What Goes Around Comes Around

In this collection of essays, prominent folklorists look at varied modern uses and contexts of proverbs and proverbial speech, some traditional and conventional, others new and unexpected. After the editors' introduction discussing the history and status of attempts to define proverbs, describing their contemporary circulation, and acknowledging the especially important work of paremiologist Wolfgang Meider, the contributions examine the continuing pervasiveness and idiomatic relevance of proverbs in modern culture. Kimberly J. Lau is assistant professor of English at the University of Utah and the author of New Age Capitalism: Making Money East of Eden. Folklorist Peter Tokofsky has published articles on a number of topics, notably on aspects of carnival. Stephen Winick is the director of the Delaware Valley Folklore Center and has written a dissertation and published other work on proverbs.