The Telltale Lilac Bush And Other West Virginia Ghost Tales

" West Virginia boasts an unusually rich heritage of ghost tales. Originally West Virginians told these hundred stories not for idle amusement but to report supernatural experiences that defied ordinary human explanation. From jealous rivals and ghostly children to murdered kinsmen and omens of death, these tales reflect the inner lives—the hopes, beliefs, and fears—of a people. Like all folklore, these tales reveal much of the history of the region: its isolation and violence, the passions and bloodshed of the Civil War era, the hardships of miners and railroad laborers, and the lingering vitality of Old World traditions.

Mysterious vanishing hitchhikers, travelers beset by headless dogs, and long-dead moonshiners come alive in this collection of ninety-six Appalachian folktales. Set in coal mines and remote farm cabins, in hidden hollows and on mountain tops, some of these stories look back to the days when West Virginia was first settled; others reflect the rancor and brutality of the Civil War. But most of these tales guide us through the recent past of the uncommonly rich folk heritage of West Virginia. This ghostly collection, with source information and bold illustrations, will thrill longtime lovers of supernatural lore.

In the early years of this century, miners from nearly every country in Europe and Asia Minor migrated to West Virginia to seek employment in its great collieries. With them they brought many folktales and legends of then homelands. Ruth Ann Musick has collected some of the best and most representative of these stories -- never before published in book form -- in The Green Hills of Magic. In many instances, these tales were first related in family circles in the native languages of the tellers, later to be translated by their younger English-speaking descendants. Entertaining in themselves, the stories are also excellent examples of the diverse folk beliefs and cultural patterns of the national and ethnic immigrant groups. The tales are attractively illustrated with more than twenty black-and-white drawings.

Consists of an introductory essay on the Appalachian setting & a choice selection of folk stories about ghosts, true experiences & tall tales. Ninth Printing 1995.

More Tales From Aggieland, a compelling collection of stories and anecdotes compiled by Zwerneman, who has covered the Aggies for a decade, offers readers insight and plenty of humor on a wide range of A&M sports and events, including Parker's splendiferous leap. On the heels of Zwerneman's successful Game of My Life: 25 Stories of Aggies Football, More Tales from Aggieland relates entertaining narratives from athletes over the decades who dearly love Texas A&M and also reveals intriguing stories to the Aggies faithful. For example, read about the recent discovery, deep in the bowels of Kyle Field, of a long-lost Sugar Bowl trophy, an elegant momento from A&M football's lone national championship season in 1939. People had their minds on things other than athletics, said Jim Sterling, a member of the 1939 team--speaking of the Great Depression and the impending world war, and why the trophy probably was lost in the first place. Now, from out of the dungeons of old Kyle, that sterling silver reminder of A&M football's most glorious day is basking in the light of Aggieland once again. Read about this and other fascinating and often fun chronicles from Texas A&M sports in More Tales from Aggieland.

A collection of tall tales by Paul and Bil Lepp, two repeat winners of the West Virginia State Liars Contest.

Find out about the bizarre creatures that live in West Virginia.