When I’m not working or reading for my thesis, I usually spend my time doing needlework, like crochet, knitting, or embroidery. Unfortunately, that also means occasionally stabbing myself with a needle or giving myself some kind of hand strain. I’ve developed carpal tunnel because of it, and even though I know I’m supposed to take frequent breaks, I sometimes forget and completely overdo it. Lately, I’ve been learning more embroidery stitches, and I definitely overdid it over the past couple of days. So now I get to wear my least favorite brace. It is terribly uncomfortable, and I hate wearing it because it basically makes my hand useless, which means I can’t do any of my hobbies. So, naturally, I have to go back to reading consistently. I do enjoy reading, and I even get points for summer reading at my local library, but I have already been reading nonstop for my thesis. The nice thing about writing a thesis, though, is that I get to read things I genuinely enjoy. Right now, that means I’m reading a ridiculous number of vampire books. I just finished Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire and Richard Matheson’s I Am Legend. If you haven’t read, I Am Legend, you definitely should, because when I finished it, I was gutted. It is so much better than the movie; the movie really does not do it justice. The movie makes it seem like the creatures could be zombies, vampires, or something else entirely, but the book makes it very clear that they are vampires. The turmoil Dr. Neville goes through is absolutely worth reading about. If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend it. Right now, I’m doing all of this reading so I can start building the foundation for my thesis. So far, the plan is for it to focus on vampires and pop culture, especially how Gothic novels and vampirism have changed throughout history. I’ve read novels and novellas that include the very first Gothic novel, The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole, along with Dracula, The Vampyre by John Polidori, Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu, The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe, I Am Legend by Richard Matheson, and Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice. Once I finish Interview with the Vampire, I’ll move on to Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and finish with Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas.
When I first decided to do my thesis on vampirism, I definitely pitched Twilight. However, that idea was turned down pretty quickly, and I was told, “We are not doing YA novels.” Fair enough. I will admit that I have a soft spot for the Twilight books. The Team Jacob versus Team Edward debate is never-ending in my family, and if you picked the wrong one, just know that I have four reasons why you were wrong. I own all of the books, audiobooks, and movies—and possibly the soundtracks, too. That being said, I am also drawn to pretty much anything involving vampires. If you give me a vampire book, I will definitely read it.
I also really enjoy just about anything related to vampirism, whether it is movies, books, or role-playing games. That includes watching other people play tabletop role-playing games. Right now, I am watching some of my friends play something called Sanguine Scourge, and it has honestly been one of the most fun things I have done in a long time. So, I guess, since I am currently incapacitated by carpal tunnel, I will have to spend more time paying attention to my dear friends’ role-playing on their Twitch channel, Don’t Kill My Character, while I continue reading and annotating my vampire books.
As always, I enjoy hearing myself talk. I hope you get some entertainment from my ramblings as well. Be safe and know you are loved.
Leave a Reply