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A reproduction of the first edition cover of "Dracula" (1897).
Bela Lugosi as Dracula in an anonymous photograph from 1931, Universal Studios.
East End book critic Joan Baum hosts a pre-Halloween talk on Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” at East Hampton Library on Saturday, October 21, at 6 p.m., followed by a Q&A.
Written in 1897, Stoker’s remarkable epistolary novel is full of horror and erotica that would influence and inspire sensational adaptations in movies, the theater and pictorial art, serious and camp. While no literary masterpiece, “Dracula” shows that Abraham Stoker (1847-1912), an Irish author who spent his professional time as business manager of London’s West End’s Lyceum Theatre, knew his way around Gothic and romantic literature, meta-philosophy and some of the scientific experimentation of the day. What is it about the book that lends itself to a legend that has proved so attractive and enduring?
Find out at Baum’s talk on October 21. Black attire optional. The talk is free, but reservations are required, whether attending in person or remotely. Call Steven Spataro at 631-324-0222 or email easthamptonlibrary.org to reserve. East Hampton Library is at 159 Main Street, East Hampton.
Staff Writer on Oct 16, 2023