Vamps: An Illustrated History of the Female Fatale

While I expected to be entertained when I bought Vamps, I was hardly prepared for the wallop this book packs! The author brilliantly demonstrates how some of the most seemingly disconnected moments in ancient history and pop culture are linked. What does the Malleus Maleficarum have to do with Catherine Denouve? What is the link deep within our psyches? Vamps holds up a powerful and fascinating mirror that each one of us, regardless of sex, should look into squarely at least once. Oh..and it was really entertaining!

The rare book that combines deft writing with a wealth of facts about the women we love to hate (or envy as the case may be). A great book for both movie fans and vampire lovers, this book (given to me as a hcliday gift) is one I will read and re-read for years to come for entertainment, inspiration and research for my novels. Thanks, Pam!

This book is a lot of fun. Ms. Keesey goes about chronicaling the history of the "Femme Fatale" - the fatal woman using books and stories, though her primary media is cinema. She leaves nothing unturned, either, exploring B films, cult cinema, and pornography. The book is informative, even if it doesnt go deep into many ideas. I found it like reading a special issue of a favorite magazine. The pictures are excellent, the style is funny. Ms. Keesey also clearly has a definate concept of the evolution of the Femme Fatale, portraying it as somewhat linear, and the lesbian edge, while interesting, and certainly valid, seems emphasized to the point where you wonder if non-lesbian women are even capable of being Femme Fatale's in this day and age. However, it is a fun fun read, and the pictures are great. An excellent coffee table book.