Before Bella and Edward there were The Lost Boys and the gang in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Before True Blood came Dark Shadows and Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles. Before them all there was the most famous vampire of all time: Count Dracula, immortalized by Bram Stoker in 1897. Whether characterized as urbane aristocrats, animalistic monsters or brooding teenagers, as creatures of the day or of the night, it seems vampires have captured the popular imagination for centuries. Today they are a worldwide phenomenon, featuring in everything from Jamaican reggae songs to Japanese and Korean horror films.

Why have vampires gone viral? In The Rise of the Vampire, Erik Butler explains our enduring fascination with the undead by examining folklore, literature, film, television, journalism and music. Although vampires evoke an age-old mystery, they also embody the uncertainties of the modern world: the superficial fulfillment of desires in a digital age and the anonymity of life in the global metropolis.

Whether you’re a fan of classic vampire tales or prefer the recent additions to the canon, The Rise of the Vampire is a fascinating look at our collective obsession with the undead.