{"product_id":"the-secret-history-of-vampires-their-multiple-forms-and-hidden-purposes-paperback","title":"The Secret History of Vampires: Their Multiple Forms and Hidden Purposes - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eClaude Lecouteux\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA look at the forgotten ancestors of the modern-day vampire, many of which have very different characteristics \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e- Looks at the many ancestoral forms of the modern vampire, including shroud eaters, appesarts, and stafi \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e- Presents evidence for the reality of this phenomenon from pre-19th-century newspaper articles and judicial records \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eOf all forms taken by the undead, the vampire wields the most powerful pull on the modern imagination. But the countless movies and books inspired by this child of the night who has a predilection for human blood are based on incidents recorded as fact in newspapers and judicial archives in the centuries preceding the works of Bram Stoker and other writers. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eDigging through these forgotten records, Claude Lecouteux unearths a very different figure of the vampire in the many accounts of individuals who reportedly would return from their graves to attack the living. These ancestors of the modern vampire were not all blood suckers; they included shroud eaters, appesarts, nightmares, and the curious figure of the stafia, whose origin is a result of masons secretly interring the shadow of a living human being in the wall of a building under construction. As Lecouteux shows, the belief in vampires predates ancient Roman times, which abounded with lamia, stirges, and ghouls. Discarding the tacked together explanations of modern science for these inexplicable phenomena, the author looks back to another folk belief that has come down through the centuries like that of the undead: the existence of multiple souls in every individual, not all of which are able to move on to the next world after death.\u003ch3\u003eBack Jacket\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eFOLKLORE \/ MYTHOLOGY \"Both scholarly and accessible in this translation, The Secret History of Vampires is a gem. Lecouteux reveals ancient precursors to the vampire myth that are overlooked by most researchers. These and other theories are backed by a plethora of supporting evidence, including primary sources in the appendices, making this a must-add to any vampire library.\" --Konstantinos, author of Vampires: The Occult Truth Of all forms taken by the undead, the vampire wields the most powerful pull on the modern imagination. But the countless movies and books inspired by this child of the night who has a predilection for human blood are based on incidents recorded as fact in newspapers and judicial archives in the centuries preceding the works of Bram Stoker and other writers. Digging through these forgotten records, Claude Lecouteux unearths a very different figure of the vampire in the many accounts of individuals who reportedly would return from their graves to attack the living. These ancestors of the modern vampire were not all blood suckers; they included shroud eaters, appesarts, nightmares, and the curious figure of the stafia, whose origin is a result of masons secretly interring the shadow of a living human being in the wall of a building under construction. As Lecouteux shows, the belief in vampires predates ancient Roman times, which abounded with lamia, stirges, and ghouls. Discarding the tacked together explanations of modern science for these inexplicable phenomena, the author looks back to another folk belief that has come down through the centuries like that of the undead: the existence of multiple souls in every individual, not all of which are able to move on to the next world after death. CLAUDE LECOUTEUX is a former professor of medieval literature and civilization at the Sorbonne. He is the author of numerous books on medieval and pagan afterlife beliefs, including The Return of the Dead and Witches, Werewolves, and Fairies. He lives in Paris.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eClaude Lecouteux is a former professor of medieval literature and civilization at the Sorbonne. He is the author of numerous books on medieval and pagan afterlife beliefs, including \u003ci\u003eThe Return of the Dead \u003c\/i\u003eand\u003ci\u003e Witches, \u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003eWerewolves, and\u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003e Fairies\u003c\/i\u003e. He lives in Paris.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 200\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.47 x 8.94 x 6.1 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIllustrated:\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e February 03, 2010\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51770974011680,"sku":"9781594773259","price":16.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0974\/9764\/5344\/files\/024833598208658cae84638829f0e262.webp?v=1780381453","url":"https:\/\/ebocreations.com\/products\/the-secret-history-of-vampires-their-multiple-forms-and-hidden-purposes-paperback","provider":"The E-Book Oasis LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}