Gershon legman november 2, 1917 february 23, 1999 was an american cultural critic and folklorist, best known for his books the rationale of the dirty joke 1968 and the horn book. Studies in erotic folklore and bibliography university books, 1964 a selection of legmans papers reflecting years of exploration in the restricted collections of research libraries. Mar 14, 1999 gershon legman, a selftaught scholar of dirty jokes and bawdy limericks and ballads who played a pivotal role in opening up the field of erotic folklore to scholarly study in the 1960s and 70s. Legman to his readers, was a collector of the erotic, the obscene, and the banned. Horn book hardcover jul 23 1970 by gershon legman author see all 4 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. But it is impossible to doubt his exacting standards of scholarship after reading the horn book. Gershon legman books list of books by author gershon legman. Gershon legman, selftaught scholar of dirty jokes and bawdy. Gender, urban culture, and the making of the gay male world, 18901940, legman was a homosexual and is credited with. Gershon legman 19171999 was an american cultural critic and folklorist, best known for his books the rationale of the dirty joke 1968 and the horn book. An excerpt from extraordinary adventures of mullah nasruddin. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. Such an act could only be motivated, it seemed to me at the time, by a desire to maintain the mystery surrounding historical erotica, and as gershon legman suggests 19 to collect and hoard knowledge about these books as a proxy for collecting and hoarding the books themselves.
Studies in erotic folklore and bibliography and oragenitalism, on oral sex. Gershon legman, anthologist of erotic humor, is dead at 81 the. Gershon legman, author of the limerick, on librarything. Cultural critic and folklorist, best known for his books the rationale of the dirty joke 1968 and the horn book. Gershon legman the art and popular culture encyclopedia.
His bestknown books opened sexual humor as a field of study and brought him popular attention as well. Studies in erotic folklore and bibliography was a collection of assorted writings from the 1950s and 1960s. Gershon legman s bestknown work was a twovolume study of erotic humour, the rationale of the dirty joke, published in 1968, and no laughing matter, which followed in 1975. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. Gershon legman gershon legman november 2, 1917 february 23, 1999 was an american cultural critic and folklorist, best known for his books the rationale of the dirty joke 1968 and the horn book. See all books authored by gershon legman, including the limerick, and more. This site uses cookies to deliver our services, improve performance, for analytics, and if not signed in for advertising. Legman s sexuality according to george chauncey s book gay new york. Studies in erotic folklore and bibliography jan 1, 1966. See all books authored by gershon legman, including the limerick, and rationale of the dirty joke, and more on.
Legman started a shortlived freudian quarterly, neurotica, in the late 1940s. He wrote many books on the subject of erotica and sexual humor, including the limerick, the horn book. Ever enthusiastic, legman was in close communication with argentine folder ligia montoya, served as an active link among international paperfolders, and introduced akira yoshizawa to europe. As will become clear, gershon had reason to tell people his father had been a butcher, but emil failed in his ambition to be a kosher butcher. Among legmans other books and pamphlets that broke new ground in anthropology studies were on the cause of homosexuality 1950, the limerick 1953, the horn book 1964, the guild of the. An analysis of sexual humor is a book by american social critic and folklorist gershon legman. This copy is signed by legman on the front free endpaper. The horn book is a kind of apologia of erotica with longish articles on erotic collections and folklore, including bawdy ballads, the limerick, and the formation of a motif index for this type of work. Uncommonly good collectible and rare books from uncommonly good booksellers. But a few months later, in the late winter of 1999, i saw on the obituary page of the times that gershon legman, a selftaught scholar of dirty jokes, had died, at the age of eightyone, in. Gender, urban culture, and the making of the gay male world, 18901940 1994, legman was a homosexual. Gershon legman is a folklorist and wrote andor collected the limerick, the horn book, and no laughing matter an analysis of sexual humor. Conditions of use copyright 20012017 by the jack horntip collection. Studies in erotic folklore and bibliography legman, g on.
Gershon legman s singular, disreputable resume made him a countercultural touchstone during his fortyyear exile in. Homosexuality 1950, the limerick 1953, the horn book 1964. Its pretty esoteric, but legman is an interesting writer and, needless to say, knows his subject well. Gershon legman project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. Some personal reflections on the origin and value of the. The book analyzes more than 2000 jokes and folk tales in terms of social, psychological, and historical significance.
The secret things everyone did or thought about doing, the desires people were afraid to acknowledge, legman was compelled to document and write about profusely. Legman was a regular contributor and eventually took over from landesman as editor. The limerick by gershon legman goodreads share book. Studies in erotic folklore, oragenitalism, and no laughing matter. Legman, 1964, university books edition, in english. Gershon legmans singular, disreputable resume made him a countercultural touchstone. Gershon legmans bestknown work was a twovolume study of. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. That is, limiting the circulation of knowledge about these texts. Gershon legman died february 23, 1999 in his adopted home country, france, after several years of debility, and a week after suffering a massive stroke. Studies in erotic bibliography the bibliography of prohibited books. The rediscovery of burns merry muses of caledonia the cunningham manuscript the merry muses as folklore iii. Legman was born in scranton, pennsylvania to emil and julia friedman legman, both of hungarianjewish descent.
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