| Mule Trader: Ray Lum 's Tales of Horses, Mules, and Men Contributor(s): Ferris, William R. (Author), Welty, Eudora (Foreword by) |
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ISBN: 1578060869 ISBN-13: 9781578060863 Publisher: University Press of Mississippi OUR PRICE: $24.75 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: September 1998 Annotation: Readers captivated by this book will be happy that Bill Ferris found Ray Lum and that he thought to turn on a tape recorder. Lure (1891-1977) was a mule skinner, a livestock trader, an auctioneer, and an American original. This delightful book, first published in 1992 as You Live and Learn. Then You Die and Forget It All, preserves Lum's colorful folk dialect and captures the essence of this one-of-a-kind figure who seems to have stepped full-blooded from the pages of Mark Twain. This riveting talespinner was tall, heavy-set, and full of body rhythm as he talked. In his special world he was famous for trading, for tale-telling, and for com common-sense lessons that had made him a savvy bargainer and a shrewd businessman. His home and his auction barn were in Vicksburg, Mississippi, where mules were his main interest, but in trading he fanned out over twenty states and even into Mexico. A west Texas newspaper reported his fame this way: He is "known all over cow country for his honest fair dealing and gentlemanly attitude.... A letter addressed to him anywhere in Texas probably would be delivered". Over several years Ferris recorded Lum's many long conversations that detail livestock auctioneering, cheery memories of rustic Deep South culture, and a philosophy of life that is grounded in good horse sense. Even among the most spellbinding talkers Lure is a standout both for what he has to say and for the way he says it. Ferris's lucky, protracted encounters with him turn out to be the best of good fortune for everybody. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Social Science | Anthropology - Cultural & Social - Social Science | Folklore & Mythology - Social Science | Customs & Traditions |
| Dewey: 975 |
| LCCN: 98028245 |
| Series: Banner Books |
| Physical Information: 0.8" H x 6" W x 8.9" (0.85 lbs) 282 pages |
| Themes: - Cultural Region - South |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Readers captivated by this book will be happy that Bill Ferris found Ray Lum and that he thought to turn on a tape recorder. Lum (1891-1977) was a mule skinner, a livestock trader, an auctioneer, and an American original. This delightful book, first published in 1992 as "You Live and Learn. Then You Die and Forget It All," preserves Lum's colorful folk dialect and captures the essence of this one-of-a-kind figure who seems to have stepped full-blooded from the pages of Mark Twain. This riveting tale-spinner was tall, heavy-set, and full of body rhythm as he talked. In his special world, he was famous for trading, for tale-telling, and for common-sense lessons that had made him a savvy bargainer and a shrewd businessman. His home and his auction barn were in Vicksburg, Mississippi, where mules were his main interest, but in trading he fanned out over twenty states and even into Mexico. A west Texas newspaper reported his fame this way, "He is known all over cow country for his honest, fair dealing and gentlemanly attitude. . . . A letter addressed to him anywhere in Texas probably would be delivered." Over several years, Ferris recorded Lum's many long conversations that detail livestock auctioneering, cheery memories of rustic Deep South culture, and a philosophy of life that is grounded in good horse sense. Even among the most spellbinding talkers, Lum is a standout both for what he has to say and for the way he says it. Ferris's lucky, protracted encounters with him turn out to be the best of good fortune for everybody. |
Contributor Bio(s): Ferris, William R.: - William R. Ferris is author or editor of multiple publications, including Mule Trader: Ray Lum's Tales of Horses, Mules, and Men; Afro-American Folk Art and Crafts; and (with Mary L. Hart) Folk Music and Modern Sound, all published by University Press of Mississippi.Welty, Eudora: - Eudora Welty is author of many novels and story collections, including The Optimist's Daughter (winner of the Pulitzer Prize), Losing Battles, The Ponder Heart, The Robber Bridegroom, A Curtain of Green and Other Stories, as well as three collections of her photographic work--Photographs, Country Churchyards, and One Time, One Place: Mississippi in the Depression, all published by University Press of Mississippi. |