One of the most famous pieces of English literature of all time, Dracula is a towering work of Gothic fiction whose archetypal characters-Count Dracula and Abraham Van Helsing-have permeated popular culture since their first appearance in 1897. Drawing on Transylvanian folklore, Bram Stoker weaves his tale of horror through newspaper articles and the letters, diary entries, journals, telegrams, and ship's logs of a small cast of characters whose perilous encounters with Dracula have harrowing if not fatal consequences. Dracula has been adapted for film more than thirty times-though seldom with complete fidelity to the original narrative that continues to captivate countless readers the world over and inspire adaptations of all kinds. This Warbler Classics edition includes an essay on Dracula criticism over time and a biographical note on the life and work of Bram Stoker. Bram Stoker (1847-1912) was an Irish author who was better known in his lifetime for his association with Sir Henry Irving, the most famous actor of his day. Born and raised in Dublin, Stoker graduated with honors in mathematics from Trinity College. He then joined his father in the Irish Civil Service at Dublin Castle, where he worked for the next eight years. During that time he became an unpaid drama critic for the Dublin Evening Mail and began his writing career. His first story, "The Crystal Cup," appeared in 1872; his first novel, The Primrose Path, was published in 1875. In 1876 he met Henry Irving after publishing a favorable review of Irving's Hamlet at the Theatre Royal in Dublin. In 1878 he became Irving's personal assistant and business manager of Irving's Lyceum Theatre-a post he maintained until Irving's death in 1905. In all, Stoker published some eighteen books before his death, Dracula being by far his most enduring work.