Bram Stoker : Classic Tales of Gothic Horror

Abraham “Bram” Stoker was an Irish novelist and short story writer who is best known for his 1897 gothic horror novel, Dracula.

Bram Stoker was born on November 8, 1847 in Clontarf, Dublin, Ireland, and was the third of seven children born to Abraham Stoker, a civil servant, and Charlotte Mathilda Blake Thornley, who was a philanthropist and writer.

Bram Stoker was a sickly child and spent much of his time bedridden, which allowed him to develop a love of reading and writing. He excelled academically and attended Trinity College, Dublin, where he studied mathematics and science. After completing his studies, Stoker became a civil servant like his father and worked for a time in the Irish Department of Education.

However, Stoker’s true passion was writing, and he began to publish short stories and essays in various magazines and newspapers. In 1878, he published his first book, The Snake’s Pass, a romance novel set in Ireland. This was followed by a number of other novels, including The Watter’s Mou’ (1895) and The Shoulder of Shasta (1895).

It was in 1897, however, that Bram Stoker achieved his greatest success with the publication of Dracula. The novel, which tells the story of the vampire Count Dracula and his attempt to move from Transylvania to England, was an instant bestseller and has since become one of the most iconic and influential horror novels of all time.

Bram Stoker continued to write and publish throughout his career, producing a number of other novels and short story collections. Some of his notable works include The Mystery of the Sea (1902), The Jewel of Seven Stars (1903), and The Lady of the Shroud (1909).

In addition to his writing career, Stoker was also active in the theater, and served as the business manager for the Lyceum Theatre in London for more than two decades. He was also a member of the Society for Psychical Research and was interested in the paranormal and supernatural.

Stoker died on April 20, 1912, at the age of 64, after suffering a stroke. He was buried in a grave at Golders Green Crematorium in London, alongside his wife Florence and their son Noel.

Today, Stoker is remembered as one of the pioneers of the horror genre and his contributions to literature have had a lasting impact. Dracula has been adapted numerous times for film, television, and stage, and continues to be a popular and enduring work of fiction. Stoker’s other works have also been rediscovered and re-evaluated in recent years, and he is now recognized as a significant figure in the history of literature.