Ghosts, Vampires, and Werewolves: Eerie Tales from Transylvania

Rating:
Summary: A fascinating look at original vampire beliefs in the raw
Review: I actually happened upon this book by accident one day in the children's section of a library. But in my opinion adults will probably enjoy this book more than children.

The authors have collected and compiled many strange local tales from the mysterious envirions which inspired Bram Stoker to create the most famous vampire figure of all.

But in reading these tales, one comes to realize just how much our present-day concept of the vampire has been influenced and shaped by Stoker and Hollywood.

These stories seem both intruigingly strange and disorienting (eg. --what? Vampires walking around in daylight?) and at the same time unsettlingly unsatisfying to those of us raised on action-packed plots and clearly delineated good guys and bad guys.

If you are a fan of the angst-ridden vampires of Anne Rice or the rock'n'roll vampires of Poppy Z. Brite, you won't like this book. But if you are curious about getting a first-hand view of some of the traditional beliefs behind our modern-day vampire and werewolf figures, this work makes a great primary source.

The compilers/translators have also included a valuable explanatory section which helps us to understand and come to grips with the great gap between the supernatural beliefs common in the West today and those presented here.