Dracula

No book in European literature of recent centuries can even come close to the popularity of Bram (Abraham) Stoker's (1847–1912) novel "Dracula" (1897), whose protagonist has transcended the boundaries not only of the novel itself, but of literature as a whole, becoming one of the symbols of the past century and, more broadly, of all modernity. Drawing on European folklore and legends, as well as the occultism and esotericism of the Victorian era, Stoker—a successor in the "Gothic" tradition of M. Shelley, S. Le Fanu, R. L. Stevenson, and O. Wilde—managed to create an extraordinarily beautiful neo-Gothic world stretching from the Middle Ages to the present day, from mysterious Transylvania to cozy London. And most importantly, to offer humanity a new mythical hero. A hero for all time.Oddly enough, despite countless reprints, this novel has never before been properly published in Russian. Its translation has been revised according to the latest critical editions, omissions have been restored, the nuances of the author's language more carefully rendered, and errors corrected.The "Supplements" section of this edition is particularly noteworthy. First and foremost is Stoker's story "Dracula's Guest"—either a chapter omitted from the novel or a standalone work that enjoyed no less popularity in its time. A selection of numerous contemporary sketches will help paint a vivid picture of how "Dracula" was received by its contemporaries. The main part of the section consists of an extensive body of historical texts: the poem "Dracula Voivode" by the late 15th-century Austrian Meistersinger Michael Puchheim (translated by V. B. Mikushevich), fragments of Pope Pius I's "Notes on Memorable Deeds," the chronicle "About a Wicked Tyrant Called Voivode Dracula" by Wacław of Gotów, fragments of J. Branković's "Slavic-Serbian Chronicles," and others. The reader will be able to acquaint themselves with the prototype of Dracula—the "cunningly evil" Voivode Vlad III, whose villainous deeds outshone those of Nero, Diocletian, and Herod. His terrifying intrigues were described in detail by contemporaries, including those who personally knew the cruel-hearted Voivode.Of greater value is the in-depth article by leading Russian scholars M. P. Odesky and T. A. Mikhailova, which illuminates all aspects of Stoker's life and work, as well as the root system that gave rise to his iconic character.Recommended to the widest circle of readers.