Meeting Folklore

The Mao-Kissinger Meeting Of 1973

David Cowhig | Translation Blog | 8th June 2023

Verbatim account of talks in Beijing between Henry Kissinger and Mao Zhedong following Richard Nixon's visit to China the previous year. Chilling and fascinating throughout. Mao leads and provokes, Kissinger holds up well. Mao seems almost hopeful of a Sino-Soviet war, and invites Kissinger to see the attractions of a Soviet invasion of China: "They would attack China and be defeated" (6,400 words)

How Folklore Goes Digital

Literal Banana | Return | 3rd June 2023

On the differences between myths, legends, fairy-stories, and stuff we just make up. In folklore studies, a story told for true is a story meant to be believed by its audience. What we now call urban legends are stories told for true until proved false. A memorat is a story that the teller claims to have experienced at first hand. Memorats "constitute the bulk of interesting folklore in our time" (3,600 words)