<DIV><DIV>Nigel Suckling, one of the foremost authorities on unicorns, leprechauns, and angels, has developed a taste for blood. <I>Book of the Vampire</I> is a stimulating and chilling look at world-wide and ages-old myths about blood-sucking creatures. The accounts range from South America's Chupacabras to Malaysia's penanggalan, whose disembodied flying heads terrified believers. Suckling begins his inquiry with Bram Stoker, whose classic <I>Dracula</I> revived a flagging interest among Victorians for elegant hosts with curious appetites. The book digs deep into Stoker's influences from ancient cultures, including the lamia and the succubus myths from Rome, Greece, and the Middle East, and also examines vampire myths from a spiritual perspective. Bruce Pennington, a well-known and extremely popular fantasy artist, contributes gorgeous illustrations that contribute to the <I>Vampire</I> attraction.</DIV></DIV>