Speaking with Vampires

"It took courage, determination, and a clear mind to make us see unexpected aspects of colonial history, not beneath, but through, stories of bloodsuckers and cannibals. Luise White's book convincingly demonstrates that these tales of the fantastic can be sources of history-writing, giving us access to realities that are ignored by those who uncritically accept the injunctions of scientific realism."—Johannes Fabian, author of Remembering the Present: Painting and Popular History in Zaire

"Luise White is as usual stimulating and provocative. This book on vampires reverses strong mythologies and will make a significant difference in African studies."—Valentin Mudimbe, author of The Idea of Africa

"A brilliant, eccentric, original book. It is deeply researched, intellectually engaged, and morally serious. It deserves a wide readership." —Thomas Laqueur, author of Making Sex: Body and Gender from the Greeks to Freud

About the author

Luise White is Associate Professor of History at the University of Florida. Her previous book, The Comforts of Home: Prostitution in Colonial Nairobi (1990), won the Herskovits Prize of the African Studies Association.

Summary

During the colonial period, Africans told each other terrifying rumors that Africans who worked for white colonists captured unwary residents and took their blood. Providing the stories that Africans told to describe colonial power, this book presents an epistemological inquiry into the nature of historical truth and memory.

Product details

• Authors: Luise White, White Luise
• Publisher: University Of California Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 09.05.2000
• EAN: 9780520217041
• ISBN: 978-0-520-21704-1
• No. of pages: 368
• Dimensions: 150 mm x 230 mm x 20 mm
• Series: Studies on the History of Society and Culture; Studies on the History of Soci; Studies on the History of Society and Culture
• Subjects: Non-fiction book; Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Folklore & Mythology, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Regional Studies, Anthropology, 20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Anthropology / General, HISTORY / Africa / East, HISTORY / Africa / Central, East Africa, 19th century, c 1800 to c 1899, 20th century, c 1900 to c 1999, 18th century, c 1700 to c 1799, Folklore, myths & legends, Regional Studies, Central Africa, Regional / International studies, African History, Folklore studies / Study of myth (mythology)