Vampires A World History

Eric Vernor continues to produce significant work on 'dark' subcultures from an emic perspective, and treats many artifacts of popular culture that have previously gone unanalyzed, offering a unique perspective into our fascination with the undead." ~ Joseph Laycock, Vampires Today: The Truth about Modern Vampirism, Texas State University "...lucid and riveting. Even knowledgeable connoisseurs of the un-dead will find this retelling fresh and exciting." ~ John Edgar Browning Coauthor of Dracula in Visual Media Editor of The Forgotten Writings of Bram Stoker The Vampire, His Kith and Kin: A Critical Edition Vampires are beings of myth: folkloric creatures who live off the blood of the living and have been recorded in nearly every culture around the world since the beginning of man. This work traces the evolution of the vampire, from its roots in ancient mythology to obscure folk tales and legends, leading up to when these foul beings transformed into the suave Byronic heroes that continue to influence the world's view of the vampire today. It also examines key individuals in history involved in reshaping our concept of the creature. Popular culture is explored, along with the development of the vampire into the protagonist in plays and poems and novels.