V Is for Vampire: An A to Z Guide to Everything Undead

Rating:
Summary: Incomplete, but still very enjoyable
Review: "V is for Vampire" doesn't hold a candle to David J. Skal's other books - nearly all of which are minor classics - and he knows it. He admits in his introduction to "V is for Vampire" that the book is neither all-inclusive nor complete. With that in mind, this "A to Z Guide to Everything Undead" is still very enjoyable to read, and is well-suited to relaxed browsing. The problem, however, is that a large number of people who will purchase this book are probably the kinds of horror fans who already know a great deal about the genre and will not be bowled over by anything less than a complete overview of everything they already know, as well as a number of things they don't. "V is for Vampire" is hit-and-miss, and seems more like a loose and disconnected series of notes for a larger book that was never actually finished. Also, several factual errors (a couple of which are quite egregious) destroy a smidgin of the book's credibility, and Skal often seems more interested in being flippant than in getting to the heart of what he is writing about (his misreading of George A. Romero's film "Martin" is especially wrongheaded). Nevertheless, "V is for Vampire" still furnishes a fairly comprehensive and enjoyable overview of the role of the vampire in nineteenth and twentieth century literature, art, and film. And it's a lot of fun.

Rating:
Summary: Incomplete, but still very enjoyable
Review: "V is for Vampire" doesn't hold a candle to David J. Skal's other books - nearly all of which are minor classics - and he knows it. He admits in his introduction to "V is for Vampire" that the book is neither all-inclusive nor complete. With that in mind, this "A to Z Guide to Everything Undead" is still very enjoyable to read, and is well-suited to relaxed browsing. The problem, however, is that a large number of people who will purchase this book are probably the kinds of horror fans who already know a great deal about the genre and will not be bowled over by anything less than a complete overview of everything they already know, as well as a number of things they don't. "V is for Vampire" is hit-and-miss, and seems more like a loose and disconnected series of notes for a larger book that was never actually finished. Also, several factual errors (a couple of which are quite egregious) destroy a smidgin of the book's credibility, and Skal often seems more interested in being flippant than in getting to the heart of what he is writing about (his misreading of George A. Romero's film "Martin" is especially wrongheaded). Nevertheless, "V is for Vampire" still furnishes a fairly comprehensive and enjoyable overview of the role of the vampire in nineteenth and twentieth century literature, art, and film. And it's a lot of fun.

Rating:
Summary: Not David's Best.
Review: David Skal is one of the better writers on Horror Literature and Media.
However,in this particular book, he spends too much time analysing our love of vampires and the like,as an indication that we are sexually disturbed or have a streak of facism in our character.
Sorry David, but some of us just liked to be spooked!

Rating:
Summary: Um excuse me Dean person
Review: I think it's great that there is a spin on an old topic and itgoes deeper than just naming movies. It's about time someone dwelvedinto the psychological aspects of vampirism. A very good book and avery enjoyable read. As a footnote, I was especially impressed by the fact that he mentioned "Vampire Hunter D". Very comprehensive and fun!

Rating:
Summary: Um excuse me Dean person
Review: I think it's great that there is a spin on an old topic and itgoes deeper than just naming movies. It's about time someone dwelvedinto the psychological aspects of vampirism. A very good book and avery enjoyable read. As a footnote, I was especially impressed by the fact that he mentioned "Vampire Hunter D". Very comprehensive and fun!

Rating:
Summary: Incomplete, and Biased Besides
Review: This book gives short shrift to anything vampire-related that doesn't interest the author personally. It also, as a previous reviewer noted, paints vampire afficianadoes as sexual deviants and credits too much to the Freudian idea that all forms of personal expression are rooted in sexual misgivings. Not of the slightest interest to anyone who REALLY wants to know what vampires are all about.

Rating:
Summary: Incomplete, and Biased Besides
Review: This book gives short shrift to anything vampire-related that doesn't interest the author personally. It also, as a previous reviewer noted, paints vampire afficianadoes as sexual deviants and credits too much to the Freudian idea that all forms of personal expression are rooted in sexual misgivings. Not of the slightest interest to anyone who REALLY wants to know what vampires are all about.

Rating:
Summary: HE HE HE
Review: this book is an excellent source of information on vampires, if for no other reason than the list of novels and films. for anyone who is interested in vampires, this book is a must.

Rating:
Summary: excellent source of information
Review: this book is an excellent source of information on vampires, if for no other reason than the list of novels and films. for anyone who is interested in vampires, this book is a must.

Rating:
Summary: HE HE HE
Review: This book is so cute and fun to read! If you're planning to purchase this book, one word of advice: ENJOY!!!! :)