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Дракула
Originally published in French in 2004, Matei Cazacu's Dracula remains the most authoritative scholarly biography of the Wallachian prince Vlad III the Impaler (1448, 1456-1462, 1476). Its core is an exhaustively researched reconstruction of Dracula's life and political career, using original sources in more than nine languages. In addition, Cazacu traces Dracula's metamorphosis, at the hands of contemporary propagandists, into variously a bloodthirsty tyrant, and an early modern "great sovereign." Beyond this Cazacu explores Dracula's transformation into "the vampire prince" in literature, film, and folklore, with surprising new discoveries on Bram Stoker's sources for his novel. In this first English translation, the text and bibliography are updated, and readers are provided with an appendix of the key sources for Dracula's life, in fresh and accurate English translations.
328 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2004
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May 13, 2023
The real Dracula’s always a fascinating figure and quite a divisive one at that. He is, for example, a national hero in Romania due to his steadfast resistance against the Turks, while in most of the outside world he’s known mainly for his atrocities, if people even know there’s a man behind the vampire.
There are, unsurprisingly, several biographies of the man available, but in English the only readily accessible ones are those by Radu Florescu and Raymond McNally (In Search of Dracula, Dracula: A Biography of Vlad the Impaler, Dracula, Prince of Many Faces). Other biographies by Ștefan Andreescu (proud and towing the mandatory Communist party line) and Kurt Treptow (cynical and perhaps overly iconoclastic) are difficult and expensive to find. All of them offer a good description of the life of the Impaler.
So what makes this book stand out from the rest? In a word: context. While the other books serve better as entertaining biographies of Dracula (and I’d start there if this was my introduction to the man), only this book can truly claim to be a history of Dracula’s reign. In truth, the focus of the book is not Dracula himself but on the better-documented kingdoms that surround him. We hear far more of Mehmet II and Matthew Corvinus than we do of any of Dracula’s fellow Wallachians. The reason for this is obvious: these are where our sources come from, but nonetheless it highlights the essential truth that Vlad’s actions are only explicable when viewed as a reaction to the behavior of these princes. And I don’t think that any of these earlier books, with their narrow focus on their subject, really capture the grander scale of events on the Turkish frontier particularly well.
The historical contextualization and cultural insights are wonderful. Every major event is placed into context. Some of the conclusions here are astounding and can only be produced by a detailed knowledge of all the different cultures of the region. A great example is the discussion of the Turkish practice of beheading, which was really more like scalping. The skin was peeled off the head along with the hair and then stuffed and used for display in a way that took longer to decay, apparently. This is relevant here because the body, presumed to be Vlad’s, exhumed from the monastery in Snagov had a head firmly attached to the body. This has been held as proof that it wasn’t really Dracula, since his head is known to have been taken back to Constantinople, but if the broader context is considered it seems clear that the tradition that he was buried there is likely correct. So much for being reborn as a vampire!
Despite all this there is a certain emptiness about the book. Events of terrific import are passed over in a single sentence. Of the death of Dracula’s father and elder brother, for example, all that’s said is that they were captured and executed in a lightning raid led by John Hunyadi. As with many of the details here, the sources don’t provide enough details for an in-depth narrative, but it still seems odd that no mention is made of the claims that Mircea was buried alive or any reference to his betrayal by the boyar class. It may be that these claims were partisan hack-jobs, but to my mind it should still have been mentioned. As the actual narrative of Dracula’s life is relatively short (144 pages) there was certainly room for a less bare-bones approach to the material.
This book is very good as a source of information but is completely lacking in aesthetic style. The author doesn’t have a dramatic bone in his body, which makes this less fun as a read than any other account I’ve seen. The frequent digressions and explanations of cultural traits makes for an inconsistent narrative. However, these digressions also provide the most fascinating facts. View this book as a companion to more focused biography.
The book makes frequent use of lengthy passages taken from relevant texts, particularly to establish statements about the character of a place/person or to provide a narration for events he preferred not to summarize. I personally enjoyed the openness that seeing these quotations in full provided, although I often found them too long and distracting. There are times when it feels more like a sourcebook than a secondary source! One of the nicer things about these excerpts is that many are taken from wide-ranging texts rather than just the standard histories dealing with Dracula. We get details about life in Wallachia and its neighboring territories from monks, knights, merchants, slaves, and nobles. Often enough this has nothing to do with Dracula, but it expands the scale of the book immensely.
The author is a little reluctant to draw conclusions, a relief after having read so many Romanian accounts that draw tremendous conclusions out of tiny slivers of evidence (did you know Dracula was an early Communist?), but also a downside when you really don’t know what‘s being argued. His openmindedness is incredible and a little bizarre from an American perspective. His concluding chapter asks the seemingly sincere question of whether Dracula was a vampire or not.
There are, unsurprisingly, several biographies of the man available, but in English the only readily accessible ones are those by Radu Florescu and Raymond McNally (In Search of Dracula, Dracula: A Biography of Vlad the Impaler, Dracula, Prince of Many Faces). Other biographies by Ștefan Andreescu (proud and towing the mandatory Communist party line) and Kurt Treptow (cynical and perhaps overly iconoclastic) are difficult and expensive to find. All of them offer a good description of the life of the Impaler.
So what makes this book stand out from the rest? In a word: context. While the other books serve better as entertaining biographies of Dracula (and I’d start there if this was my introduction to the man), only this book can truly claim to be a history of Dracula’s reign. In truth, the focus of the book is not Dracula himself but on the better-documented kingdoms that surround him. We hear far more of Mehmet II and Matthew Corvinus than we do of any of Dracula’s fellow Wallachians. The reason for this is obvious: these are where our sources come from, but nonetheless it highlights the essential truth that Vlad’s actions are only explicable when viewed as a reaction to the behavior of these princes. And I don’t think that any of these earlier books, with their narrow focus on their subject, really capture the grander scale of events on the Turkish frontier particularly well.
The historical contextualization and cultural insights are wonderful. Every major event is placed into context. Some of the conclusions here are astounding and can only be produced by a detailed knowledge of all the different cultures of the region. A great example is the discussion of the Turkish practice of beheading, which was really more like scalping. The skin was peeled off the head along with the hair and then stuffed and used for display in a way that took longer to decay, apparently. This is relevant here because the body, presumed to be Vlad’s, exhumed from the monastery in Snagov had a head firmly attached to the body. This has been held as proof that it wasn’t really Dracula, since his head is known to have been taken back to Constantinople, but if the broader context is considered it seems clear that the tradition that he was buried there is likely correct. So much for being reborn as a vampire!
Despite all this there is a certain emptiness about the book. Events of terrific import are passed over in a single sentence. Of the death of Dracula’s father and elder brother, for example, all that’s said is that they were captured and executed in a lightning raid led by John Hunyadi. As with many of the details here, the sources don’t provide enough details for an in-depth narrative, but it still seems odd that no mention is made of the claims that Mircea was buried alive or any reference to his betrayal by the boyar class. It may be that these claims were partisan hack-jobs, but to my mind it should still have been mentioned. As the actual narrative of Dracula’s life is relatively short (144 pages) there was certainly room for a less bare-bones approach to the material.
This book is very good as a source of information but is completely lacking in aesthetic style. The author doesn’t have a dramatic bone in his body, which makes this less fun as a read than any other account I’ve seen. The frequent digressions and explanations of cultural traits makes for an inconsistent narrative. However, these digressions also provide the most fascinating facts. View this book as a companion to more focused biography.
The book makes frequent use of lengthy passages taken from relevant texts, particularly to establish statements about the character of a place/person or to provide a narration for events he preferred not to summarize. I personally enjoyed the openness that seeing these quotations in full provided, although I often found them too long and distracting. There are times when it feels more like a sourcebook than a secondary source! One of the nicer things about these excerpts is that many are taken from wide-ranging texts rather than just the standard histories dealing with Dracula. We get details about life in Wallachia and its neighboring territories from monks, knights, merchants, slaves, and nobles. Often enough this has nothing to do with Dracula, but it expands the scale of the book immensely.
The author is a little reluctant to draw conclusions, a relief after having read so many Romanian accounts that draw tremendous conclusions out of tiny slivers of evidence (did you know Dracula was an early Communist?), but also a downside when you really don’t know what‘s being argued. His openmindedness is incredible and a little bizarre from an American perspective. His concluding chapter asks the seemingly sincere question of whether Dracula was a vampire or not.
June 1, 2024
Matei Cazacu's 'Dracula' is probably the best academic history book available in English on Vlad III the Impaler (also known as Dracula). That is at least until Corpus Draculianum is translated into English, which will hopefully happen in the next few years.
The first part of the book goes through the history of Vlad the Impaler's reign and then the life of his successors. The second part analyses the various sources that we have available about the Vlad's life and the veridicity of these sources.
This is because Vlad was the probably one of the first victims of media slander. His greatest enemies, the Saxons of Transilvania likely used the newly invented printing press to publish and spread stories about the Voivode's violence. These stories involved things such as flesh eating, drinking blood, sadism and so on and were spread throughout the German speaking world. While Vlad the Impaler was well known for impaling his enemies, this was not very unusual at the time as several of his contemporaries did the same thing. There is little actual evidence outside of the German tales about his savagery and cruelty, for example Chalkokondyles does not mention anything about this despite covering the Ottoman campaign of 1462 in detail.
The main sources that we have about his life are:
- Geschite Dracole Waide (Anonymus, 1463)
- Von ainem wutrich der hies Trakle waida von der Walachei (Michael Beheim, 1463)
- Laonikos Chalkokondyles (c 1474)
- Skazanie o Drakule voevode (Fyodor Kuritsyn, 1486)
- Die Geschicht Dracole Waide (Anonymus, 1488)
The last part of the book also deals with the history of the modern myth of Dracula and explains Stoker's inspiration for his novel. Even though I don't really agree with including modern myths and inventions in an academic book about a medieval subject there were some very interesting facts here.
It seems that Stoker took great inspiration from Marie Nizet's Captain Vampire. This was a book written in 1879 (19 years before Dracula was published) by a Belgian writer who was very interested in Romania's fight for independence against Russia and the Ottoman Turks. The novel takes place during the Russo-Turkish war of 1877-78 in Romania and Bulgaria and features Count Liatoukine, a Russian vampire that seduces women and drains their blood. Nizet likely took inspiration from Romanian folklore and the myth of the Sburator, an incubus that makes love to women at night. She was acquainted with Ion Heliade Radulescu, a Romanian writer that wrote a modern version of the Sburator myth in 1843.
This book is a worthwhile read for anyone interested in the medieval history of Eastern Europe and the life of the real Dracula.
The first part of the book goes through the history of Vlad the Impaler's reign and then the life of his successors. The second part analyses the various sources that we have available about the Vlad's life and the veridicity of these sources.
This is because Vlad was the probably one of the first victims of media slander. His greatest enemies, the Saxons of Transilvania likely used the newly invented printing press to publish and spread stories about the Voivode's violence. These stories involved things such as flesh eating, drinking blood, sadism and so on and were spread throughout the German speaking world. While Vlad the Impaler was well known for impaling his enemies, this was not very unusual at the time as several of his contemporaries did the same thing. There is little actual evidence outside of the German tales about his savagery and cruelty, for example Chalkokondyles does not mention anything about this despite covering the Ottoman campaign of 1462 in detail.
The main sources that we have about his life are:
- Geschite Dracole Waide (Anonymus, 1463)
- Von ainem wutrich der hies Trakle waida von der Walachei (Michael Beheim, 1463)
- Laonikos Chalkokondyles (c 1474)
- Skazanie o Drakule voevode (Fyodor Kuritsyn, 1486)
- Die Geschicht Dracole Waide (Anonymus, 1488)
The last part of the book also deals with the history of the modern myth of Dracula and explains Stoker's inspiration for his novel. Even though I don't really agree with including modern myths and inventions in an academic book about a medieval subject there were some very interesting facts here.
It seems that Stoker took great inspiration from Marie Nizet's Captain Vampire. This was a book written in 1879 (19 years before Dracula was published) by a Belgian writer who was very interested in Romania's fight for independence against Russia and the Ottoman Turks. The novel takes place during the Russo-Turkish war of 1877-78 in Romania and Bulgaria and features Count Liatoukine, a Russian vampire that seduces women and drains their blood. Nizet likely took inspiration from Romanian folklore and the myth of the Sburator, an incubus that makes love to women at night. She was acquainted with Ion Heliade Radulescu, a Romanian writer that wrote a modern version of the Sburator myth in 1843.
This book is a worthwhile read for anyone interested in the medieval history of Eastern Europe and the life of the real Dracula.
July 5, 2016
La figura di Dracula mi ha da sempre affascinata sia come personaggio storico sia come figura che, nell'immaginario collettivo, viene associata a quella del vampiro sanguinario.
In questo volume troviamo la sua biografia ampliata con nozioni sulla storia della Valacchia e della Romania riguardanti il periodo tardo medievale, Cazacu non si è limitato soltanto a riportare passo passo la storia della vita del Voivoda ma ha approfondito anche gli aspetti etnografici e sociali dell'epoca dando al lettore molti spunti vista anche la presenza della ricca bibliografia.
Per chi non è avvezzo alla lettura di saggi, questo volume risulterà un tantino pesante... In compenso gli amanti della storia troveranno pane per i loro denti.
In questo volume troviamo la sua biografia ampliata con nozioni sulla storia della Valacchia e della Romania riguardanti il periodo tardo medievale, Cazacu non si è limitato soltanto a riportare passo passo la storia della vita del Voivoda ma ha approfondito anche gli aspetti etnografici e sociali dell'epoca dando al lettore molti spunti vista anche la presenza della ricca bibliografia.
Per chi non è avvezzo alla lettura di saggi, questo volume risulterà un tantino pesante... In compenso gli amanti della storia troveranno pane per i loro denti.
August 9, 2013
One of my favourites biography books :D
January 11, 2019
THE TYRANT, THE VAMPIRE, THE NATIONAL HERO
Vlad III Țepeș, son of Vlad the Devil, had lived many lives. First he was a son of the voivode and a prisoner to the Ottoman sultan. Then he was a voivode himself — a ruthless, cunning ruler, who managed to oppose Mehmed the Conqueror at the peak of his power. Then he was made a scapegoat for the Hungarian king, an example for the young Russian leaders to follow, and a horror story for the German mob. He was given a brand new personality and history by Bram Stoker and turned into a stock character in modern pop culture. He was taken by Ceaușescu’s regime and turned into a national hero fitting the Party’s narrative.
To separate the sheep from goats in all of this haze and find truth in the sparse and contradicting sources takes not only skill and diligence, but also a great deal of evenhandedness. Matei Cazacu’s work has it all. It’s an exhaustive portrayal of the Drăculești Wallachia, as well as Vlad III. It doesn’t deny or romanticise any of the horrid deeds that he had done, but it puts them in a broader context of not only the geopolitical reality of Eastern Europe of 15th century, but also the law or economy of the region, which explains many of the events later used to besmirch Dracula.
Furthermore, Cazacu follows the Drăculești line down to their last known heir, linking the history to the tales and accounts that inspired Bram Stoker to rename his original vampire character (whose story seems like a not-so-loose adaptation of a certain Marie Nizet’s Captain Vampire) and turn him into the Count Dracula who became such an integral part of modern pop culture.
Cazacu sheds light on the folklore and the “historical” accounts of vampirism, acknowledging the links between the supposed curse and the religious habits, diet and lifestyle of Middle Ages Wallachians. His work explains and clarifies everything that was dubbed a mystery thus far, reaching to multiple sources in various European languages, but still allowing the reader to compare the accounts on their own and draw their own conclusions. It’s a truly fascinating, informative and infinitely inspiring read.
Vlad III Țepeș, son of Vlad the Devil, had lived many lives. First he was a son of the voivode and a prisoner to the Ottoman sultan. Then he was a voivode himself — a ruthless, cunning ruler, who managed to oppose Mehmed the Conqueror at the peak of his power. Then he was made a scapegoat for the Hungarian king, an example for the young Russian leaders to follow, and a horror story for the German mob. He was given a brand new personality and history by Bram Stoker and turned into a stock character in modern pop culture. He was taken by Ceaușescu’s regime and turned into a national hero fitting the Party’s narrative.
To separate the sheep from goats in all of this haze and find truth in the sparse and contradicting sources takes not only skill and diligence, but also a great deal of evenhandedness. Matei Cazacu’s work has it all. It’s an exhaustive portrayal of the Drăculești Wallachia, as well as Vlad III. It doesn’t deny or romanticise any of the horrid deeds that he had done, but it puts them in a broader context of not only the geopolitical reality of Eastern Europe of 15th century, but also the law or economy of the region, which explains many of the events later used to besmirch Dracula.
Furthermore, Cazacu follows the Drăculești line down to their last known heir, linking the history to the tales and accounts that inspired Bram Stoker to rename his original vampire character (whose story seems like a not-so-loose adaptation of a certain Marie Nizet’s Captain Vampire) and turn him into the Count Dracula who became such an integral part of modern pop culture.
Cazacu sheds light on the folklore and the “historical” accounts of vampirism, acknowledging the links between the supposed curse and the religious habits, diet and lifestyle of Middle Ages Wallachians. His work explains and clarifies everything that was dubbed a mystery thus far, reaching to multiple sources in various European languages, but still allowing the reader to compare the accounts on their own and draw their own conclusions. It’s a truly fascinating, informative and infinitely inspiring read.
July 16, 2019
Un livre doublement passionnant. D abord parce que Matei Cazacu a réussi une biographie fort bien documenté de ce personnage hors du commun qui contribua à forger l identité roumaine. Grand connaisseur de l histoire de Byzance et des Balkans, s'appuyant sur des sources incontestables bien remises dans leur contexte, "Dracula" nous montre un Vlad l'Empaleur brillant militaire, diplomate, et tyran sanguinaire dans une époque violente de guerres civiles et religieuses dont les turcs, les hongrois et les polonais partagent les responsabilités dans la région. Mais Matei Cazuca nous décrit aussi fort bien la naissance du mythe, comment, s appuyant sur un fonds de légendes réelles mais totalement sorties de leurs contextes ou voire détournées, romanciers et cinéastes réussirent à créer un autre personnage. Comme pour d'autres part de notre histoire - Peter Pan pour les Caraibes, Alamo pour le Texas, ou Le jour le plus long pour la seconde guerre mondiale-, Hollywood réussit à écrire une nouvelle vérité dont de moins en moins de gens parviennent à distinguer la fiction, le parti pris ou la contre vérité.
May 1, 2024
Il soggetto, l’argomentazione, la struttura e il linguaggio di questo saggio sono molto interessanti e approfonditi; lo scrittore ha una grande capacità di esprimersi e di scrittura tale da rendere tutto più semplice e chiaro.
La storia della Valacchia e della Romania del Xv/Xvi secolo non è semplice: i nomi e le vicende sono molti e complessi si susseguono voivoda e guerre praticamente ogni anno ma l’autore è molto capace di districare una matassa talmente ingarbugliata che una vita non basterebbe.
Ho trovato molto interessante e sinceramente più leggera la parte che parla dei vampiri, il folklore e le credenze rumene.
La prima metà del saggio, dove tratta della vita del vero Vlad Tepes, è quella più tosta e per la quale ho impiegato molto più tempo di lettura. Non è una critica al volume è solo una considerazione!
Avrei apprezzato moltissimo una lista dei nomi, un’albero genealogico o qualcosa che ti aiuti a fare mente locale tra i mille personaggi e fatti! Forse è per questo che l’ho apprezzato meno di quanto avesse meritato!
Comunque sia è un trattato interessantissimo dove si approfondisce la società e la storia di una parte dell’europa che è rimasta troppo nell’ombra!
La storia della Valacchia e della Romania del Xv/Xvi secolo non è semplice: i nomi e le vicende sono molti e complessi si susseguono voivoda e guerre praticamente ogni anno ma l’autore è molto capace di districare una matassa talmente ingarbugliata che una vita non basterebbe.
Ho trovato molto interessante e sinceramente più leggera la parte che parla dei vampiri, il folklore e le credenze rumene.
La prima metà del saggio, dove tratta della vita del vero Vlad Tepes, è quella più tosta e per la quale ho impiegato molto più tempo di lettura. Non è una critica al volume è solo una considerazione!
Avrei apprezzato moltissimo una lista dei nomi, un’albero genealogico o qualcosa che ti aiuti a fare mente locale tra i mille personaggi e fatti! Forse è per questo che l’ho apprezzato meno di quanto avesse meritato!
Comunque sia è un trattato interessantissimo dove si approfondisce la società e la storia di una parte dell’europa che è rimasta troppo nell’ombra!
June 20, 2018
Libro molto interessante, non immaginavo che la storia della Romania fosse così complicata e che ci fosse un tale miscuglio di popoli, lingue, religioni e culture diverse. Un territorio di passaggio molto strategico per i commerci e le campagne militari, conteso per secoli da Ungheria e Impero Ottomano, in cui si situa la storia del voivoda Vlad Dracula e dei suoi avi e discendenti. Una figura molto controversa, sicuramente un uomo con pochi scrupoli anche se le sue gesta efferate sono state probabilmente gonfiate ad arte dai suoi nemici politici per screditarlo e dai posteri per farne un esempio di governo.
March 24, 2016
Ottimo saggio che copre ben piu' della vita del Voivoda valacco. La figura di Vlad e'tratteggiata non mediante una semplice biografia.
In questo libro la parte storica, etnografica e sociale hanno un uguale peso.
La bravura di Cazacu e' stata quella di delineare l'ambiente ed il periodo storico non in modo circoscritto ma ampio citando documenti/resoconti necessari per comprendere la storia valacco/transilvana.
Non stupira' quindi di vedersi edotti delle vicende politiche ungheresi, balcaniche, bizantine e turche. Vicende che permettono non solo di collocare la figure di Vlad storicamente ma anche di comprendere meglio il perche' delle tuttora esistenti tensioni balcaniche.
Alla parte storica e famigliare di Dracula segue una parte in cui si va alla ricerca del mito vampiresco prima in senso letterario ( ben prima di Stoker) e poi antropologico. La descrizione dettagliata delle credenze locali (e delle ragioni culturali di esse) si fondono con i racconti narrati da viaggiatori/ambasciatori/studiosi a partire dal 1400.
Non facilissimo per chi non e' abituato a saggistica "vera" ma sicuramente da leggere.
In questo libro la parte storica, etnografica e sociale hanno un uguale peso.
La bravura di Cazacu e' stata quella di delineare l'ambiente ed il periodo storico non in modo circoscritto ma ampio citando documenti/resoconti necessari per comprendere la storia valacco/transilvana.
Non stupira' quindi di vedersi edotti delle vicende politiche ungheresi, balcaniche, bizantine e turche. Vicende che permettono non solo di collocare la figure di Vlad storicamente ma anche di comprendere meglio il perche' delle tuttora esistenti tensioni balcaniche.
Alla parte storica e famigliare di Dracula segue una parte in cui si va alla ricerca del mito vampiresco prima in senso letterario ( ben prima di Stoker) e poi antropologico. La descrizione dettagliata delle credenze locali (e delle ragioni culturali di esse) si fondono con i racconti narrati da viaggiatori/ambasciatori/studiosi a partire dal 1400.
Non facilissimo per chi non e' abituato a saggistica "vera" ma sicuramente da leggere.
November 14, 2021
Najlepsza biografia Drakuli, jaką do tej pory czytałam. Doceniam uporządkowany sposób pisania autora, chociaż, czuć, że tekst powstał już jakiś czas temu (w innych czasach i innej kulturze). Czuć to szczególnie w opisie sprawy Radu Pięknego. Jeśli mogę się do czegoś przyczepić, to do faktu, że autor zupełnie pozbawia głównego bohatera umiejętności pisania i czytania, a także znajomości języków obcych. Jest to szczególnie "zabawne" biorąc pod uwagę, że jednocześnie cytuje on listy pisane przez Vlada, (chociaż cytuje ich miej, niż w rzeczywistości odkryto). Nie zgadza się to również z mozaiką kulturową Wołoszczyzny i Transylwanii tamtych czasów. Całkowicie pominięto również okresy panowania Murada II i Mechmeda Zdobywcy, a także spojrzenie na to od strony Tureckiej. Uważam, że w tak kompleksowej książce, która świetnie pokazuje pobocznych bohaterów (zwłaszcza Węgrów i Włochów), nie poświęcenie uwagi sprawie ustąpienia Murada z tronu, sprawie Radu i konfliktowi Radu ze Stefanem jest bardzo dużą stratą. Dodatkowo nawet tłumacz zwrócił uwagę na pomylenie Polskich królów. Czytałam wydanie poprawione z tego roku, a oryginalny tekst powstał w 2004 roku, a nawet, jak opowiada autor część tej książki narodziła się wiele lat wcześniej. Głęboko liczę, że pewnego dnia wyjdzie wersja uzupełniona o najnowsze badania, listy i doniesienia.
May 8, 2021
Ottimo saggio, ricco di informazioni e di fonti solide e precise. Gli aneddoti pazientemente raccolti dall'autore rendono vivida la ricostruzione del contesto storico e delle personalità che lo hanno vissuto, da Dracula all'universo di nobili e sovrani che gli ruotava attorno.
L'autore non si limita a ripercorrere la vita dell'Impalatore, ma ne segue i discendenti fino all'estinzione della famiglia e ricostruisce anche i modi e le motivazioni dietro alla nascita del mito, per poi estendersi all'analisi delle "fonti" di Stoker per il suo Dracula e alle varie trasposizioni cinematografiche, da Bela Lugosi (1927) a Gary Oldman (1992).
Il capitolo dedicato alla tradizione dei vampiri in Romania è estremamente affascinante. Analizza un ampio campionario di testimonianze che da XVI secolo arriva fino ai primi anni Duemila, analizzando le origini dei miti e il loro perdurare a dispetto di tutti gli sforzi delle autorità sia laiche sia religiose per estirparle.
La conclusione non trascura di fare un po' di sano spirito sulla possibilità che Dracula fosse davvero un vampiro. Più importante, però, è che la gente della Valacchia non lo considerò mai tale.
L'autore non si limita a ripercorrere la vita dell'Impalatore, ma ne segue i discendenti fino all'estinzione della famiglia e ricostruisce anche i modi e le motivazioni dietro alla nascita del mito, per poi estendersi all'analisi delle "fonti" di Stoker per il suo Dracula e alle varie trasposizioni cinematografiche, da Bela Lugosi (1927) a Gary Oldman (1992).
Il capitolo dedicato alla tradizione dei vampiri in Romania è estremamente affascinante. Analizza un ampio campionario di testimonianze che da XVI secolo arriva fino ai primi anni Duemila, analizzando le origini dei miti e il loro perdurare a dispetto di tutti gli sforzi delle autorità sia laiche sia religiose per estirparle.
La conclusione non trascura di fare un po' di sano spirito sulla possibilità che Dracula fosse davvero un vampiro. Più importante, però, è che la gente della Valacchia non lo considerò mai tale.
May 4, 2020
Książka podzielona jest na dwie części. Pierwsza opowiada historie władcy Wołoszczyzny w XV wieku. Nie jest to typowa powieść a raczej rzetelne opowiadanie historyczne więc język i styl może być dla niektórych trochę męczący. W pewnym momencie natłok informacji, nazwisk, nazw własnych, krain geograficznych może być trochę przytłaczające ale trzeba przyznać że autor rzetelnie podszedł do przedstawienia historii życia palownika.
Druga część książki przedstawia fenomen wampiryzmu w ,,popkulturze'' i to jak Vlad został z sympatycznego kata Turków przekształcony w wampira przez Brama Stockera. No tutaj musze przyznać że po przeczytaniu 20 stron odpuściłem dalsza lekturę bo po prostu mnie to nie interesowało. Mimo podziału na dwie części polecam dla ludzi co chcą się dowiedzieć czegoś o osobie która posłużyła jako inspiracja do stworzenia legendarnego wampira.
Druga część książki przedstawia fenomen wampiryzmu w ,,popkulturze'' i to jak Vlad został z sympatycznego kata Turków przekształcony w wampira przez Brama Stockera. No tutaj musze przyznać że po przeczytaniu 20 stron odpuściłem dalsza lekturę bo po prostu mnie to nie interesowało. Mimo podziału na dwie części polecam dla ludzi co chcą się dowiedzieć czegoś o osobie która posłużyła jako inspiracja do stworzenia legendarnego wampira.
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March 18, 2019
I didn't read the first half of this book, as I wasn't so interested in the real life of Dracula (I've read enough about that for right now, thank you) - I wanted to see this author's thoughts on how the Vlad the person because Vlad the evil vampire of the night. I liked seeing how the different lore warped with Dracula's real life and deeds to create the vampire we all know today.
I'd love to own a copy of this book, but it's expensiveeee... I would have loved to look further into all the references and appendices in the back. Oh well, maybe another time. Or I can always try to get it from OhioLink again.
I'd love to own a copy of this book, but it's expensiveeee... I would have loved to look further into all the references and appendices in the back. Oh well, maybe another time. Or I can always try to get it from OhioLink again.
June 5, 2019
Me lo regalaron hace años y no soy de las q dejan un libro sin leer x mucho q no me interese el tema. Este estuvo muy interesante y muy bien escrito, con muchas referencias históricas y costumbristas de una época y un personaje real q perdió toda su relevancia a causa de un mito. El problema es q el mito es de mis favoritos y me habría gustado mucho más si profundizaba en la leyenda mítica y no tanto en la leyenda histórica.
February 15, 2018
Matei Cazacu's book is the most complete and comprehensive biography of Vlad III Dracula I've read. It is extensively footnoted with clarifications of any obscure points easily located in the footnotes or the text itself. Definitely deserves a place on any Dracula researcher's bookshelf.
August 24, 2017
Se non siete molto interessati alle vicissitudini storiche della regione balcanica nel basso medioevo, lasciate perdere.
June 5, 2021
Mozzafiato.
Descrive perfettamente l'orrore e il fascino della storia di un uomo diventato leggenda.
Descrive perfettamente l'orrore e il fascino della storia di un uomo diventato leggenda.
July 23, 2023
Une référence en la matière
August 12, 2025
Αριστούργημα
October 2, 2025
The greatest and most informative book about Vlad that you can read from someone who has read a great many of them
Fantastic analysis, this was easily the most useful for my dissertation
Fantastic analysis, this was easily the most useful for my dissertation
January 9, 2021
Questo libro presenta due grandi problemi: il primo è che ai giorni nostri è rimasto così poco materiale di comprovata oggettività circa il vero Vlad che è difficile scrivere un intero libro su di lui senza terminare in una quarantina di pagine.
Il secondo è che l'autore, come lui stesso afferma nella prefazione, è un ricercatore e non uno scrittore, e il tono accademico e settoriale si percepisce immediatamente.
Questo saggio diventa quindi un'immensa cronistoria delle regioni balcaniche a partire dal 1200, con nomi e date che vengono sciorinate una dopo l'altra (e che per chi non è un esperto di storia di tali regioni sollevano il medesimo interesse di una mosca appoggiata al vetro della finestra) e di Vlad Dracul c'è talmente poco che si sarebbe fatto prima a controllare la relativa pagina di Wikipedia.
Vagamente interessante - seppur un po' confusionale e molto lacunosa - la parte relativa alla relazione tra Bram Stoker e la narrativa vampiresca, e altrettanto quella sul folklore vampiristico in Valacchia e dintorni.
In conclusione come saggio non è proprio malvagio ma, avendo desiderato informarmi circa il caro vecchio Vlad e le leggende dalla sua persona scaturite, è decisamente un:
Il secondo è che l'autore, come lui stesso afferma nella prefazione, è un ricercatore e non uno scrittore, e il tono accademico e settoriale si percepisce immediatamente.
Questo saggio diventa quindi un'immensa cronistoria delle regioni balcaniche a partire dal 1200, con nomi e date che vengono sciorinate una dopo l'altra (e che per chi non è un esperto di storia di tali regioni sollevano il medesimo interesse di una mosca appoggiata al vetro della finestra) e di Vlad Dracul c'è talmente poco che si sarebbe fatto prima a controllare la relativa pagina di Wikipedia.
Vagamente interessante - seppur un po' confusionale e molto lacunosa - la parte relativa alla relazione tra Bram Stoker e la narrativa vampiresca, e altrettanto quella sul folklore vampiristico in Valacchia e dintorni.
In conclusione come saggio non è proprio malvagio ma, avendo desiderato informarmi circa il caro vecchio Vlad e le leggende dalla sua persona scaturite, è decisamente un:
June 28, 2016
Lo único de lo que me arrepiento es de haber hecho una pausa tan larga en la lectura, porque tuve que viajar.
El libro cuenta los hechos históricos y políticos que rodearon la vida de Vlad III, voievod de Valaquia, y sus ancestros y sucesores. Quiénes eran, qué hicieron y porqué estaban donde estaban. En este sentido, el autor profundiza y desarrolla muy bien todo lo que trata.
Ahora, como el texto aborda una gran variedad de temas, en gran profundidad, el resultado final es de una densidad teórica que requiere una lectura muy concentrada, muy.
Creo que la edición tiene uno que otro error a propósito de los nombres, Vlad Dracul vs. Vlad Drácula, uno el padre y el otro el hijo (el empalador), hay un par de páginas que las que se refieren a uno como el otro.
El libro cuenta los hechos históricos y políticos que rodearon la vida de Vlad III, voievod de Valaquia, y sus ancestros y sucesores. Quiénes eran, qué hicieron y porqué estaban donde estaban. En este sentido, el autor profundiza y desarrolla muy bien todo lo que trata.
Ahora, como el texto aborda una gran variedad de temas, en gran profundidad, el resultado final es de una densidad teórica que requiere una lectura muy concentrada, muy.
Creo que la edición tiene uno que otro error a propósito de los nombres, Vlad Dracul vs. Vlad Drácula, uno el padre y el otro el hijo (el empalador), hay un par de páginas que las que se refieren a uno como el otro.
August 30, 2016
Un buon libro, anche se per una buona parte parla del padre di Vlad l'impalatore, cioà Vlad Dracul (sì, ogni tanto ci si confonde). Miscela abbastanza bene la parte politica con le guerre, la parte personale e la leggenda. Nella parte finale, quella riferita alle opere che hanno seguito il Dracula di Stoker ho notato vari errori, quindi a quel punto mi sono fidata di meno di tutto quello che avevo letto in precedenza, perchè se sbagli il nome del protagonista di Intervista col Vampiro io alla fine non mi fido più.
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September 18, 2008Descubre la verdadera histora tras la leyenda. Vlad III fue un príncipe de Valaquia, la actual Rumania. Esta primera biografía histórica de Drácula revela las múltiples interpretaciones que se han hecho de la inquietante figura del siglo XV.
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