In Search of Dracula: The History of Dracula and Vampires - Hardcover

McNally, Raymond T.; Florescu, Radu

3.88

1,559 ratings by Goodreads

9780860519690: In Search of Dracula: The History of Dracula and Vampires

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0860519694 ISBN 13: 9780860519690

Publisher: Robson Books Ltd, 1995

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The true story behind the legend of Dracula - a biography of Prince Vlad of Transylvania, better known as Vlad the Impaler. This revised edition now includes entries from Bram Stoker's recently discovered diaries, the amazing tale of Nicolae Ceausescu's attempt to make Vlad a national hero, and an examination of recent adaptations in fiction, stage and screen.

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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 photos from the authors' trips to Romania.

From the Back Cover:

Until recently most people thought Dracula was a creation of film and fiction. With the original publication of In Search of Dracula, the actual historical figure of Prince Vlad of Transylvania - better known as Vlad the Impaler - was rediscovered, and readers were introduced to one of the darkest figures of Eastern European history and folklore. Out of print for more than a decade, In Search of Dracula has now been completely rewritten and updated. This new edition includes entries from Bram Stoker's newly discovered diaries, the amazing tale of Nicolae Ceausescu's attempt to make Vlad a Romanian national hero, and a comprehensive examination of recent adaptations of the Dracula story in novels, on stage, and on screen. For a member of the undead, Dracula has enjoyed a vibrant and ubiquitous life for the past century. Even more enduring and powerful a creation than Sherlock Holmes - with whom he shares similar late-Victorian popular literary origins - the Count continues to fascinate with his distinctive mixture of blood, sex, and death.

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