Vampyres: Genesis and Resurrection: from Count Dracula to Vampirella

by Christopher Frayling

An expanded, fully illustrated, and up-to-date edition of the classic cultural history of vampires

Vampyres is a comprehensive and generously illustrated history and anthology of vampires in literature, from the folklore of eastern Europe to the Romantics and beyond. It incorporates extracts from a huge range of sources—from Bram Stoker’s detailed research notes for Dracula to penny dreadfuls, to Angela Carter’s The Bloody Chamber (new to this edition) which is analyzed by the author in a broader cultural context.

This revised and expanded edition of the 1978 classic brings Vampyres up to date with twenty-first-century vampire literature, including new text extracts, commentary, and a revised introduction. For the first time, Christopher Frayling also explores the development of the vampire in the visual arts in four color-plate sections, with illustrations ranging from eighteenth-century prints to twenty-first-century film stills, demonstrating the enduring appeal of the vampire from popular press to fine art and, finally, to film.

Genres: Nonfiction, Vampires, Horror, Gothic, History, Mythology, Folklore

488 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 27, 2016

Reviews

[Lucia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frayling begins this book by presenting certain theoretical or rather “non-fiction” chapters regarding vampires and vampire literature. They were interesting, but at times proved to be quite dense. While reading, it is possible that you might need to engage a lot of your concentration and remind yourself to push through, but I think it is well worth it in the end (mainly if you are writing a paper/thesis on this topic – it has provided me with a general framework I want to work around in the future).

Then, there is the literary anthology consisting of various vampire writings (mainly classics though) and I found it quite fascinating. My favourite stories were probably Varney the Vampyre, Wake Not the Dead, Aurelia, and The Family of the Vourdalak.

The next part talked about Dracula and Stoker´s notes and research which I personally didn´t find that engaging, but these writings or journals were full of new information, nonetheless. Ending the book with Carter´s The Lady of the House of Love was only a cherry on top and even though I have read this tale before, I was more than happy to reread it.

[sassafrass · Rating 4 out of 5]

i didn't realise when starting this that only the first 130ish pages of this was the essay on the history of vampires in literature and other media, and then the rest of it is just an anthology of extracts from the texts mentioned. the essay was very good! but it was hard not to feel a little let down when i got past it and realised the rest of it was just snippets, very useful reference book to have on hand i suppose

[Abbie]

This appears to be an updated edition of Vampyres: Lord Byron to Count Dracula .

Compare the Table of Contents:

Preface to the New Edition

Part One: A Literary History
LORD BYRON TO COUNT DRACULA

Part Two: An Anthology

1 LIGHTEN OUR DARKNESS
A Voyage to the Levant Joseph Pitton de Tournefort
Treatise on the…Vampires of Hungary [and Surrounding Regions] Dom Augustin Calmet

2 LORD RUTHVEN AND HIS CLAN
The Vampyre; A Tale John Polidori
Fragment of a Novel Lord Byron
A Visit to the Theatre Alexandre Dumas
Varney, the Vampyre James Malcolm Rymer

3 THE TEMPESTUOUS LOVELINESS OF TERROR
Wake Not the Dead Ernst Raupach
Aurelia E. T. A. Hoffmann
What Was It? Fitz-James O’Brien

4 A CREATURE OF FOLKLORE
The Family of the Vourdalak Alexis Tolstoy
The Fate Of Madame Cabanel Eliza Lynn Linton

5 THE GENESIS OF DRACULA
‘This man belongs to me’
Bram Stoker’s Working Papers for Dracula
Bram Stoker’s Research Papers for Dracula

6 COUNT DRACULA
Dracula's Guest Bram Stoker
Dracula Bram Stoker
The Modernist Vampire: W. B. Yeats, James Joyce, T. S. Eliot

Postscript
The Lady of the House of Love Angela Carter

The primary differences seems to be that this edition doesn't have the "Haemosexuality section (which includes "Psychopathia Sexualis" by Richard von Krafft-Ebing; "On the Vampire" by Ernest Jones; "The Psychoanalysis of Dracula" by Maurice Richardson). Also missing in this edition is "A Kiss of Judas" by 'X.L.' from Section 3. Everything else looks similar between the editions.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a while to finish this one. The anthology is excellent with some less well known tales. The introductory essay charts the invention of the modern vampire from Villa Diodati, Byron and Shelley et al. To Stoker's Dracula.

The only thing I felt would have added to this would be if the volume continued to explore more contemporary manifestations of the vampire in literature. Nick Groom's book (which I read recently) would fill the void here.

The chart of early vampire novels and stories is a great resource and includes lots of unknown (to me) stories to search out.

Would definitely recommend if you are a vampire/horror enthusiast.

CONTENTS:

• Introduction: essay by Christopher Frayling

• A Voyage to the Levant (excerpt) • (1702) • Joseph Pitton de Tournefort
• The Vampires of Hungry and Surrounding Regions • (1749) • Augustin Calmet
• The Vampyre • (1810) • poem by John Stagg
• The Vampyre • (1819) • Dr. John William Polidori
• Fragment of a Story • (1819) • Lord Byron
• A Visit to the Theatre (excerpt) • (1978) • Alexandre Dumas
• Varney the Vampire (excerpt) • James Malcolm Rymer
• Wake Not the Dead • (1822) • Ernst Raupach
• Aurelia • (1821) • E. T. A. Hoffmann
• What Was It? • (1859) • Fitz-James O'Brien
• A Kiss of Judas • (1893) • Julian Osgood Field
• The Family of the Vourdalak • (1838) • Alexis Tolstoy
• The Fate of Madame Cabanel • (1880) • Eliza Lynn Linton
• The Genesis of Dracula • (1991) • essay by Christopher Frayling

• The Working Papers for Dracula • (1991) • essay by Christopher Frayling and Bram Stoker
• The Bram Stoker's Research Papers for Dracula • (1991) • essay by Christopher Frayling
• Account of the Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia (excerpt) • (1820) • William Wilkinson
• Transylvanian Superstitions • (1885) • essay by Emily Gerard
• The Land Beyond the Forest (excerpt) • (1865) • Charles Boner
• Round About the Carpathians (excerpt) • (1878) • Andrew F. Crosse
• On the Track of the Crescent (excerpt) • (1885) • Major E. C. Johnson
• Book of Were-Wolves (excerpt) • (1865) • by Sabine Baring-Gould
• Dracula's Guest • (1914) • Bram Stoker
• Dracula (excerpts) • (1897) • Bram Stoker
• Psychopathis Sexualis (excerpt) • (1886) • Richard von Krafft-Ebing
• On the Vampire (excerpt) • (1978) • Ernest Jones

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The ultimate book for any vampire lover, like myself. Full of intriguing historical insights as well as the all time collection of vampire literature.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ a strange mix of history, mythology, literary criticism and literary excerpts. I’m not fully settled on how I feel about this book. Many parts were interesting, some less so.

[Madeline · Rating 3 out of 5]

The only way I can think of someone truly enjoying this book for all it is is not the casual, or even intense, vampire enjoyer; I would say you would get the most out of this book if you're a mega fan of Dracula or Bram Stoker. Many pages are interesting, yes, and gave me much incite or ideas or more information on more current vampire lore, but I felt swamped at how much borderline unimportant information I was learning about a dead man.
I went into this expecting maybe a few short stories along with information about how the lore and the public's opinion on vampires has changed over their years and how they became almost a staple in modern media. Instead, a majority of the book is filled with short stories, and when it's not it is most likely talking and praising Dracula and Bram Stoker.
Maybe it's because I have never read Dracula despite how much I do obsess and love vampires, but I felt bored and tired and things offered to me about one singular story when it wasn't offered for any other popular vampire classic before or at the time. Even the works that were said to inspire the work of Dracula were throw away mentions, brushed upon at most, only named at most. Yet just the manuscripts get a whole 30 pages while the Dracula story it's self gets two whole chapters, which might not seem like a lot until you realize it's a whole 97 pages. That's not to mention how much Bram Stoker is talked about in the beginning of this book and other mentions.

That is not to say I hated the book, I gave it three stars for a reason after all, in the anthology section there were great stories which I loved. One of which being Wake Not the Dead (pg. 219) and the beginning of the introduction chapter, in which was very juicy in terms of old 19th century gossip and speculations. It did occasionally give me what I wanted when I started reading this book, which was information on what was considered vampire lore at the time and how it came to be what is not, the first much more common then the latter. I was also disappointed in that it is mainly an anthology with a 150 page introduction.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very interesting book on vampires, praised and recommended as "a very Baedeker" to vampirism. Indeed it is. You get the whole plate: a literary history, Byron to Count Dracula, a brilliant chronological overview, essays, story fragments and synopsis of famous vampire tales, the tempestuous loveliness of terror (e.g. Hoffmann's Aurelia), the vampire as creature of folklore, the genesis of Dracula. You'll find many excellent illustrations, covers and movie stills inside. A truly outstanding book on the topic. Maybe a bit overwritten but overall absolutely recommended for every vampire fan!

[Liam Guilar · Rating 5 out of 5]

What is says on the tin: an anthology and history. Frayling is an affable and well-informed guide.

[Sarah Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining and readable account of the genesis of the literary vampire.

[Rhiannon Root]

I'm not connecting with this book. I'm setting it aside for now.