Classic Author: Bram Stoker
© Susan Jensen
Abraham "Bram" Stoker was born on November 8, 1847, near Dublin. He was the third of seven children. According to R.L. Fisher, an unknown illness kept Bram virtually bedridden until he was 7 years old.
When he was 16, Bram entered Trinity College, where he studied science, law and mathematics. He also served as president of the Philosophical Society and auditor of the Historical Society. Despite his early illness, he was anything but fragile; Bram was named University Athlete for his skill in soccer and marathon walking. He graduated with honors in 1870.
Bram dreamed of becoming a writer, but his father wanted him to do something more practical. So, he began working as a civil servant at Dublin Castle. He started as a petty clerk and was later promoted to inspector of petty sessions. During the decade that he performed these duties, Bram wrote a book of rules, Duties of Clerks of Petty Sessions in Ireland, which was not published until 1879. On the side, Bram acted as the drama critic for The Evening Mail.
Bram's interest in the theater drew him to British actor Henry Irving, who became his lifelong friend. Irving asked Bram to help him manage the Lyceum Theatre in London. Bram accepted the offer. In 1878, he married Oscar Wilde's former sweetheart, Florence Balcombe, and moved to London. As the business manager of the theater, Bram had many duties: managing the staff, handling tour arrangements, taking care of correspondence, and keeping the books. His position also allowed him to meet many of the important people of the day, such as Mark Twain, George Eliot, Walt Whitman, and four U.S. presidents. Shortly after his marriage and the move to England, Bram became a father. Florence bore a boy, Noel, the couple's only child.
Despite all of his challenges at work, Bram found time to write. He published a number of sensational stories and books. His first story, "The Crystal Cup," was published by The London Society in 1872. Three years later, another story, "The Chain of Destiny" appeared in The Shamrock. His first book, Under the Sunset (1882), contained eight haunting fairy tales for children. The Snake's Pass, his first full-length novel, was published in 1890. It was also that year that Bram began working on Dracula (1897), which would become his masterpiece. The writer's other books include: The Jewel of Seven Stars (1903), Lair of the White Worm and Personal Reminiscences of Henry Irving (1906).
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