In Search of Dracula: The History of Dracula and Vampires |
Buy In Search of Dracula: The History of Dracula and Vampires here, one of 749 Media History books offered for sale at discount prices here in the history books section at R bookshop. There are currently 83508 history books in our history books section, and over 1,000,000 books listed in our book store. We greatly appreciate your patronage at R bookshop and look forward to offering you a large selection of great books at discount prices now and in the future. Thank you for shopping at R Bookshop!
|
You Are Here: Home > History Books > Media History > Item 58
|
In Search of Dracula: The History of Dracula and Vampires
|
by Radu Florescu and Raymond T. McNally
Sales Rank: 60049
|
List Price: $16.00
$10.88
At Amazon
on 8-2-2008.
|
|
|
|
Features
Cover Type: Paperback with 320 pages
Published by: Houghton Mifflin; Rev Sub edition October 31, 1994
Written in: English
ISBN 10 Number: 0395657830
ISBN 13 Number: 978-0395657836
Book Dimensions:
9 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
Weighs: 14.9 ounces
Product Review
"Little did the coauthors realize at the time they embarked upon this project over a glass of plum brandy in Bucharest more than twenty-five years ago, that their work would result in the discovery of the authentic, bloodthirsty prototype for Bram Stoker's famous novel Dracula." This pioneering study, first published in 1972, became a collector's item, so this fully updated edition is welcome indeed. The authors' pursuit of the notion that Vlad the Impaler (1431-76) was the original Dracula--through treks both antiquarian (in old libraries and museums) and geographic (in areas of Romania that were once Transylvania and Walachia)--has the thrill of an adventure story. In Search of Dracula is also an entertaining introduction to vampire lore and to people's obsession with Dracula. It has a delightful cover by Edward Gorey and numerous illustrations, including antique woodcuts of Vlad's impaled victims and photographs from the authors' trips to Romania.
From Library Journal
McNally and Florescu, the authors of several Dracula-related titles, here trace the history of Vlad Tepes, a.k.a. Vlad the Impaler, the murderous Romanian prince upon whom Bram Stoker based his infamous blood-drinking count (LJ 2/1/73). The duo gathered their information from Romanian peasant oral history and firsthand archaeological research. This updated edition also includes information on the vampire legend, an extensive filmography, and excerpts from Stoker's recently discovered diaries.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Reader Reviews
"In Search of Dracula" is an exploration into any historical basis that may exist for Bram Stoker's icon of gothic horror, Count Dracula. The authors, Raymond McNally and Radu Florescu, both history professors at Boston College, undertook seven research expeditions to investigate their hypothesis that the infamous vampire Count was in part based on a real person: the 15th century Eastern European ruler Vlad Tepes, Prince of Wallachia, otherwise known as Vlad the Impaler. Vlad Tepes' father was Vlad Dracul, who ruled Wallachia before him, and Tepes preferred the name "Dracula", by which he was widely known in his own time. Bram Stoker's Count Dracula appears to have been inspired by stories of Vlad the Impaler along with the vampire folklore of the region that the historical Dracula dominated. Vlad the Impaler has never been considered a vampire by his countrymen, and similarities to the fictional Count are superficial, but they are enough to indicate more than coincidence: The two men have the same name. Count Dracula is from Transylvania, while Prince Dracula was from neighboring Wallachia, but his castle was on the Transylvanian border. Both men led their nations to victory against the incurring Ottoman Turks. And both were widely feared. Vlad the Impaler was and still is considered to be one of the most bloodthirsty and Machiavellian leaders to have ever lived, having murdered an estimated one fifth of his own population. Legend has it that the ruthless Prince ate bread dipped in the blood of his victims. That's not substantiable, but it may provide a further connection to Bram Stoker's fictional Count. Count Dracula and Vlad Tepes have nothing in common beyond these few traits, and the horrific truth of Vlad Tepes' rule in the mid- to late- 15th century is far more frightening than any gothic horror novel, but not nearly as seductively allegorical. The first approximately hundred pages of "In Search of Dracula" are about about the life of Vlad Tepes, or Prince Dracula, Count Dracula's historical namesake. This history is not scholarly enough for my taste. But it serves well as an introduction to the subjects of the Ottoman incursions into Europe, Eastern European politics in the 15th century, and the life of the infamous Vlad the Impaler. It has inspired me to delve further into these subjects. The book also includes chapters on Bram Stoker and on Dracula's incarnations in fiction and film. Ironically, although the authors' case for how and why Vlad Tepes was an inspiration for Count Dracula is reasonably strong, I felt that it was stated weakly. And readers would very much benefit from a good map during the discussions of conflicts with the Turks, but the book offers only two small and extremely poor maps. I would be inclined to give "In Search of Dracula" 3 stars if not for its Appendixes, which include translations of old German, Russian, and Romanian stories about Vlad Tepes as well as a comprehensive vampire filmography up until 1992. I found the filmography very useful. So, although it's far from perfect, I recommend this book to anyone interested in the origins of Dracula.
Comment | |
(Report this)
Back To Top
|
In Search of Dracula: The History of Dracula and Vampires
Available from Amazon
Price: $10.88
Updated on 8-2-2008.
|
NOTICE: All prices, availability, and specifications
are subject to verification by their respective retailers.
| We offer In Search of Dracula: The History of Dracula and Vampires and other related Media History Books here at Rbookshop.com. To view more books about Media History please use the previous and next buttons near the top of this page.
|
|
Search for books at
