Vampires Are
Review by Edward James Heil, submitted on 29-Mar-2002

For sheer pulpy, trashy, campy nonfiction about vampires, I must recommend Stephen Kaplan's *Vampires Are*. It's not scholarly, and you're never quite certain if Kaplan is really serious (does he believe in blood suckers or not --?), but his interviews with vamps are very entertaining.

Also in this book is a fascinating section that seems to discuss every conceivable theory/speculation that tries to explain folkloric or "real" vampirism. Kaplan runs the Vampire Research Center in New York, and calls himself a vampirologist (he unashamedly promotes himself in the press every year, usually around Halloween), and his yearly vampire survey for North America is a classic.

Included in the book is the questionnaire he distributes for conducting his survey, and it's a real hoot. (Note: This book is *very* difficult to find. You can order it at a good bookstore, or order it from the VRC.)

[hardback and trade paperback]

3 & 1/2 fangs out of 5