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The Vampire Book

The Encyclopedia of the Undead
by J. Gordon Melton
978-1-57859-281-4. Reference
COPY ISBN
Updated for the first time in ten years, this vampire lore tome covers legends from around the world, both classical and current, presenting an overview of the historical, literary, mythological, biographical, and popular aspects of vampires. Melton (director, Inst. for the Study of American Religions) has accounted for more recent entries to the rolls of the undead, from popular TV shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and True Blood to Stephenie Meyer's Twilight book and film franchise. Entries encompass authors, scholars, vampire characteristics, organizations, media, notable vampires, vampires in places and cultures, and other things related to the mythology (e.g., blood and garlic) while spanning both popular and scholarly aspects. There are 500-plus entries, with a list of sources for each, and over 200 photographs. This new edition is important particularly to those collections where information regarding vampires in popular culture is desired, as readers will find significant coverage of popular culture over the years since the last edition was published. The volume has a table of contents and index for ease of use as well. BOTTOM LINE This book is an excellent and comprehensive addition to any collection serving readers interested in learning more about the vampire in time, place, and society. Aficionados of vampires in popular culture will enjoy it.—Sara Rofofsky Marcus, Queensborough Community Coll., Bayside, NY
Gr 9 Up—With updated coverage detailing the emergence of the "Buffy" and "Twilight" phenomena of the past decade, this wide-ranging resource includes entries relating to lore from around the globe. The book features more than 500 clear and succinct alphabetical articles written for fans of classic and popular literature and for researchers. Entries include traditional figures ("Dracula"); general concepts ("Fangs"); popular titles (Dead Until Dark); authors and characters (Anne Rice, Lestat de Lioncourt); television shows and movies (Dark Shadows, Buffy the Vampire Slayer); vampires from different countries (Mexico, France, Greece, etc.); and specific topics ("Women as Vampires"), to name a mere few. Sections such as "Vampires: A Chronology" and the author's response to the question "What Is a Vampire?" add interesting detail. Source material and cross-references are found throughout the volume. Ghostly (gray) images of coffins, spiders, gravestones, and other items associated with the bloodthirsty creatures are found in the margins, while 200-plus murky black-and-white photos and movie stills illustrate the entries. The font size, while readable, is somewhat small. Although S.T. Joshi's Encyclopedia of the Vampire (Greenwood, 2010) offers similar information, Melton's handy volume provides the most comprehensive coverage currently available for general collections. But note: readers should be on spoiler alert when perusing book and film entries.—Cara Moffett, formerly at South College of Asheville, NC
Reviewed by Cara Moffett , Sep 15, 2010

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