Exhumed

Unearthing the History of the American Vampire

By: Aaron Mahnke

Narrated by: Aaron Mahnke

An engrossing and macabre exploration of the folklore and early medical practices that led to the New England Vampire Panic in the 1890s, from critically acclaimed podcaster and bestselling author Aaron Mahnke.

What would drive a man to exhume the body of his daughter and remove her heart? That question has haunted Aaron Mahnke, creator and host of the award-winning podcast Lore. Fueled by a decade of research, Mahnke excavates the past to understand the hysteria that fueled the ghastly exhumation of Mercy Brown in 1892, who like her mother and sister before her, succumbed to “consumption” at the age of 19.

With Exhumed, Mahnke presents a unique history of the intersection of folklore and science, and how pop culture and both genuine medical advancements and pseudoscience of the time shaped the perspectives of people in 19th century America. From the death of George Washington to Mary Shelley writing Frankenstein, Mahnke leads reads on a fascinating journey through history, touching on methods of mummification, the multifaceted role of executioners, medicine made from corpses, European folklore that traveled across the Atlantic, and so much more. He reveals that as shocking as Brown’s exhumation might seem, it also reflected surprisingly common attitudes and beliefs about the relationship between the dead and the living, the nature of science and magic, and the fate of a human soul. It all builds to a revelatory understanding of human behavior that continues to this very day.

Possessing an irreverent view of science, history, and the human condition, Exhumed is perfect for fans of Mary Roach’s Stiff, as well as readers of forgotten American histories like Brad Meltzer’s New York Times bestselling The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington.

very interesting listen

lore was my very first podcast and it sucked me in so if you enjoy lore this book is lore premium lol. seriously amazing read/listen. usually I stretch an audiobook out a month but this one I caught myself listening to constantly and finished it fairly quickly.

Great work

Interesting read. Be prepared to learn and stay engaged because you don’t want to miss any detail.

Exceptionally well done! Everything you’d come to expect from the folklore master!

The book has a beautiful way of weaving history, folklore, and superstition into a glorious and thought provoking masterpiece!

the perfect historical narrative of macabre and medicine

I cannot explain enough how great this book is. I've listened to all of Aaron Manke's podcasts so I knew going in it was going to be good, but I wasn't expecting to devour it in half a day. I couldn't stop listening. it's perfect for any macabre history enthusiast!!!

One of the best books I’ve read this year

To any fan of lore this audiobook will be a goldmine and a welcome read. Arron goes through so many chapters of history and so many bizarre stories. All of them are amazing and dark and I cannot recommend this book enough.