The Lost Journal of Bram Stoker

Book excerpt: Recently a long-lost journal belonging to Dracula author Bram Stoker was discovered in his great-grandson Noel's dusty attic. Published now to coincide with the centenary of Stoker's death, the text of this stunning find, written between 1871 and 1881, mostly in his native Dublin, will captivate scholars of Gothic literature and Dracula fans alike. Painstakingly transcribed and researched, the journal offers intriguing new insights into the complex nature of the man who wrote Dracula more than one hundred years ago. Assisted by a team of scholars and Stoker historians, Dacre Stoker and Professor Elizabeth Miller neatly connect the dots between the contents of the journal and Bram Stoker's later work, most significantly Dracula. Until now, discussion of the very private Bram Stoker has, by necessity, been largely speculative. Other than names and dates provided by biographers, and Bram Stoker's own sparse self-revelation in his non-fiction, little has been available to support character studies of this fascinating Victorian gentleman. This personal journal shows Stoker's private thoughts and his developing style, and is a veritable treasure trove of oddities, musings and anecdotes.