The Bedside, Bathtub & Armchair Companion to Dracula

As I was joyously searching through the stacks of Dracula books I'd just recently checked out at the library, I found one in particular that really held my attention: The Bedside, Bathtub & Armchair Companion to Dracula by Mark Dawidziak.  The innocent looking tome claimed to be "the essential guide to the un-dead," but to me appeared to be no more than just a cozy read.  Although, regrettably, I did not read this in the bath or an armchair, I did read it in bed, and it's trivia and book/movie recommendations made for a comfortable way to wind down before bed.

If you have read Dracula and seen a couple of the movies (preferably Lugosi, Schreck, or Lee), then I would highly suggest this book.  I've read Dracula twice already (this summer is going to be my third), and I've seen movies starring Lugosi, Carradine, Schreck, Oldman, and Nielsen as the infamous Count.  While I don't consider myself a Dracula expert by any stretch of the imagination, I do think that I have enough of a background to remain unfazed by the multiple spoilers this book contains.  If you have minimal experience with Dracula, then I would suggest steering clear of this book, as you would either be a bit lost, or groaning at the spoilers.

All in all, I thought that this was a wonderful book.  I relished Dawidziak's pleasant writing style and candid honesty throughout.  I think my favorite aspect, however, had to be all the trivia.  I feel so much smarter for having read this :P  (I'm sure most of you know I love trivia, haha.)  This truly was a delightful way to pave the way for my reading of Dracula, which is to start very soon.  I'm not sure if I'll pursue another commentary first, or consecutively, though.....Hmm...guess I still have a few things to think through.... In any case, Dracula is the next volume for the LXG Reading Challenge, and I'll be starting it before the end of the week. ;)