"People can always read the book."
The review that stands out for me said "Look - the folk didn't write folk songs"

Unless that reviewer (which review is it ?) has been taking part in this discussion why bend people's ears over it here.

If you want some academic arrogance then I will say that Walter Pardon's view about the tunes (melodeon bellows etc) lacks rigour and displays a flaw in logic worthy of a simple country man. It makes me reluctant to accept what he says about the words at face value.

That said, I hope people regard the interview as a valuable record of the views he came to base on his experience and knowldege of the past. Not to take it into account in a scholarly study would be remiss but to base a critique of a book on it is unconvincing.