One of the greatest horror stories of all time, Dracula, changed the lives of many different people, including the life of the man who wrote it. The places Bram Stoker visited and the experiences he went through can be seen in Dracula as well as in many of his other novels. His experiences led to a novel that is still widely read and has inspired the works of other authors. All this success from a man who wasn't supposed to live long. Abraham (Bram) Stoker was born prematurely on 24 November 1847 in Clontarf. He was the third of seven children had by Abraham and Charlotte Stoker. There were four brothers and two sisters in this middle-class Irish family. He was baptized Abraham but used the nickname Bram. On 3 December 1847, Stoker was baptized into the Church of Ireland, of which Abraham and Charlotte were members. Stoker would continue to attend services with his family as he grew up. Born prematurely, Stoker was a very sickly child. It was never determined what the cause of Stoker's disease was. He spent most of his time in bed because he could barely walk. Stoker wouldn't be able to walk on his own until he was seven. During this time his mother entertained him with stories. These were supernatural tales that Stoker would remember throughout his life and would later use in many of his novels. Stoker began his education at a young age under the teaching of an Anglican divine. This occurred first at his home, which was now in Dublin, and then at a private school. When Stoker fully recovered, he began attending Trinity College Dublin studying science, law and mathematics. Despite his childhood illness, Stoker excelled in athletics. He… middle of paper… experiences from his tours and the stories his mother told him as a child. Many of his writings have been published but Dracula is by far his best known story. Through Dracula, Stoker becomes a well-known author and inspires others to write similarly. Works Cited Dalby, Richard and William Hughes. Bram Stoker: A Bibliography.Great Britain: Desert Island Book Limited, 2004.Dorn, Jennifer. “The literary world of Bram Stoker”. From London to Aberdeen and everywhere in between, 2009.J,S. “Dracula”. ProQuest LLC, 1996-2009.http://lion.chadwyck.com.Merriman, “Bram Stoker” CD. Jalic Inc. March 23, 2010.http://www.online-literature.com/stoker/.Stoker, Bram. Bram Stoker's notes for Dracula. North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc., 2008. “Stoker, Bram.” Collier's Encyclopedia. vol. 21 New York: PF Collier, Inc., 1986.