I heard the author on the Mark and Brian radio show just before Halloween. I was instantly interested in the book. I'm a fan of vampires anyway but this was a quick look through the world of vampires, from the origins to Bram Stocker's book to the people who say they are vampires. The author does a great job and explaining historical and cultural ideas of the vampire. I highly recommend this book.

The book was not exactly what I had thought it would be when I first picked it up, but I think that's all to the good. I enjoy surprises, one reason I am a fan of horror films. What Eric Nuzum does quite well in this book is show what WE see as the vampire in our culture. While plenty of authors have droned on in excessive details about the various legends and myths from around the world surrounding the vampire, Nuzum brings forth the premise that the vampire is a reflection of our culture, not some mythical bogeyman. The vampire has no reflection because he is a reflection himself.
I found this book very entertaining and a very fun read. Since I often travel in RPG, horror, goth, etc. etc. circles (being an unrepentant geek) I found a lot of his observations very astute when it came to the curious subculture that worships the vampire. I also found a lot of the misadventires he described hilarious, which is hard to pull off when discussing vampires. His Romanian trip observations alone were worth getting the book.
I was also interested to see his take on one of the few TV shows I ever really enjoyed, [[ASIN:B000AQ68RI Buffy The Vampire Slayer - Collector's Set (40 discs)]]. Much like Nuzum I came to the series late in its existence since I unfairly dismissed it out of hand, but I have since bought and watched every season. What makes the show truly classic is what Nuzum notes while watching it; the vampire is a blank slate you can use to explore any subject, from bullys, to sex, to high school castes. Joss Whedon used the vampire myth to sneak a lot of social commentary under the radar and stand the genre on its head.
Nuzum also devotes a bit of time discussing Hollywood's iconic vampire actor Bela Lugosi, and how Dracula took over his life, essentially draining him dry and eventually killing him (or at least his career). In a sense the myth can drain you just as quickly as the vampire can, and many are hungry for the kiss.
If you would like to have a fun read that puts an interesting spin on a tired concept, this book delivers.