Vampire Taxonomy by Meredith Woerner
With her tongue often planted securely in her cheek. Meredith Woerner offers up a hilarious study of the many vampire incarnations from books, movies and television. The first several chapters provide the reader with distinct vampire classifications, though, as the author admits, sometimes there is some crossover between types. The categories as Woerner defines them are: Romantic, Villainous, Tragic, Halfies (those who are half vampire, or have not completed the transformation), and Child Vampires. Each one of these chapters describes specific characteristics of each type, offers advice on how to handle the situation if approached by one of these individuals, and ends with lists of prime examples of each category and sub-category.
Woerner supplies some truly amusing observations. One example that most readers can recognize: “You won’t see a Tragic Vampire lounging in lavish digs; it’s not conducive to brooding” ( 8. Humor aside, the book serves as a useful if breezy history of vampires in their various literary and filmic incarnations, including references to very recent productions. The final chapter, “Living in an Undead World,” gives tips on how to either co-exist with vampires, or avoid them, depending upon one’s preference.
An amusing overview of vampires in popular culture and literature, readers who appreciate a humorous approach will enjoy Vampire Taxonomy. As the author points out in the chapter on Tragic Vampires, there will likely be plenty of fodder on this topic for many years to come: “Lucky for us, droves of vampires are afflicted by such a strong self-loathing psychosis and loneliness that they make up a whole classification of their own, so the tortured soul stories should never stop generating great literature and films” (83). Fans of the genre will likely wholeheartedly agree.
Book Stats:
- Paperback: 208 pages
- Publisher: Perigee Trade (November 3, 2009)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0399535799
- ISBN-13: 978-0399535796
To purchase a print copy of Vampire Taxonomy from Amazon click here.
To purchase a print copy of Vampire Taxonomy from Barnes & Noble click here.
To purchase an Ebook copy of Vampire Taxonomy from Barnes & Noble click here.
Pingback: Ripley Radio » EPISODE 23: Vampires