The Vampire has fascinated Western Europe from the early 1700s, but the tradition was a real part of Eastern European lives for a considerable time before that. In the last three centuries, the icon has been taken up in art of all kinds – literature, film and graphics – and it has had a lasting effect on fashion and culture. But what is the authentic story behind tales of the predatory, living dead, and can we understand a little more about being human by studying these accounts? We will look at recent attempts to understand the folklore and try to work out how an Eastern European ritual made its way to late nineteenth century New England, USA. Deborah Hyde wants to know why we believe in things that probably aren't there. What's the story behind the folkore of the macabre, from fairies to ghosts to werewolves to vampires? Using history, folklore and psychology, she has spent many years writing, talking and broadcasting to shine a light on the dark half of our psyches. Editor of The Skeptic Magazine - http://www.skeptic.org.uk http://www.deborahhyde.comTwitter - @jourdemayne

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