Henry, Tracy has provided the definitive edition of two classic American texts, and in so doing, he provides a welcome opportunity to reflect on the various paths by which African American traditions have infiltrated the cultural mainstream Bibliography Includes discography: (pages 38-39, 48-50) Includes bibliographical references (pages 36-38, 46-48, 50-52) Notes Print version record Subject Bradford, Roark, 1896-1948. John Henry Henry, John (Legendary character) -- Fiction Henry, John (Legendary character) -- Drama Henry, John (Legendary character) -- Legends Henry, John (Legendary character) -- Songs and music SUBJECT Henry, John (Legendary character) fast Subject African Americans -- Fiction African Americans -- Drama African Americans -- Folklore. Folklore -- United States. African Americans Folklore United States Genre/Form Tall tales Folklore Drama Fiction Legends Songs and music Tall tales. Tall tales. Histoires invraisemblables. Form Electronic book Author Tracy, Steven C. (Steven Carl), 1954- ISBN 0199707901 9780199707904 1281718122 9781281718129

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