ISBN: 0-8061-2064-9

Plains Folk

In this commonplace book of the Great Plains the authors explore the culture of the plains and seek out its uniquenesses as well as its commonalities with other folk regions. In this collection, drawn from their syndicated column entitled "Plains Folk," the authors communicate the sense of region and show the bonds of community, of shared customs and traditions that exist among all plains dwellers, from Canadian, Texas, to the Canadian prairie provinces.

The Great Plains, one of four great grasslands of the world, encompass large portions of ten of the United States and three of the Canadian provinces. The greatest of Great Plains historians, Walter Prescott Webb, characterized the plains as flat, treeless, and semiarid. Typically, this characterization carries negative connotations. Most descriptions of the plains begin with a catalog of what they lack, namely, mountains, trees, and rainfall. But the corollary is positive: the plains have expansive vistas, lush grasslands, and blue skies.

In unique fashion Plains Folk brings together the understanding that comes from the authors' lifelong residence in the region and the insights that are the reward of their research.

Drawings by Don Johnson

(This book can be ordered from your local bookstore or directly from the University of Oklahoma Press by calling 1-800-627-7377 or by calling BOOK KANSAS! at 1-800-790-2665.)

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