John Keats's Poetry gathers the luminous achievements of one of English Romanticism's most sensuous and philosophically searching voices. From the luxuriant mythmaking of Endymion and Lamia to the concentrated perfection of the great odes-"To Autumn," "Ode to a Nightingale," and "Ode on a Grecian Urn"-these poems explore beauty, mortality, imagination, desire, and the painful transience of human experience. Keats's style is richly pictorial, musically textured, and grounded in what he called "negative capability," the capacity to dwell in uncertainty without forcing resolution. Born in London in 1795, Keats trained as an apothecary-surgeon before committing himself to poetry, a decision shaped by literary ambition, friendship, illness, and bereavement. The early deaths of his parents and brother, his love for Fanny Brawne, and his own tuberculosis sharpened his awareness of fragility. Though dismissed by some contemporary reviewers, he wrote with extraordinary urgency before his death at twenty-five. This volume is essential for readers seeking poetry that unites sensuous beauty with profound meditation. Keats rewards slow reading, inviting both emotional surrender and intellectual reflection.

Die Epoche der britischen Romantik kennzeichnet ein gesellschaftlicher, epistemologischer und ästhetischer Wandel, der zugleich die Theorie und Praxis des Verstehens betrifft: Rückt um 1800 das "Nichtverstehen" in das transzendentale Problembewusstsein der Hermeneutik, so verhandelt die britische Romantik in ihrer Poetik und Poesie zeitgleich mögliche Erkenntnispotenziale des Nichtverstehens sowie Alternativen zu einer rationalen Welterschließung. Der romantische Dichter John Keats entfaltet in seinem Werk ein epistemologisch-ästhetisches Programm, das solch alternative Weltzugänge eröffnet, indem es unterschiedliche Formen und Leistungen des Nichtverstehens reflektiert. Ausgehend von Keats' Briefen liest die Studie das poetologische Konzept der "Negative Capability" erstmals systematisch als methodologisch fundierte Akzeptanz von Nichtverstehen, analysiert die damit verschränkten Auffassungen zu Identität, Alterität, urteilendem Denken und der Imagination und entwickelt Keats' Forderung einer 'Fähigkeit zum Negativen' zu einer 'Hermeneutik unter Vorbehalt' weiter. Die kritische Auseinandersetzung mit Thesen zu den Bedingungen von Verstehen und Nichtverstehen in der philosophischen und literarischen Hermeneutik, der Dekonstruktion sowie der Posthermeneutik und Präsenzästhetik bildet die theoretische Basis für nuancierte close readings von Keats' Gedichten "Sleep and Poetry", "La Belle Dame Sans Merci", "Lamia" und "Ode on a Grecian Urn". Die Studie bietet innovative Lektüren der Poesie, die nicht nur als Metakritik von rationalen und philosophischen Zugangsweisen zur Welt und zu ästhetischen Objekten lesbar ist, sondern auch das epistemische Potenzial sinnlicher und imaginativer Strategien ergründet. Der Band erörtert exemplarisch aktuelle Fragen zur Hermeneutik und Ästhetik aus philosophischer und literaturtheoretischer Perspektive und bietet neue Erkenntnisse zum Wechselspiel von Verstehen und Nichtverstehen in der ästhetischen Erfahrung sowie der literaturwissenschaftlichen Praxis der Interpretation.

The USA Today bestselling follow-up to Red Rabbit, Rose of Jericho is a supernatural horror where ghosts and ghouls are the least of a witch's problems in nineteenth-century New England. Something wicked is going on in the town of Ascension. A mother wasting away from cancer is suddenly up and about. A boy trampled by a milk cart walks away from the accident. A hanged man can still speak, broken neck and all. The dead are not dying. When Rabbit and Sadie Grace accompany their friend Rose to Ascension to help take care of her ailing cousin, they immediately notice that their new house, Bethany Hall, is occupied by dozens of ghosts. And something is waiting for them in the attic. The villagers of Ascension are unwelcoming and wary of their weird visitors. As the three women attempt to find out what's happening in the town, they must be careful not to be found out. But a much larger-and more dangerous-force is galloping straight for them... Also by Alex Grecian: Red Rabbit

An evaluation ofPlato sine ira et studio seems hardly possible. Especially since the publication of Popper's sensational book "The open Society and its Ennemies" adherents and opponents have been more sharply divided than ever. lt may help to clear up the matter if we consider how Plato was regarded in Greece itself in his own time. Then we see that his contemporaries - with the exception of the more intimate circle of pupils and admirers-reacted partly with antipathy, partly with surprise because of the un-Grecian cha­ racter of his philosophical and political theories. Plato was thought to be haughty and unsympathetic. This fits in with the philosopher's personality as we encounter it in his books: nowhere do we find warm, genuine human kindness, spiritual values are the only thing that matters while, as with Plato's teacher Socrates, the heart does not receive its due. lt has been said, wrongly, that no humanist ideas may be expected from Plato, because the idea of humanism is of later origin, and in Plato's time unknown. In his treatise on Anthröpismos-Humanitas Dr. ]. Meerwaldt has shown this assertion to be at complete variance with the real facts and that the Greek equivalent of the Latin humanitas has already been formulated by Plato's contemparary Aristippos. In his judgment of slavery, in his militarism Plato is behind his times.

Trisha Ashley writes with remarkable wit and originality - one of the best writers around.' KATIE FFORDE 'Trisha at her best.' CAROLE MATTHEWS Alice Rose is a foundling, discovered on the Yorkshire moors above Haworth as a baby. Adopted but then later rejected again by a horrid step-mother, Alice struggles to find a place where she belongs. Only baking - the scent of cinnamon and citrus and the feel of butter and flour between her fingers - brings a comforting sense of home. So it seems natural that when she finally decides to return to Haworth, Alice turns to baking again, taking over a run-down little teashop and working to set up an afternoon tea emporium. Luckily she soon makes friends - including a Grecian god-like neighbour - who help her both set up home and try to solve the mystery of who she is. There are one or two last twists in the dark fairytale of Alice's life to come . . . but can she find her happily ever after? Readers love The Little Teashop of Lost and Found: ***** 'delightful, charming and pure escapism' ***** 'intrigue, laughs and compassion . . . a truly lovely novel' ***** 'full of warm-hearted characters, beautifully settings, delicious cakes and that special touch of magic which makes it stand out as a Trisha Ashley novel

An evaluation ofPlato sine ira et studio seems hardly possible. Especially since the publication of Popper's sensational book "The open Society and its Ennemies" adherents and opponents have been more sharply divided than ever. lt may help to clear up the matter if we consider how Plato was regarded in Greece itself in his own time. Then we see that his contemporaries - with the exception of the more intimate circle of pupils and admirers-reacted partly with antipathy, partly with surprise because of the un-Grecian cha­ racter of his philosophical and political theories. Plato was thought to be haughty and unsympathetic. This fits in with the philosopher's personality as we encounter it in his books: nowhere do we find warm, genuine human kindness, spiritual values are the only thing that matters while, as with Plato's teacher Socrates, the heart does not receive its due. lt has been said, wrongly, that no humanist ideas may be expected from Plato, because the idea of humanism is of later origin, and in Plato's time unknown. In his treatise on Anthröpismos-Humanitas Dr. ]. Meerwaldt has shown this assertion to be at complete variance with the real facts and that the Greek equivalent of the Latin humanitas has already been formulated by Plato's contemparary Aristippos. In his judgment of slavery, in his militarism Plato is behind his times.

Trisha Ashley writes with remarkable wit and originality - one of the best writers around.' KATIE FFORDE 'Trisha at her best.' CAROLE MATTHEWS Alice Rose is a foundling, discovered on the Yorkshire moors above Haworth as a baby. Adopted but then later rejected again by a horrid step-mother, Alice struggles to find a place where she belongs. Only baking - the scent of cinnamon and citrus and the feel of butter and flour between her fingers - brings a comforting sense of home. So it seems natural that when she finally decides to return to Haworth, Alice turns to baking again, taking over a run-down little teashop and working to set up an afternoon tea emporium. Luckily she soon makes friends - including a Grecian god-like neighbour - who help her both set up home and try to solve the mystery of who she is. There are one or two last twists in the dark fairytale of Alice's life to come . . . but can she find her happily ever after? Readers love The Little Teashop of Lost and Found: ***** 'delightful, charming and pure escapism' ***** 'intrigue, laughs and compassion . . . a truly lovely novel' ***** 'full of warm-hearted characters, beautifully settings, delicious cakes and that special touch of magic which makes it stand out as a Trisha Ashley novel

Der seinsgeschichtliche Wandel der Unverborgenheit wird in dieser Vorlesung zusammen mit dem Wandel ihres Gegenwesens, der Verborgenheit (Lethe) gesehen (pseudos, falsum, Unrichtigkeit, Falschheit). Der letzte Mythos von der Lethe wird anhand der Politeia der Polis (Platon) gedacht. Der todesträchtige Gang des Menschen im Pol der Anwesenheit des Seienden, der Polis, führt zur Frage nach der Anwesung des Seienden nach dem Tode im Feld der entziehenden Verbergung, darüber hinaus zur Frage nach dem griechisch verstandenen Götterwesen. Zentral ist dabei der "Blick" (thea) als solcher, der Blick der Götter, sowie das Erscheinen des Ungeheuren im Geheuren im Blick des Menschen. Die Vorlesung schließt mit einer Weisung des übersetzenden Wortes Aletheia, über das Offene und das Freie der Lichtung des Seins, und der Fahrt des Denkers zum Haus der Göttin (thea). In this lecture, the being-historical change of unconcealment is contemplated together with the change of its counterpart, concealment (Lethe) (pseudo, falsum, incorrectness, falsehood). The last myth of Lethe is based on the “politeia” of the “polis” (Plato). The mortal passage of man in the realm of the presence of beings, the “polis”; leads to the question of the presence of beings after death in the field of withdrawing concealment, and beyond that to the question of the god-being as it was taken in Grecian thinking. Central to this is the "gaze" (“thea”) as such, the gaze of the gods, as well as the appearance of the uncanny in the cannyness of the gaze of man. The lecture closes with an instruction of the translating word “aletheia”; about the open and free realm of the clearing of being, and the thinker´s journey to the house of the goddess (“thea”).

A comprehensive study guide offering in-depth explanation, essay, and test prep for the best-known English Romantic poets, including William Blake, Robert Burns, William Wordsworth, Sir Walter Scott, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Lord Byron, Percy Shelley and John Keats. As defenders of imagination and spirituality, these celebrated poets are recognized for their collective protest against the principles of the English Neoclassical period. As a collection from the English Romantic era, these works reflect the subjectivity, emotionalism, and lawlessness that defined the spirit of Romanticism. Together, these works capture the values of one of the largest and most influential artistic movements in history. This Bright Notes Study Guide includes notes and commentary on literary classics such as Blake's Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience, Wordsworth's "Tintern Abbey," Coleridge's "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner," Byron's "Don Juan," and Keats' "Ode to a Grecian Urn," helping students to thoroughly explore the reasons they have stood the literary test of time. Each Bright Notes Study Guide contains: - Introductions to the Author and the Work - Character Summaries - Plot Guides - Section and Chapter Overviews - Test Essay and Study Q&As The Bright Notes Study Guide series offers an in-depth tour of more than 275 classic works of literature, exploring characters, critical commentary, historical background, plots, and themes. This set of study guides encourages readers to dig deeper in their understanding by including essay questions and answers as well as topics for further research.

Der seinsgeschichtliche Wandel der Unverborgenheit wird in dieser Vorlesung zusammen mit dem Wandel ihres Gegenwesens, der Verborgenheit (Lethe) gesehen (pseudos, falsum, Unrichtigkeit, Falschheit). Der letzte Mythos von der Lethe wird anhand der Politeia der Polis (Platon) gedacht. Der todesträchtige Gang des Menschen im Pol der Anwesenheit des Seienden, der Polis, führt zur Frage nach der Anwesung des Seienden nach dem Tode im Feld der entziehenden Verbergung, darüber hinaus zur Frage nach dem griechisch verstandenen Götterwesen. Zentral ist dabei der "Blick" (thea) als solcher, der Blick der Götter, sowie das Erscheinen des Ungeheuren im Geheuren im Blick des Menschen. Die Vorlesung schließt mit einer Weisung des übersetzenden Wortes Aletheia, über das Offene und das Freie der Lichtung des Seins, und der Fahrt des Denkers zum Haus der Göttin (thea). In this lecture, the being-historical change of unconcealment is contemplated together with the change of its counterpart, concealment (Lethe) (pseudo, falsum, incorrectness, falsehood). The last myth of Lethe is based on the “politeia” of the “polis” (Plato). The mortal passage of man in the realm of the presence of beings, the “polis”; leads to the question of the presence of beings after death in the field of withdrawing concealment, and beyond that to the question of the god-being as it was taken in Grecian thinking. Central to this is the "gaze" (“thea”) as such, the gaze of the gods, as well as the appearance of the uncanny in the cannyness of the gaze of man. The lecture closes with an instruction of the translating word “aletheia”; about the open and free realm of the clearing of being, and the thinker´s journey to the house of the goddess (“thea”).

Naxos AudioBooks continues its new series of Great Poets - represented by a collection of their most popular poems on one CD - with John Keats. Although this man had a short life, he produced a series of outstanding poems - many of which appeared first in letters to his sister. He was largely unappreciated during his lifetime, and died in Rome at the age of 26. Most of his 150 poems were written in just nine extraordinary months in 1819. This selection contains some of his finest works, the principal Odes, La Belle Dame Sans Merci, Old Meg and Much Have I Travelled. INCLUDED IN The Great Poets - John Keats Great spirits now on earth are sojourning; Much have I travelled in the realms of gold On the Sea Wherein lies happiness? In that which becks On Sitting Down to read King Lear once Again Bright star, would I were steadfast as thou art Old Meg she was a Gipsy Deep in the shady sadness of a vale A casement high and triple-arch'd there was Ode to a Nightingale Ode on Melancholy Why did I laugh tonight? No voice will tell La Belle Dame Sans Merci On a Grecian Urn To Sleep Ode To Psyche A haunting music, sole perhaps and lone To Autumn This living hand, now warm and capable When I have fears that I may cease to be From Endymion Fancy There Was a Naughty Boy The Eve of St Agnes

The art of collecting and accumulating kindred objects—from artist’s palettes still freckled with oil paint, to hand carved picture frames, to a menagerie of toy animals—is at the core of timeless French style. 'Inspired by a lifetime of collecting “objects of every kind”; Montagut offers a glimpse inside the troves of 10 collectors, showcased in playful mood boards. Among the curious finds are embroidered 18th-century Madonnas at Atelier Vime, papier-mâché ducks in Normandy and coffee mills at Paris’s Marché aux Puces.' - Financial Times, 'How To Spend It' 'This unique and eccentric book is a real page-turner, the scope of these collections is wonderful, and Pierre Musellec’s photography paired with Montagut’s illustrations showcases how much these objects are loved.' - The Guardian French artist, designer, and talented antique hunter Marin Montagut celebrates the joy of collecting everything from textiles to mercury glass candlesticks to architectural details, taking readers inside ten private homes, flea markets, and unusual ateliers to discover the most whimsical treasure troves in France. From a film prop house’s array of bistro chairs to a vintage stock of brushes for all purposes, and from an art studio’s Grecian plaster casts to an amateur designer’s selection of antique clothing, and from Marin’s own wonder wall assemblages to a cook’s haven filled with copper dessert molds and pots—objects; when presented together as a series, create unforgettable interiors that radiate charm. Inspiration comes in repetition: a grouping of belle époque furniture ornamentation creates an artful space. The spare wooden forms of capipotes—devotional statues used in religious processions, their eyes turned heavenward in ecstasy—and silver ex votos can be the point of departure for the theme of an entire room. Marin’s moodboards and watercolor illustrations for each chapter provide endless ideas for the home.

Thieves, mansions and murders... no one can be trusted in this classic historical mystery The tangled threads of family conspiracy and dark intentions will not let John Mellamphy rest. Seeking help from Henry Bellringer, a relation of a school friend, he instead finds himself in a nest of thieves. Reading his mother's journal, with tantalising details of his parentage, his grandfather's murder and his deadly legacy, John finally discovers a terrible truth that could mean his death. But when John finally escapes the gang and a kindly household takes him in, their intentions may not be entirely altruistic... The third part of the bestselling classic, The Quincunx, is perfect for fans of C.S. Quinn, M.J. Carter or Alex Grecian. Praise for The Quincunx ' Grips like steel... it's a book to make you miss your stop on the bus or the train, keep you up at night and wake you early... a formidable achievement' Kaleidoscope, BBC Radio 4 'His brilliant and entertaining pastiche of the mid-nineteenth-century novel' The Times 'A brilliant and deeply eccentric attempt to reproduce an early Victorian novel...it combines massive scope with minute detail - there is a cast of thousands, but every figure is lovingly painted. The plot is so thick the spoon stands up in it, and by the end, the reader has toured the whole of late Regency society... Magnificent - gripping and beautifully written; the sort of book that sends you into a trance of pleasure' Independent 'Charles Palliser has realised a world that can almost be smelt and tasted as it pours off the page of this gripping, extraordinary novel' Daily Telegraph 'His plot is of an intricacy that Wilkie Collins himself might have envied... an astonishing achievement' Scotsman The Quincunx The Huffams The Mompessons The Clothiers The Palphramonds The Maliphants

The art of collecting and accumulating kindred objects—from artist’s palettes still freckled with oil paint, to hand carved picture frames, to a menagerie of toy animals—is at the core of timeless French style. 'Inspired by a lifetime of collecting “objects of every kind”; Montagut offers a glimpse inside the troves of 10 collectors, showcased in playful mood boards. Among the curious finds are embroidered 18th-century Madonnas at Atelier Vime, papier-mâché ducks in Normandy and coffee mills at Paris’s Marché aux Puces.' - Financial Times, 'How To Spend It' 'This unique and eccentric book is a real page-turner, the scope of these collections is wonderful, and Pierre Musellec’s photography paired with Montagut’s illustrations showcases how much these objects are loved.' - The Guardian French artist, designer, and talented antique hunter Marin Montagut celebrates the joy of collecting everything from textiles to mercury glass candlesticks to architectural details, taking readers inside ten private homes, flea markets, and unusual ateliers to discover the most whimsical treasure troves in France. From a film prop house’s array of bistro chairs to a vintage stock of brushes for all purposes, and from an art studio’s Grecian plaster casts to an amateur designer’s selection of antique clothing, and from Marin’s own wonder wall assemblages to a cook’s haven filled with copper dessert molds and pots—objects; when presented together as a series, create unforgettable interiors that radiate charm. Inspiration comes in repetition: a grouping of belle époque furniture ornamentation creates an artful space. The spare wooden forms of capipotes—devotional statues used in religious processions, their eyes turned heavenward in ecstasy—and silver ex votos can be the point of departure for the theme of an entire room. Marin’s moodboards and watercolor illustrations for each chapter provide endless ideas for the home.

John Keats (1795-1821) was an English Romantic poet. The poetry of Keats is characterized by sensual imagery, most notably in the series of odes. Today his poems and letters are some of the most popular and most analyzed in English literature. Table of Contents: - Introduction: Life of John Keats by Sidney Colvin - Ode - Ode on a Grecian Urn - Ode to Apollo - Ode to Fanny - Ode on Indolence - Ode on Melancholy - Ode to Psyche - Ode to a Nightingale - Sonnets - Sonnet: When I Have Fears That I May Cease to Be - Sonnet on the Sonnet - Sonnet to Chatterton - Sonnet Written in Disgust of Vulgar Superstition - Sonnet: Why Did I Laugh Tonight? No Voice Will Tell - Sonnet to a Cat - Sonnet Written Upon the Top of Ben Nevis - Sonnet: This Pleasant Tale is Like a Little Copse - Sonnet - The Human Seasons - Sonnet to Homer - Sonnet to A Lady Seen for a Few Moments at Vauxhall - Sonnet on Visiting the Tomb of Burns - Sonnet on Leigh Hunt's Poem 'the Story of Rimini' - Sonnet: A Dream, After Reading Dante's Episode of Paulo and Francesco - Sonnet to Sleep - Sonnet Written in Answer to a Sonnet Ending Thus: - Sonnet: After Dark Vapours Have Oppress'd Our Plains - Sonnet to John Hamilton Reynolds - Sonnet on Sitting Down to Read King Lear Once Again - Sonnet: Before He Went to Feed with Owls and Bats - Sonnet Written in the Cottage Where Burns Was Born - Sonnet to The Nile - Sonnet on Peace - Sonnet on Hearing the Bagpipe and - Sonnet: Oh! How I Love, on a Fair Summer's Eve - Sonnet to Byron - Sonnet to Spenser - Sonnet: As from the Darkening Gloom A Silver Dove - Sonnet on the Sea - Sonnet to Fanny - Sonnet to Ailsa Rock - Sonnet on a Picture of Leander - Translation from a Sonnet of Ronsard - Two Sonnets on Fame - Lamia - Isabella - Endymion - Hyperion - Stanzas - Spenserian Stanza - Spenserian Stanzas on Charles Armitage Brown - Stanzas to Miss Wylie - Robin Hood - The Eve of St. Agnes - Modern Love - ...

Don't miss a BRAND NEW laugh-out-loud, uplifting read from the bestselling author of Old Girls on Deck, Maddie Please Perfect for fans of Judy Leigh, Kate Galley and Dee MacDonald! 'Sea, sunshine, romance and fabulous characters' Bestselling author Judy Leigh At 64, Meg Foster is ready to paint outside the lines Newly divorced from overbearing husband Malcom and with only reruns of Bergerac and an irascible black cat called Ivan for company, Meg decides it's time to add a little colour back into her life. So when she spots a flyer for a local art class at the Lower Begley community centre, she grabs a brush - despite her only painting experience being a half-hearted coat of magnolia in the downstairs loo. Surrounded by a motley crew of charming amateur artists, Meg slowly begins to rediscover her spark with the help of the other old girls...and the only male in the group Dennis. And when someone suggests a painting holiday to sun-soaked Santorini, Meg doesn't hesitate to sign up. Whitewashed walls, turquoise seas and possibly even a Grecian god or two? Yes please! As the sun sets over the Aegean, Meg starts to realise that life - like art - is all about perspective. Could this trip be more than just a wash of watercolour fun? Could friendship, freedom and a second-chance romance be just a sketch away? Full of heart, humour and hues of every shade, relax with another joyful story from Maddie Please celebrating the power of reinvention, female friendship, and living boldly - no matter your age. Praise for Maddie Please: 'Warm, witty and wonderfully engaging, Maddie takes us to Greece for sun soaked fun with a delightful cast of characters." Bestselling author Kate Galley 'Warm, funny and poignant with engaging characters, it reminds us that you're never too old for fun, romance and to learn new things!' Bestselling author Karen King 'A new lease of life under the Greek sun. As fresh and delicious as chilled retsina!' Bestselling author Phillipa Ashley 'For a book that's as cheering and restorative as a long lunch with your very best friend, Maddie Please is the author you need to know!' Bestselling author Chris Manby 'Genuine and life-affirming...a wonderful, lighthearted novel about how it is never too late to find happiness.' Bestselling author Kitty Wilson 'A heart-warming story filled with friendship and fun. It's official - I want to be an Old Duck!' Bestselling author Maisie Thomas

40th ANNIVERSARY EDITION • From the #1 New York Times bestselling author, "a magnificent, compulsively readable thriller...Rice begins where Bram Stoker and the Hollywood versions leave off and penetrates directly to the true fascination of the myth—the education of the vampire” (Chicago Tribune). • The inspiration for the hit television series The time is now. We are in a small room with the vampire, face to face, as he speaks--as he pours out the hypnotic, shocking, moving, and erotically charged confessions of his first two hundred years as one of the living dead. . . He speaks quietly, plainly, even gently . . . carrying us back to the night when he departed human existence as heir--young, romantic, cultivated--to a great Louisiana plantation, and was inducted by the radiant and sinister Lestat into the other, the "endless," life . . . learning first to sustain himself on the blood of cocks and rats caught in the raffish streets of New Orleans, then on the blood of human beings . . . to the years when, moving away from his final human ties under the tutelage of the hated yet necessary Lestat, he gradually embraces the habits, hungers, feelings of vampirism: the detachment, the hardened will, the "superior" sensual pleasures. He carries us back to the crucial moment in a dark New Orleans street when he finds the exquisite lost young child Claudia, wanting not to hurt but to comfort her, struggling against the last residue of human feeling within him . . . We see how Claudia in turn is made a vampire--all her passion and intelligence trapped forever in the body of a small child--and how they arrive at their passionate and dangerous alliance, their French Quarter life of opulence: delicate Grecian statues, Chinese vases, crystal chandeliers, a butler, a maid, a stone nymph in the hidden garden court . . . night curving into night with their vampire senses heightened to the beauty of the world, thirsting for the beauty of death--a constant stream of vulnerable strangers awaiting them below . . . We see them joined against the envious, dangerous Lestat, embarking on a perilous search across Europe for others like themselves, desperate to discover the world they belong to, the ways of survival, to know what they are and why, where they came from, what their future can be . . . We follow them across Austria and Transylvania, encountering their kind in forms beyond their wildest imagining . . . to Paris, where footsteps behind them, in exact rhythm with their own, steer them to the doors of the Théâtre des Vampires--the beautiful, lewd, and febrile mime theatre whose posters of penny-dreadful vampires at once mask and reveal the horror within . . . to their meeting with the eerily magnetic Armand, who brings them, at last, into intimacy with a whole brilliant and decadent society of vampires, an intimacy that becomes sudden terror when they are compelled to confront what they have feared and fled . . . In its unceasing flow of spellbinding storytelling, of danger and flight, of loyalty and treachery, Interview with the Vampire bears witness of a literary imagination of the first order.

40th ANNIVERSARY EDITION From the #1 New York Times bestselling author, "a magnificent, compulsively readable thriller...Rice begins where Bram Stoker and the Hollywood versions leave off and penetrates directly to the true fascination of the myth—the education of the vampire” (Chicago Tribune). The inspiration for the hit television series The time is now. We are in a small room with the vampire, face to face, as he speaks--as he pours out the hypnotic, shocking, moving, and erotically charged confessions of his first two hundred years as one of the living dead. . . He speaks quietly, plainly, even gently . . . carrying us back to the night when he departed human existence as heir--young, romantic, cultivated--to a great Louisiana plantation, and was inducted by the radiant and sinister Lestat into the other, the "endless," life . . . learning first to sustain himself on the blood of cocks and rats caught in the raffish streets of New Orleans, then on the blood of human beings . . . to the years when, moving away from his final human ties under the tutelage of the hated yet necessary Lestat, he gradually embraces the habits, hungers, feelings of vampirism: the detachment, the hardened will, the "superior" sensual pleasures. He carries us back to the crucial moment in a dark New Orleans street when he finds the exquisite lost young child Claudia, wanting not to hurt but to comfort her, struggling against the last residue of human feeling within him . . . We see how Claudia in turn is made a vampire--all her passion and intelligence trapped forever in the body of a small child--and how they arrive at their passionate and dangerous alliance, their French Quarter life of opulence: delicate Grecian statues, Chinese vases, crystal chandeliers, a butler, a maid, a stone nymph in the hidden garden court . . . night curving into night with their vampire senses heightened to the beauty of the world, thirsting for the beauty of death--a constant stream of vulnerable strangers awaiting them below . . . We see them joined against the envious, dangerous Lestat, embarking on a perilous search across Europe for others like themselves, desperate to discover the world they belong to, the ways of survival, to know what they are and why, where they came from, what their future can be . . . We follow them across Austria and Transylvania, encountering their kind in forms beyond their wildest imagining . . . to Paris, where footsteps behind them, in exact rhythm with their own, steer them to the doors of the Théâtre des Vampires--the beautiful, lewd, and febrile mime theatre whose posters of penny-dreadful vampires at once mask and reveal the horror within . . . to their meeting with the eerily magnetic Armand, who brings them, at last, into intimacy with a whole brilliant and decadent society of vampires, an intimacy that becomes sudden terror when they are compelled to confront what they have feared and fled . . . In its unceasing flow of spellbinding storytelling, of danger and flight, of loyalty and treachery, Interview with the Vampire bears witness of a literary imagination of the first order.