VAMPIRES

Rediscover the precursors to and the cultural and historical ancestors of the modern-day vampire—the most powerful of all the forms taken by the undead—in this hauntingly illustrated volume. The idea of a supernatural being with a neverending, insatiable appetite for blood or human viscera has plagued the human mind for centuries, appearing in mythology and folklore from all corners of the world. Why were people of the past so concerned with such a creature? What worries and anxieties about human nature and existence could conjure up such a monster? Those of us in the present day are no less fascinated, taking these tales and reinventing and revitalizing them to embody our fears and desires in equal turn, ensuring that these undead beings will truly live on forever.