Portland Public Library

Food for the dead, on the trail of New England's vampires, Michael E. Bell

eng

Includes bibliographical references and index

illustrationsplatesmapsportraits

index present

non fiction

Food for the dead

bibliography

987748249

Michael E. Bell

"For nineteenth-century New Englanders, 'vampires' lurked behind tuberculosis. To try to rid their houses and communities of the scourge of the wasting disease, families sometimes relied on folk practices, including exhuming and partially consuming boddies of the deceased. Author and folklorist Michael E. Bell spent twenty years pursuing stories of the vampire in New England. In this book, he shows that the belief in vampires was widespread, and, for some families, lasted into the twentieth century. With humor, insight, and sympathy, he uncovers story upon story of dying men, women and children who believed they were food for the dead."--Page 4 of cover

on the trail of New England's vampires

This awful thing -- Testing a horrible superstition -- Remarkable happenings -- The cause of their trouble lay there before them -- I am waiting and watching for you -- I thought for sure they were coming after me -- Don't be a rational adult -- Never strangers true vampires be -- Ghoulish, wolfish shapes -- The unending river of life -- Relicks of many old customs -- A ghoul in every deserted fireplace -- Is that true of all vampires? -- Food for the dead -- Appendix A : chronology of vampire incidents in New England -- Appendix B : children of Stukeley and Honor Tillinghast