Speak Useful Words or Say Nothing : Old Norse Studies by Joseph Harris

This selection by Susan E. Deskis and Thomas D. Hill of twelve of Joseph Harris's most important essays underscores the range of his work from critical readings of canonical texts to philological elucidation of Old Norse and Old English literary works to discussions of theoretical issues such as oral theory. Harris's studies of such topics as the Old Norse short narrative (the pattr) and of the Masterbuilder tale focus on problems such as the literary history of oral genres and the aesthetics of traditional and oral literature, offering brilliant readings of specific texts along with models of literary historical discourse.

Joseph Harris is the Francis Lee Higginson Professor of English and Professor of Folklore at Harvard University. Susan E. Deskis is Associate Professor of English at Northern Illinois University. Thomas D. Hill is Professor of English at Cornell University.