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Title: In Search of Dracula: The History of Dracula and Vampires
ISBN: 0395657830
Author:
Radu Florescu
Raymond T. McNally
Publicate Date: 1994-10-31
Publish: 1994-10-31
List Price: $16.00
Average Customer Rating: 4.5
Format: Paperback
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $7.83
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $1.17
Amazon Merchant Price: $10.88
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| Customer Review: |
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1: Gift
I purchased this book as a gift. The book arrived a timely manner and in good condition. I bought this book based on a program I saw on the History Channel and with knowledge that the author has family history with Dracula.
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2: Fairly thorough, but aged
In Search of Dracula turned out to be a fairly informative source regarding Vlad Tepes, and all of the stories surrounding him. The authors certainly did their homework to the best of their abilities at the time, though I wonder if anything else has been discovered in the past 40 years or so. The chapters regarding filmography and all of the fictional books that have been written about Dracula and vampires in general, I found rather boring, though others may find them useful. I simply wasn't interested in those aspects. I found the stories regarding his actions (both as a blood-thirsty monster and as a strict, but fair ruler) to be very interesting.
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3: Bit of a let down....
I was disappointed with this book. I have read the authors' biography of Dracula, and found little new or worthwhile presented here. Moreover, the title is deceptive. Very little of this book is devoted to the history of vampires, and too much of it deals with modern popular culture. Given that the authors are serious scholars, I was hoping for a detailed look at popular culture roughly at the time of Vlad Tepes. I highly recommend the authors' other book, "Dracula: Prince of Many Faces," but find little merit in this volume. I think this book might have more appeal to a general audience. So, if you are looking for some basic background on the "real" Dracula (Vlad Tepes), and the basics of how he fits into folklore and popular culture, then this book may very well be for you. It is well written, and draws on the authors' considerable knowledge. It just was not what I expected or hoped for.
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4: The "real" dracula
If given the choice I would prefer to split this book down the middle, the first half being given fours stars and the second 1. I would have to say that the title of the books says this is a history of vampires as well as dracula. I think this is incorrect; there is one chapter on vampiric folklore which to be blunt is very vague and doesn't really tell you anything.
However, whilst I have doubts about there use of some evidence (the authors repeatedly seem very trusting of peasant folklore) the chapters on Dracula (Vlad Tepes), which constitute the bulk of the book, are very good and the book is worth buying for that alone.
I do have the feeling that once this was done the authors needed to padd the book out and hence add three chapters on vampire fiction to the present day. It is only because I have an obsessive need to finish any book I start that I finished this, otherwise I would have given up contented once they had finished with Dracula.
However, I am in agreement with the previous reviewer who stated that the score was recued by the appendixes. By bringing such resources in one place it is a very useful aid to the reader's further research and hence am happy to recommend.
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5: AN ESSENCIAL GUIDE OF VAMPIRES
I THINK THIS BOOK IS VERY NECCESSARY IF YOU WANT TO KNOW EVERY THING ABOUT THE HISTORY OF DRACULA AND VAMPIRES, AS TO KNOW THE TRADICIONAL FOLK OF THE PEOPLE FROM ROMANIA.
THE BOOK IS VERY EASY TO READ, AND YOU CAN HAVE A GOOD TIME IF YOU LOVE VAMPIRE STORIES.
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