As Martha looked through her mother's notes and also reflected on her own life, she realized there were other unfinished books about the Adirondacks. For example, she has written An Adirondack Scotch Pine Love Story and, in conjunction with her husband, a biography of Tom Norman, a well known farmer and entrepreneur in the North Country. This book of Adirondack Tall Tales is derived mostly from Helen Tyler's previous books, but there are two stories that have not appeared in earlier works. Martha added a discussion of folk tales and tall tales. She also added a brief multi-cultural comparison of a folk tale from Africa to show the difference between "tall" and "folk" tales. MARTHA TYLER JOHN Helen Escha Tyler (1892-1986) lived in the Adirondacks nearly 95 years and wrote several books about the Adirondacks. Martha Tyler John, was born in Saranac Lake, New York, and returned to the Adirondacks frequently. After receiving her doctorate from Stanford University, she enjoyed a lengthy career as a professor and university administrator. She wrote dozens of books and articles and also edited her mother's last book, a biography of Paul Smith, that was published by North Country Books.
