As the semester starts again and the season gradually changes into fall, students might begin asking themselves how they want to spruce up their autumn reading list. Perhaps you’ve been trying to get into classics, but you’re not entirely sure how. Well, thankfully, now there’s an easy starting point, which comes directly to your email.

“Dracula Daily” is a newsletter that sends subscribers bite-sized segments of the Dracula story, but it does it in chronological order. From May 3 to Nov. 10, subscribers get an email that corresponds to the Dracula excerpt. This, of course, is not the order in which the story was intended to be read. Breaking up the story this way adds new tension and interpretations of a story that has existed for over a century.

Dracula by Bram Stoker was initially published in 1897. Of course, the character has been popular for years thanks to many adaptations, re-imaginings, and retellings – but the book itself has now risen in popularity again in some social media circles because of this free online newsletter, which sends users whatever “letter,” “journal entry” or “news article” that corresponds to the day via email. Because of this, many people who have never been able to read/understand Dracula before now have an opportunity to read it in “real-time,” with several other people they can talk to about it and make memes with. This widespread online “book club” is one example of how digital rhetoric works to make old texts relevant again, especially to new audiences.

And new audiences love it! The reactions of those following along on social media capture something so special, for example, the real-time implications based on when the emails were sent:

Or just the sheer awe that tens of thousands of people are experiencing this all together, like the newsletter’s originator, Matt Kirkland:

Those reading along get to be in on new jokes while getting familiar with a piece of classic literature – it is really the best of both worlds! And the posts that spawn from it are truly great.

It’s not too late to catch up or just join in on the fun. To do so, visit the Dracula Daily Substack site to subscribe and catch up on past emails.