Augustyn, Michael, Vlad Dracula: The Dragon Prince, Iuniverse, 2004.

Augustyn traces the life of Vlad Dracula, fifteenth-century historical prince, fugitive, and statesman.

Finkel, Caroline, Osman's Dream: The History of the Ottoman Empire, Basic Books, 2006.

Finkel, an Ottoman scholar, traces the rich complexity of the Ottoman state over seven centuries.

Freely, John, Istanbul: The Imperial City, Penguin (Non-Classics), New Edition, 1998.

Istanbul has existed for over twenty-six centuries. This book explores this fascinating city's history from its founding to the present.

Kokker, Steve, and Kemp, Cathryn, Lonely Planet Romania and Moldova, Lonely Planet Publications, 3d Edition, 2004.

This travel guide features the castles of Dracula's homeland, views of the Carpathian mountains, sixty detailed maps, and a wealth of information for tourists on their way to Romania and Moldova.