Discover the Best Books Written by Bram Stoker
Bram Stoker (November 8, 1847 – April 20, 1912) was an Irish writer. Notable for his gothic horror and suspenseful stories, Stoker found little commercial success as a writer during his lifetime. It was only after the proliferation of Dracula films that he became well-known and regarded. Abraham (Bram) Stoker was born in Clontarf, Ireland, on November 8, 1847, to Charlotte and Abraham Stoker.
Abraham Sr. worked as a civil servant to support the family. Born at the height of the Irish Potato Famine, little Abraham was a sick child who spent much of his youth in bed. Charlotte was a storyteller and writer herself, so she told the young Abraham many legends and fairytales to keep him occupied.
In 1864, Bram went to Trinity College Dublin and flourished. He joined the prestigious debating team and history club. Overcoming his youthful physical ailments, Stoker became a well-regarded athlete and endurance walker at school. While there, he discovered the work of Walt Whitman and fell in love with the naturalist’s poetry.
He mailed an ardent fan letter to Whitman, which started a fertile correspondence and friendship. After graduating from Trinity in 1871 with a degree in science, Stoker began working as a literary and dramatic critic and taking up a post as Registrar of Petty Sessions Clerks in Dublin Castle. He worked and wrote reviews; despite his busy schedule, he also returned to Trinity for a master’s degree in math. While writing reviews (often unpaid), Bram wrote sensationalized fiction. In 1875, three of his stories were printed in The Shamrock paper.