Author · 1795–1821
John William Polidori
John William Polidori was an English writer and physician (1795–1821). Born in London.
Our catalogue lists 2 books by John William Polidori, mostly vampire fiction, horror and gothic fiction. They span 1819 to 2001. The most-read is The Vampyre (1819). 1 title is free to read on Project Gutenberg.
Books by John William Polidori
- FREE
The Vampyre
John William Polidori
The Vampyre, and Other Tales of the Macabre
John William Polidori
Biography
Dr. **Polidori** was Lord Byron's personal physician. Upon accompanying Byron on holiday to Switzerland, he participated in a "ghost story" writing exercise. His own story was met with scorn, but, inspired by the fragment that Byron wrote, Polidori used this base to write was would become the first modern vampire story in the English language. His character, Lord Ruthven, an aristocratic bloodsucker based on Byron, would be used in English, French and German novels, operas and plays until the character was eclipsed by Stoker's Count Dracula. Polidori became depressed and indebted due to gambling. His death at the age of 25 was officially classed as natural causes, but it was likely that Polidori committed suicide. There is strong evidence indicating poisoning with cyanide. Through his sister, Polidori was the uncle to Dante Gabriel Rossetti, co-founder of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.