Vampires: Two Centuries of Great Vampire Stories
2 journalers for this copy...
I've had this hardcover (missing its dust jacket) on my keeper shelves for some time now, and I think it's time it went traveling. (I think this is the same book as The Penguin Book of Vampire Stories, fwiw.) It contains an excellent assortment of vampire tales, from the early 1800s to the 1980s, and includes some of my favorites - though they're all good reading. Notable entries:
"For the Blood is the Life" by F. Marion Crawford is set in a coastal Italian villa, where a mysterious mound houses an undead spirit.
E. F. Benson's "The Room in the Tower," a frightening and atmospheric story that gave me nightmares when I first read it. (Benson may be better known now for his charming "Mapp & Lucia" comedies, but I first discovered him via his horror stories.)
"Shambleau" by C. L. Moore has a science-fiction tone, and features spacefaring adventurer Northwest Smith falling under the spell of a lovely alien girl whose... talents... are addictive in the extreme. I remember reading this one when I was in high school, and it's stuck with me all this time.
"Luella Miller" by Mary E. Wilkins-Freeman is another of the "domestic" vampire stories - vampires appearing in ordinary communities, no castles or caskets or bats involved. Here, the title character is a helpless, lovely, childlike woman who seems to drain the life force of anyone who spends time with her, from husbands to caretakers. Since I've met people who seem to have this ability (though not to the lethal levels in the story), this one was perhaps more unnerving than the more overtly supernatural tales.
"Cabin 33" by Chelsea Quin Yarbro, from her "Count St. Germaine" series of historical novels, which cover the undead Count's life from his early days in ancient Egypt through modern times. I think this story is the most modern setting of all, with the Count and his trusty sidekick Roger hanging out in a woodland retreat - where they have to cope with the savagery of a much-less civilized vampire.
"Bite-me-not or, Fleur de Feu", by Tanith Lee, is a lyrical tragic romance, with its own kind of vampires, a tragic family history, a curse - oh, all sorts of elements, blended together beautifully.
And much more!
"For the Blood is the Life" by F. Marion Crawford is set in a coastal Italian villa, where a mysterious mound houses an undead spirit.
E. F. Benson's "The Room in the Tower," a frightening and atmospheric story that gave me nightmares when I first read it. (Benson may be better known now for his charming "Mapp & Lucia" comedies, but I first discovered him via his horror stories.)
"Shambleau" by C. L. Moore has a science-fiction tone, and features spacefaring adventurer Northwest Smith falling under the spell of a lovely alien girl whose... talents... are addictive in the extreme. I remember reading this one when I was in high school, and it's stuck with me all this time.
"Luella Miller" by Mary E. Wilkins-Freeman is another of the "domestic" vampire stories - vampires appearing in ordinary communities, no castles or caskets or bats involved. Here, the title character is a helpless, lovely, childlike woman who seems to drain the life force of anyone who spends time with her, from husbands to caretakers. Since I've met people who seem to have this ability (though not to the lethal levels in the story), this one was perhaps more unnerving than the more overtly supernatural tales.
"Cabin 33" by Chelsea Quin Yarbro, from her "Count St. Germaine" series of historical novels, which cover the undead Count's life from his early days in ancient Egypt through modern times. I think this story is the most modern setting of all, with the Count and his trusty sidekick Roger hanging out in a woodland retreat - where they have to cope with the savagery of a much-less civilized vampire.
"Bite-me-not or, Fleur de Feu", by Tanith Lee, is a lyrical tragic romance, with its own kind of vampires, a tragic family history, a curse - oh, all sorts of elements, blended together beautifully.
And much more!
I'm adding this book to the latest round of the Vampire Bookbox, which will be on its way to its next stop soon. Hope someone enjoys the book!
