Whispers on the Color Line

From Library Journal
Urban legends are a large part of today's society. Nearly everyone has heard the myths about why Kentucky Fried Chicken changed its name or who owns Snapple or the woman who was saved from attack by a gas station attendant. But how do urban legends affect how different races see each other, and how do these legends change according to which ethnic group is being targeted? In this fascinating book, Fine (African American studies, Univ. of California, Davis; I Heard It Through the Grapevine: Rumor in African American Culture) and Turner (sociology, Northwestern Univ.; Kitchens: The Culture of Restaurant Work) explore not only the basis of many of these urban legends but also how they shape opinions. They discuss different kinds of rumors and how these rumors are shared within the community. They also discuss how to cope with rumors and to stop them in their tracks. With a fairly extensive notes section, this is an important and useful book that should find a home in every library.