Fifteenth-century Germany was the birthplace of movable type and of one of its powerful consequences, the broadside. This book examines the history and legacy of these printed sheets within the Pennsylvania German community.
Table of Contents:
Contents
List of Figures
Preface
Acknowledgments
Introduction
The Broadside in Germanic Europe
The Broadside in Britain and Anglo-America
The Broadside in Pennsylvania-German Culture
1. Song and Ballad Broadsides
2. The Broadside and Customs of the Year
3. Political and Military Broadsides
4. Medical Broadsides
5. Sale Bills, Advertisements, and Bookplates
6. Dialect Broadsides and Community Events
7. Religious Broadsides
8. House-Blessings and Heaven-Letters
9. The Broadside and the Rites of Passage
10. Prints: The Picture World of the Pennsylvania Dutch
Epilogue
Bibliographical Essay
Index
About the Author :
Don Yoder is Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies and Folklare and Folklife at the University of Pennsylvania. He is past president of the American Folklore Society and co-founder of the Pennsylvania Folklife Society.
Review :
“Don Yoder delves deep into the history of this elaborate form of printing, providing German terminology along with more than 200 elaborate illustrations and photographs. This beautifully designed hardcover book would be an attractive addition to any history buff’s coffee table.”
—Lisa Kellar Pittsburgh City Paper
“The Pennsylvania German Broadside exudes the passion that Yoder has as collector, historian,and folklorist for this material and this culture. In addition, it is the story of a scholar’s lifelong dedication to his work. . . . If the paper ephemera of all American communities had such a devoted collector and analyst who was willing to labor such challenging material throughout and entire career, the study of American culture, past and present, would be much richer for it.”
—Leonard Norman Primiano Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography
