This study of the many manifestations of the vampire myth from Beowulf to Buffy explores what it has signified for every culture in which it is found. A large section is devoted to the Real Vampires flourishing largely in the US, but also present in the UK, Australia and on the Internet. The author finds the members of this secretive subculture, who feed on each other's blood to be a fascinating intersection between fantasy and reality. He also regards them as harmless and asks whether it's actually possible to be subversive in our postmodern society. He argues that the vampire myth has so saturated our culture as to be tamed by entering the fabric of everyday life - and there, being reborn.