Curses! Broiled Again! – Jan Harold Brunvand – 1984
What the Book Explores
Jan Harold Brunvand’s Curses! Broiled Again!, a follow-up to his earlier work on urban legends, delves into the fascinating world of contemporary folklore. This collection examines a wide array of modern myths and legends circulating in North America during the 1980s, ranging from tales of poisoned Halloween candy and vanishing hitchhikers to stories about alligators in the sewers and exploding Pepsico products. The book doesn’t simply recount these stories; it investigates their origins, variations, and the social and psychological functions they serve.
Historical / Cultural Context
Published in 1984, Curses! Broiled Again! emerged during a period of increasing mass media consumption and heightened anxieties about consumer products, crime, and societal change. The rise of television, coupled with growing suburbanization, created a fertile ground for the rapid dissemination of urban legends. Brunvand’s work is significant because it moved beyond the dismissive treatment often afforded to such stories, recognizing them as a legitimate form of folklore that reveals much about the cultural concerns and belief systems of the people who share them. The book reflects a growing academic interest in folklore as a dynamic and evolving cultural force, rather than simply a relic of the past. Brunvand’s approach helped establish urban legend studies as a respected field within folklore scholarship.
Who This Book Is For
This book is suitable for readers with a general interest in folklore, popular culture, and the psychology of belief. While Brunvand’s style is accessible to a broad audience, the book also offers valuable insights for students and scholars in fields such as anthropology, sociology, and communication studies. Those interested in the social history of the 1980s will find it particularly revealing, as the legends documented reflect the anxieties and preoccupations of that era. It is not focused on providing a definitive “truth” about the legends, but rather on understanding *why* they are told and retold.
Further Reading
- Brunvand, Jan Harold. The Choking Victim: A Monograph on the Effects of Poisoned Halloween Candy.
- Fine, Gary Alan. Mildred Pierce
- Dundes, Alan. The Cruelest Joke of All: The Myth of the Poisoned Halloween Candy
Disclaimer.
Oraclepedia is an independent educational and cultural project. The material presented explores myths, belief systems, symbolic traditions, and aspects of human perception from historical, cultural, and psychological perspectives.
Content is provided for informational and reflective purposes only and does not promote specific beliefs, spiritual practices, or ideological positions. Interpretations presented reflect scholarly, cultural, or symbolic analysis rather than factual claims about the natural world.