1st US,Lord Byron 1: Lord of the Dead: Secret History Byron by Tom Holland(1996)

Lord of the Dead The Secret History of Byron by Tom Holland Pocket Books First American Edition Description: Hardback book published by Pocket Books in 1996. The copyright page states ”First Pocket Books hardcover printing March 1996′ and the printing status bar is complete, making this a first American printing. Published in the UK a year before the US publication under the title The Vampyre ((see my other Tom Holland items for a copy of the UK edition). From the front flap of the UK edition: Lord Byron’s personal physician, Polidori, is generally credited with authorship of the first modern vampire story. Its hero is titled, fascinating, and deadly dangerous to know; in fact, a thinly veiled portrait of the great poet himself. But Polidori’s story only hinted at the truth. It did not tell it all. And was it not Bryon himself who commented that truth is stranger than fiction? So it is that the myth has become reality. Rebecca Carville, desperate to track down the sole remaining copy of Byron’s lost memoirs, finds herself sharing a bottle of Chateau Lafite with the dissolute adventurer, staggered to find him not only alive but looking as beautiful and ethereal as he did nearly two hundred years ago. But Byron is weary with the burden of immortality. Sensing a kindred spirit as well as a rapt audience, he agrees to relate the story of his extraordinary life, beginning with his dark and mysterious initiation into the ways of the undead… A brilliantly crafted blend of fact and fiction, The Vampyre puts a dazzling new spine on the vampire myth, with a pervasive sense of violence and eroticism and a cast of powerfully tortured characters. Intensely atmospheric, it presents a fascinating piece of alternative history and a modern Gothic novel that is as thought-provoking as it is gripping. Condition: Binding – very good, top and bottom of spine bumped, lower corners a little bumped, pages edges very slightly soiled. Dust Jacket – near fine, minor edgewear and wrinkling, not price clipped, in dust jacket protector. Our Business Policies: Use the Contact Seller link near the top of this listing to see our FAQs, which should answer most questions about our business and listing policies. We have moved the extensive text we used to have here to those FAQs. Shipping and Packing: General Information: We always ship in sturdy new boxes with premium heavy duty packing tape, bubblewrap and filler to keep the item(s) away from the sides of the box. The pictures below show the boxes that we use for shipping. A Note On Customs: When customs forms are required for a shipment, we fill them out honestly, stating that the contents are merchandise and giving the price you paid for the item (not including the shipping) as the value. Please do not ask us to do otherwise. Take any customs duty that you will have to pay into consideration before making your purchase. Please note that many countries have restrictions on the import of certain goods and sometimes on the maximum value that can be shipped to the country by various shipping methods. Priority Mail International insurance cannot be purchased for all countries and some limit the amount of insurance that can be purchased (default indemnity coverage seems to apply to all countries). Details on shipping conditions by country can be found on the United States Post Office website.