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V Is for Vampire: The A-Z Guide to Everything Undead
Have you ever wondered why vampires hate garlic? Or why they can't look at mirrors? And, while we're on the subject, do you remember the classic film Dracula Meets the Outer Space Chicks?
If any of these questions have kept you in movie theaters for hours or up until dawn with a page-turning horror tale, you are not alone. Vampires have recaptured the hearts and minds (and necks) of millions of people all over the world. And now, David J. Skal, the bestselling author of Hollywood Gothic, tells us everything about the fiendishly fascinating creature known as the Vampire. Here's the real story behind those wooden stakes, Nosferatu, and the children of the night. Here, too, are zombies, bats, crypts, Bram Stoker, satanic rites - even the psychosexual roots of Dracula lore.
If any of these questions have kept you in movie theaters for hours or up until dawn with a page-turning horror tale, you are not alone. Vampires have recaptured the hearts and minds (and necks) of millions of people all over the world. And now, David J. Skal, the bestselling author of Hollywood Gothic, tells us everything about the fiendishly fascinating creature known as the Vampire. Here's the real story behind those wooden stakes, Nosferatu, and the children of the night. Here, too, are zombies, bats, crypts, Bram Stoker, satanic rites - even the psychosexual roots of Dracula lore.
304 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1996
1 person is currently reading
155 people want to read
About the author
David J. Skal
55 books182 followersDavid J. Skal became fascinated with monsters at the height of the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, when indestructible monsters like Dracula, Frankenstein and the Wolf Man provided a "nuclear security blanket" for a whole generation of youngsters.
Active as an editor and reporter on his high school newspaper, he was granted a journalism scholarship to Ohio University, Athens, where he earned a bachelor's degree in 1974. His work as film critic, arts reporter, arts editor and assistant managing editor of the Ohio University Post, one of the country's leading college papers,led to his three-season appointment as publicity director of the University-operated Monomoy Theatre on Cape Cod. Following his graduation, he served as a public affairs intern in the office of National Endowment for the Arts chairman Nancy Hanks, and went on to the position of Publicity Director at the Hartford Stage Company, where he oversaw all media relations while the regional company fund-raised, built and opened a major new facility in downtown Hartford. In 1978, he was staff writer for the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco, with responsibility for the content of all printed materials. From 1979-1982 he was Publications Director of Theatre Communications Group, a national service organization in New York City. From 1982 to 1992 he was president and creative director of David J. Skal Associates, Inc. (later Visual Cortex Ltd.), a Manhattan-based, nationally oriented design and marketing consultancy with clients ranging from the Metroplitan Opera to regional theatre, dance and music organizations.
A published writer of short fiction since his early college years (he was one of the youngest students ever admitted to the celebrated Clarion Writers Workshop in fantasy and science fiction), he authored three well-received science fiction novels: SCAVENGERS (1980), WHEN WE WERE GOOD (1981) and ANTIBODIES (1987). His long-standing interest in Dracula and his extensive contacts in the theatre world led to his first nonfiction book, HOLLYWOOD GOTHIC: THE TANGLED WEB OF DRACULA FROM NOVEL TO STAGE TO SCREEN (1990), followed by THE MONSTER SHOW: A CULTURAL HISTORY OF HORROR (1993). Many other books followed, including V IS FOR VAMPIRE (1995); DARK CARNIVAL: THE SECRET WORLD OF TOD BROWNING (1995,with Elias Savada); the Norton Critical Edition of Bram Stoker's DRACULA (1996, co-edited with Nina Auerbach); SCREAMS OF REASON: MAD SCIENCE AND MODERN CULTURE(1997); and the monumental anthology VAMPIRES: ENCOUNTERS WITH THE UNDEAD (2001, the largest such illustrated/annotated compendium ever published.
Skal began his work as a documentary filmmaker writing and co-producing segments for the A&E Network's award-winning series "Biography," and contributed scripts chronicling the lives and careers of Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney, Jr. and Angela Lansbury (with whom he had worked during his theatre career). In 1999, he wrote, co-produced and co-directed a behind-the-scenes chronicle of the Academy Award-winning film GODS AND MONSTERS. The same year, he was tapped by Universal Studios Home Video for a series of twelve original DVD documentaries exploring the legacies of the studio's classic horror and science fiction films. His DVD work has continued with Disney Home Video's "Jules Verne and Walt Disney: Explorers of the Imagination" (2003) and the feature commentary for Warner Home Video's special-edition release of Tod Browning's FREAKS (2004).
His current projects include CITIZEN CLONE: THE MORPHING OF AMERICA (Faber and Faber, 2005)and CLAUDE RAINS: AN ACTOR'S VOICE, a biography based on the acclaimed character actor's never-published reminiscences, written in collaboration with the actor's daughter, Jessica Rains.
David Skal is a member of the Authors Guild. He lives and writes in Glendale, California.
Active as an editor and reporter on his high school newspaper, he was granted a journalism scholarship to Ohio University, Athens, where he earned a bachelor's degree in 1974. His work as film critic, arts reporter, arts editor and assistant managing editor of the Ohio University Post, one of the country's leading college papers,led to his three-season appointment as publicity director of the University-operated Monomoy Theatre on Cape Cod. Following his graduation, he served as a public affairs intern in the office of National Endowment for the Arts chairman Nancy Hanks, and went on to the position of Publicity Director at the Hartford Stage Company, where he oversaw all media relations while the regional company fund-raised, built and opened a major new facility in downtown Hartford. In 1978, he was staff writer for the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco, with responsibility for the content of all printed materials. From 1979-1982 he was Publications Director of Theatre Communications Group, a national service organization in New York City. From 1982 to 1992 he was president and creative director of David J. Skal Associates, Inc. (later Visual Cortex Ltd.), a Manhattan-based, nationally oriented design and marketing consultancy with clients ranging from the Metroplitan Opera to regional theatre, dance and music organizations.
A published writer of short fiction since his early college years (he was one of the youngest students ever admitted to the celebrated Clarion Writers Workshop in fantasy and science fiction), he authored three well-received science fiction novels: SCAVENGERS (1980), WHEN WE WERE GOOD (1981) and ANTIBODIES (1987). His long-standing interest in Dracula and his extensive contacts in the theatre world led to his first nonfiction book, HOLLYWOOD GOTHIC: THE TANGLED WEB OF DRACULA FROM NOVEL TO STAGE TO SCREEN (1990), followed by THE MONSTER SHOW: A CULTURAL HISTORY OF HORROR (1993). Many other books followed, including V IS FOR VAMPIRE (1995); DARK CARNIVAL: THE SECRET WORLD OF TOD BROWNING (1995,with Elias Savada); the Norton Critical Edition of Bram Stoker's DRACULA (1996, co-edited with Nina Auerbach); SCREAMS OF REASON: MAD SCIENCE AND MODERN CULTURE(1997); and the monumental anthology VAMPIRES: ENCOUNTERS WITH THE UNDEAD (2001, the largest such illustrated/annotated compendium ever published.
Skal began his work as a documentary filmmaker writing and co-producing segments for the A&E Network's award-winning series "Biography," and contributed scripts chronicling the lives and careers of Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney, Jr. and Angela Lansbury (with whom he had worked during his theatre career). In 1999, he wrote, co-produced and co-directed a behind-the-scenes chronicle of the Academy Award-winning film GODS AND MONSTERS. The same year, he was tapped by Universal Studios Home Video for a series of twelve original DVD documentaries exploring the legacies of the studio's classic horror and science fiction films. His DVD work has continued with Disney Home Video's "Jules Verne and Walt Disney: Explorers of the Imagination" (2003) and the feature commentary for Warner Home Video's special-edition release of Tod Browning's FREAKS (2004).
His current projects include CITIZEN CLONE: THE MORPHING OF AMERICA (Faber and Faber, 2005)and CLAUDE RAINS: AN ACTOR'S VOICE, a biography based on the acclaimed character actor's never-published reminiscences, written in collaboration with the actor's daughter, Jessica Rains.
David Skal is a member of the Authors Guild. He lives and writes in Glendale, California.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 28, 2014
Perfection. Published in 1996, this is the good stuff, before Twilight ruined vampire culture. Entries include Catholicism, folklore, class warfare, even the AIDS epidemic, not to mention every literary, film and television representation and the evolution of the styles and symbolism contained therein. My Netflix queue will never be the same.
January 18, 2012
This book came out in the 90's, when vampires had started to get sexy, but were still dangerous and didn't glitter.
I enjoyed it. It's a synopsis of a lot of books, movies, and lore. There's a lot of obscure titles that might be interesting to Netflix one day.
What I found the most interesting is that this book came out in the 1990's, around when Interview with a Vampire was a movie. I of course picked up on the obvious homosexual overtones of that movie, but I didn't connect it with the AIDS crisis of the 80's/90's and the devastation sex had on the gay community, and the symbolism that went with vampires. What a dummy!
I enjoyed it. It's a synopsis of a lot of books, movies, and lore. There's a lot of obscure titles that might be interesting to Netflix one day.
What I found the most interesting is that this book came out in the 1990's, around when Interview with a Vampire was a movie. I of course picked up on the obvious homosexual overtones of that movie, but I didn't connect it with the AIDS crisis of the 80's/90's and the devastation sex had on the gay community, and the symbolism that went with vampires. What a dummy!
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October 4, 2007David Skal is a mad genius.
November 3, 2007
Not really serious reading, more fun stuff.
May 13, 2015
Very informative with anything vampiric
August 26, 2009
This book was really informative on the numerous works of Vampire films and fiction. A great way to bone up on your Vampire knowledge.
May 26, 2011
Oh yes the cheesy cover back before vampires were sexy.
January 13, 2009
Very enjoyable. I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in vampires.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews