The WMQ devoted part of an issue a few years ago to the book.  I think it
is fair to say that most of the commentary from historians was critical,
although to lesser or greater degrees depending on the historian and on the
region under discussion.

The two commentator/critics for the Chesapeake region were James Horn and
Warren Billings, both of whom were quite critical of that portion of the
book.  Ned Landsman, if I recall correctly, discussed the argument for the
middle colonies, and was somewhat more sympathetic.

--On Monday, August 19, 2002 11:54 AM -0400 Douglas Day <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:

> Janet Hunter recently referred to Ablion's Seed as "much maligned."
>
> I am new to the list, but have enjoyed the book, and referred others to
> it.
>
> As a folklorist, I have had my own problems with some of  Fisher's broad
> generalizing about culture (he uses folklife and folk culture without
> referencing any 20th century scholarly folklore theory or practice, like
> he's discovered "folkways" as a concept all on his own), but otherwise
> think he's developed some wonderful insights on American regional
> culture.  I found his work particularly helpful when I was doing
> cultural survey work on the Delmarva Peninsula for the Mid Atlantic Arts
> Federation a few years ago.  Really helped put the culture of the
> Tidewater and the Chesapeake into perspective for me, especially as
> contrasted to the Piedmont and the Blue Ridge regions, where I'd done
> alot of work before that.
>
> I looked back in the archives of the VAHIST list and could find no
> maligning of Albion's Seed. Maybe historians have had more to say about
> the book than folklorists.  Can you cite any critical reviews?
>
> D.
>
> --
> Douglas Day, M.A., Ph.D.
> Executive Director
> Albemarle County Historical Society
> The McIntire Building
> 200 Second Street, NE
> Charlottesville, Va. 22902-5245
> 434.296.1492
> fax 434.296-4576
> <avenue.org/achs>
> <albemarlehistory.org>
> <charlottesvillehistory.org>
>
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--
Kevin R. Hardwick, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of History, MSC 2001
James Madison University
Harrisonburg VA 22807
Phone:  540/568-6306
Email:  [log in to unmask]

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