The Complete Book of Vampires

by Leonard R. N. Ashley

Although nominally organized into sections such as, "The Vampire in European Tradition"; "The Vampire in American Tradition"; "The Vampire on the Screen"; and "The Vampire in Literature and Folklore," this book is more a compilation of widely varied facts, opinions, and reflections by the author, scattered through the book without rigidly sticking to the chapter topics. Ashley has an entertaining style, and states that his goal is "to bring scholarly research to all readers in a user-friendly sort of way and to entertain as it educates." There are some minor errors, but the book covers a lot of ground. Ashley tells his readers, "Use your fascination with The Count and his crew to amuse yourself and also to tempt yourself into thinking about your whole culture and yourself." He seems to have followed his own advice.

Softbound Barricade Books (1998)