Contemporary Legend

First published in 1996. For most of the time since the Grimm brothers first contrasted the fairy tale (Märchen) and the legend (Sage), the former has enjoyed the greater reputation among folklorists. Only in recent years, and with the work of such scholars as Gillian Bennett and Paul Smith, has it been recognized that—both as art and as news—the legend is now central to contemporary culture in a way that the Märchen no longer is. The present book is the first collection of essays on legend to appear in English since 1971. Nevertheless, its publication consolidates a gradual shift which has taken place over the last two decades, in which English-language scholarship has taken the lead in the study of certain kinds of legends—variously dubbed modern horror legends, urban legends, urban myths or, here, contemporary legends. The Context. Introduction. The Appraisal Process. Carrying Out the Survey. The Diagnosis of Building Defects. Building Movement. Dampness and Thermal Insulation. Wood Rot, Insects, Pests and Troublesome Plants. Pitched and Flat Roofs. External Joinery, Windows and Doors. Internal Matters. Building Services and Drainage. The Site and Environs. Non Traditional Housing. Other Issues, Bldg Regs, Planning Listed Bldg, Flats etc. Writing the Report. Benchmark for Change. Further Reading, Useful Contacts etc. Index