Piercing the Darkness: Undercover with Vampires in America Today

by Katherine Ramsland

Book Overview

In 1996, the investigative reporter Susan Walsh vanished without a trace while researching New York's vampires. In Piercing the Darkness, Katherine Ramsland examines the journalist's frightening... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061050628
• ISBN13: 9780061050626
• Release Date: September 1998
• Publisher: HarperPrism
• Length: 371 Pages
• Weight: 1.52 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.5" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

A Vampire Freak's Guide To The Subculture

I think this book provides an excellent overview of the vampire and Goth subcultures. I'm surprised that I haven't read this book until now but apparently it was published after my brief period of interest in vampires. I'm more into the Goth subculture and consider vampires to be a mere fantasy element in that scene. Therefore it really does not bother me if the author didn't manage to "get it right". Anything that is not covered in this book is probably just peculiar to someone's private mythology or personal conception of the undead. Katherine Ramsland strikes me as being much more of a vampire enthusiast than an outside observer. I suspect that being the biographer of Anne Rice already made her well-known figure in the vampire subculture so I don't really buy the pretense of immersive anthropology. Writing this book was probably just a way to give herself more "street cred" in the vampire subculture. Fortunately that perspective makes this a fascinating read by a real insider, a genuine vampire freak.

must have

i was ultamitly impressed.i injoyed the book the entire time i was reading it, and i couldn't put it down. what i loved about it so much is the description of the people in this book. katherine ramsland also goes into detail about her feelings towards this project of hers and that sets the mood for the reader. this book also contains referrences to books and movies and such that she resurched. this book is a must have for anyone into vampires.

Absolutely fantastic!

I think Ramsland did a great job going into the minds of 'vampires' today. I am quite interested in vampires, maybe obsessed, and she did such a good job describing the scenes and the blood lettings that it was like you were there with her. You joined her on her journey through the clubs and streets at night. I could not put this book down. Absoluely great book!

One of the best books on the topic

I took this book out of the library, and I read it cover to cover in a single night. I have since read it three times and each time I find more and more that I seem to miss each time I read it. I found Ms. Ramsland's book to be a veritable treasure trove of insights into the vampire subculture and a glimpse into a darker world than most of us dwell in. She uncovers many secrts that Im sure many would prefer had stayed buried, and which, like the vampire myths themselves shall go through the ages to become the basis of many new myths and modern folklore. I would have given this book and its author 10 stars if I could.

this book is just what you may be looking for!!

during the time i bought this book,it was just what i wanted/needed! i was looking for some help and ways to learn connections to know what is really out there in the so called 'vampire community'. Katherine Ramsland does a eXecellant job telling what is(the vampire community),as she eXplores & travels through the scenes and writes her eXperiences with them as well as they're own. I strongly reccommend it to anyone searching out there!