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Sundays with Vlad
by Paul Bibeau

I was rather fortunate enough to be gifted with a copy of this book, and I am exceptionally grateful for this. Until that very moment I had not even heard about this book let alone contemplated reading it and after having finished reading this book I can honestly say it would have been my loss.

Now, Sundays with Vlad, despite what the cover might make you think, is not a horror book, nor is it a comedic-horror novel. It is however one author’s attempt to walk in the footsteps of billions of Dracula fans the world wide, his attempt to separate fact from fiction, to learn about the historical Vlad Dracul and the Dracula that has become embedded in pop culture of thousands of nations. Now, while this isn’t exactly a completely new and revolutionary project (After all how many other authors have gone off searching not just for Dracula, but for Nessie and Big Foot as well?) Bibeau does approach this from a unique stand point and proceeds to take a look at the culture that has sprung up as a result of Dracula.

I was rather pleased to see that he [Bibeau] attempted to take a look at cultures that people normally avoid, mock and ridicule to the extreme, or just pretend they don’t exist. By this I mean the vampire religion, the clubbing, and even Vampire RPG. I might as well flash my geek-credentials for the world to see when I admit that I got excited and rather pleased to see Bibeau talk about live action role playing and the White Wolf game Vampires. Truth be told, after reading Bibeau’s account of his first live action game I was sorely tempted to dig up my dice and my old Vampire the Masquerade books and characters. Sad no?

As someone who has read numerous accounts on both the fictional and historical Dracula, as well as other sources for the Vampire myth and accounts that “prove” the existence, I expected to find a lot of information regurgitated in the book. In reality, while there were quite a few things I did already know, there were also quite a few kernels of knowledge that were news to me. The Dracula attraction on the board walk, the fact that the coat of arms featured were actually from the British Royal family? News to me! What was truly refreshing however, was the manner in which the information and adventure were conveyed. Bibeau allowed the reader to experiance it from his point of view without allowing his own opinions and views to color the moment and bias the reader.

Don’t assume though that Bibeau took a meek and mild stance when immersing himself in this subculture, far from it in fact. Bibeau’s thoughts, witty humor, and light digs shine through even while he’s stepping back and looking at something objectively for the reader’s benefit. A talent I would expect from a former writer for the Washington Post, Mademoiselle, New York Observer, Cosmopolitan, New York Post, and Maxim. Any writer who can write pieces for that wide range of outlets has an undeniable skill.

For an example of the wit and snark that will have you laughing like an idiot, and subsequently scaring the hell out of anyone around to witness the event, I present to you this passage taken from chapter two, when the author and an acquaintance visit the Rosenbach Museum and Library in Philidelphia. At the end of the tour they and their tour group are at long last able to see what they had come to see, Bram Stoker’s notes for the book Dracula. Unfortunately for Paul Bibeau, he’s mixed up with a interesting crowd:

I scan their faces-earnest, articulate-the type who make C-SPAN lectures last twice as long as they need to. They’re the bane of the NPR call-in show. They don’t ask questions. They give speeches disguised as questions. I scan the crowd, and I realize that everybody, absolutely everybody in this room has a little something to add. And one by one, we will hear them all. The tour group are like Joy Division fans or Star Trek fans or bloggers. They’re smart and educated and they just can’t shut the fuck up. (p59)

Rather ironic that this book is being reviewed on a blog isn’t it? I can’t take offense to the passage because it is so true. I’m certain there will be points where people take offense at some of the things the author says, but over all I found Sundays with Vlad to be a light, enjoyable, and hilarious read. My only real complaint was that the book was a little on the short side. There were some subjects that I felt warranted a little more detail, that instead, got glossed over. That was the only thing that kept this book from getting a 5 star rating.

Joana’s rating: