Urban Legends: The Truth Behind All Those Deliciously Entertaining Myths That Are Absolutely, Positively, 100% Not True

by Richard Roeper

Book Overview

Recounts dozens of stories that have become part of contemporary folklore even though they have no basis in fact, and reveals the truth behind each legend. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1564144186
• ISBN13: 9781564144188
• Release Date: January 1999
• Publisher: Career Press
• Length: 287 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.9" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

History Is Myth....Or....?

In this book there are many of those Urban Legends that we've heard of that have been circulating since we can remember. And, there are also many tales that we haven't heard of. Today we get most of these myths via email, but before email came to be, I remember hearing...."this happened....I heard that....so-and-so said....did you know that....?" And beyond the humor, are the effects these tall-tales can have on the people and places they're about. Many of these "alleged" rumors were followed up in the form of questions from journalists during media interviews. Often, the media will investigate a rumor (urban myth) to see if there is any merit to it. Once debunked as false however, the rumor lives on in peoples' minds.HIV positive Hyperdermic needles left in the coin returns of pay phones. Those unfortunate people who went out on the town to wake up in hotel bathtub filled with ice, and a note left to call the Doctor because their Kidney had been removed. And what's to that gerbil rumor involving a celebrity we all know? Well, that's false too. That particular myth has been tagged on other celebrities going back to the 70s.Who started these tales? When? How did they get spread?In addition to listing and describing these interesting myths, Roeper notes of the origins, means and methods of their growth, and the current believability status of many of them. Good coffee table book. It'll occupy some of the folks you'll bring over.

Excellent Book!

I really enjoyed this book. It was very entertaining and informative. I didn't know a lot about the subject matter, and it was amazing how many of the ULs I'd heard growing up and didn't know if they were true or not. Good reference if you want to give proof to some of those die-hard UL believers (like my hubby who still "insists" that he saw the ghost of a little girl in Three Men and a Baby!) I definatly recomment this book!

The Bomb

This was what I call a masterpiece. It simply is the most entertaining book I have read in years. The mear writing style of the author was enough just to keep reading on let alone the content; which was awesome. I would recommend this book to anybody, there is not a better book out there that would keep your attention. This was simply the most well written book published, I look foward to reading another masterpiece by this author.

Very entertaining and interesting.

I heard them talking about this book on the Howard Stern show, and wanted to let everyone know that this book is really good. It has a lot of those 'this happened to a friend of my cousin' stories, and is very fun to read. You'll enjoy it.

What is it about a salacious urban legend that appeals to me

What is it about a salacious urban legend that appeals to my secret morbid curiosity? Gaping at car wrecks, nasty gossip about lovers' trysts, celebrity rivalries and divadom-you may not want to admit you live for this stuff, but I do and if you've found your way here than you do too. Urban Legends bring a little spunk or rush to what maybe an otherwise dull existence. Believing the story is true, knowing that "this happened to a friend of a friend of my aunt's" makes it that much more juicy. I think the lure of the UL dates back generations, because they're actually a modern-day version of folk tale and story telling, which indeed is an art. Once these stories are proven false, however, the bubble bursts, and I'm left feeling deflated. Somehow with Roeper's book though, the debunking of these urban legends is fun! He has a way of exposing the myths that is just as much of an art form as the story telling itself. He explains why we might be inclined to believe them, and that although the stories sound better had they been true, there truly is no possibility of it. He's got the journalistic talent and a thorough researcher and fact checker to back up what he's written. It is easy to see that Roeper has a passion for the ULs and years of experience tracking them. Plus, you'll never believe some of the ones he's included. You'll be surprised how many of them you've heard and believed to be true! This is a great book to read all in one night or pick up every now and then for light entertainment. I have done both. Don't miss the one that compares "The Wizard of Oz" with "Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon," "kidney harvesting" and the chapter on weddings. Those are particularly fun.