The Penguin Book of Vampire Stories

Buy it just for August Derleth's "The Drifting Snow." Scariest and most atmospheric vampire story I've ever read. And not set in England or Romania, but right here in the USA. In the Midwest, in fact. You'll learn why you should never open the blinds at night when it's snowing.

A must read for a true Vampire fan. Some stories are amateurish, but very enjoyable. The different beliefs about the night walkers are interesting ie. Some fear crucifixes, some don't. Really interesting and a fun read. Makes you want to write your own tale. Love this book!

This collection is a rarity in several sense, namely: - 1) Unlike similar heavy-named anthologies, this collection actually concentrates on packing a large no. of very good stories (including classics as well as almost unknown stories), from different authors who are very-very famous in their own fields, and thus creates an intense competition among themselves in the mind of the reader by having their differently styled (& themed) works placed side-by-side. 2) Most of the stories are very good, and collectively they cover nearly all kinds of 'vampirical' entities who can prey upon others (I would like to emphasise the 'prey' aspect, to differentiate them from the "Twilight"-sagan entities). The stories in this collection are: 1. Fragment of a Novel by George Gordon, Lord Byron 2. The Vampyre by John Polidori 3. Varney the Vampyre, or, The Feast of Blood by James Malcolm Rymer 4. The Mysterious Stranger by Anonymous 5. Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu 6. Good Lady Ducayne by Mary Elizabeth Braddon 7. Dracula's Guest by Bram Stoker 8. Luella Miller by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman 9. For the Blood Is the Life by F. Marion Crawford 10. The Transfer by Algernon Blackwood 11. The Room in the Tower by E. F. Benson 12. An Episode of Cathedral History by M. R. James 13. A Rendezvous in Averoigne by Clark Ashton Smith 14. Shambleau by C. L. Moore 15. Revelations in Black by Carl Jacobi 16. School for the Unspeakable by Manly Wade Wellman 17. The Drifting Snow by August Derleth 18. Over the River by P. Schuyler Miller 19. The Girl with the Hungry Eyes by Fritz Leiber 20. The Mindworm by C. M. Kornbluth 21. Drink My Blood by Richard Matheson 22. Place of Meeting by Charles Beaumont 23. The Living Dead by Robert Bloch 24. Pages from a Young Girl's Journal by Robert Aickman 25. The Werewolf and the Vampire by R. Chetwynd-Hayes 26. Love-Starved by Charles L. Grant 27. Cabin 33 by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro 28. Unicorn Tapestry by Suzy McKee Charnas 29. Following the Way by Alan Ryan 30. The Sunshine Club by Ramsey Campbell 31. The Men and Women of Rivendale by Steve Rasnic Tem 32. Bite-Me-Not or, Fleur de Feu by Tanith Lee This list should enable you to appreciate the breadth as well as the depth of this collection, which comprehensively covers the entire gamut of "vampiric" fiction, and in the process brings together some of the most seminal works in the field of horror together in a very-very reasonably priced volume. Recommended.

My dad gave me this book when I was a teenager and I loaned it to someone who never returned it. I finally replaced it and with the original cover too! There are some really unusual stories and a few common ones. If you like vamp stuff you will love this book!

The book arrived in time and in great conditions super happy for this buy. Thank you!!

I enjoyed the stories,there are some real gems in there but the condition of the book disgusted me...The first dozen pages from the book were torn out like with a hand.and the leftovers of the pages gave the book a very bad image,for a brand new edition....I'm very sorry that i can't photograph the book because it's stored in a box because of my moving to my new appartement but i will the firt chance i get...I see that others also have the same problem with this edition...Idk what it is but it should be fixed...Otherwise,a great addition to every vampire horror lover...

Starting with the The Vampyre (1819) by John Polidori, this examination of the development of the vampire figure and the vampire in scholarly literature continues up to Tanith Lee in 1984. When read in tandem with classics (like Dracula, and Christabel, for instance) this book creates a more complete understanding of the passage of the vampire through time. Real is a must-have!

Had to get the book for school and so far has been a great read. Would recommend it to anyone interested in vampires.