Crime Victim Stories: New York City's Urban Folklore Book

"... an original study of an exciting, often shocking body of material." — Jan H. Brunvand

"... particularly valuable addition to the urban folklore literature... " — Contemporary Sociology

"Crime Victim Stories provides the reader with a fascinating account of the way in which New York urbanites relate their experiences and perceptions of violent crime." — Urban Studies

"Wachs brings scholarship to identifying the components, functions, exaggeration, style and folklore context in this pioneering field-study..." — Come-All-Ye

This is a true example of urban folklore scholarship, dealing with tales and themes (such as muggings, burglaries, and handicapped victims) from the most urban of urban centers, New York City.