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Title: In Search of Dracula : The History of Dracula and Vampires by Radu Florescu, Raymond T. McNally ISBN: 0-395-65783-0 Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Co Pub. Date: 31 October, 1994 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.79 (14 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Dracula: Man and Myth
Comment: This is an excellent book by Raymond T. McNally and Radu Florescu on their search to discover the real Vlad Dracula, the 15th century Romanian ruler who was the dark and bloody basis for Bram Stoker's classic character. It chronicles the life of Dracula from his beginnings as a young prisoner of the Turkish Sultan, to his exploits against the Turkish invasion of Eastern Europe, and finally his death in battle in 1476. It investigates the myth that grew up around Dracula due to his legendary cruelty and murderous bloodlust, including his penchant for impalement. The book also analyzes the growing body of vampire lore and literature, including their modern film and TV incarnations. It provides a thorough history of vampirism from ancient to modern times and tries to explain our ever-growing obsession with vampires and their ilk. The authors' travels took them across Eastern Europe in their quest to find the haunts of the real-life Vlad, including the ruins of Castle Dracula and his reputed grave at Snagov. It delves into the complex history of a man who would largely be remembered as the most famous vampire of all time, as well as our equally curious fascination with the Undead.
Rating: 4
Summary: Not Terribly Scholarly, but a Worthwhile Introduction.
Comment: "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.
Rating: 5
Summary: Great Vlad book
Comment: A very nice work by two very good researchers/authors. I would love to see more work done about that time period and geographical location. That era in time, with the exception of the early Crusades, has had, I believe, the most significant impact through time all the way to present day. A must read for military, Eastern European, Ottoman empire buffs, and for those interested in events and places surrounding the fall of Byzantium.
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Title: Dracula, Prince of Many Faces His Life and His Times by R. Radu/McNally Florescu ISBN: 0316286567 Publisher: Back Bay Books Pub. Date: 31 October, 1990 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
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Title: The Vampire Encyclopedia by Matthew Bunson ISBN: 0517162067 Publisher: Gramercy Pub. Date: 01 August, 2000 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: Vlad III Dracula: The Life and Times of the Historical Dracula by Kurt W. Treptow ISBN: 9739839223 Publisher: Center for Romanian Studies Pub. Date: June, 2000 List Price(USD): $39.95 |
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Title: Vlad the Impaler: In Search of the Real Dracula by M. J. Trow ISBN: 0750929650 Publisher: Sutton Publishing Pub. Date: June, 2003 List Price(USD): $22.95 |
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Title: The Vampire: A Casebook by Alan Dundes ISBN: 0299159248 Publisher: University of Wisconsin Press Pub. Date: December, 1998 List Price(USD): $15.31 |
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