The History of Spiritualism, Vol. I by Arthur Conan Doyle

Description

The History of Spiritualism, Vol. I is a book by Arthur Conan Doyle, first published in 1926. In this opening volume of his two-volume treatment, Doyle traces the development of spiritualism from early visionary figures through the nineteenth-century surge in mediumship and séance culture, offering a narrative history that interweaves biographical sketches, contemporary cases, and debates from psychical research. The book speaks directly to readers interested in the history of spiritualism, mediumship, life after death, and the cultural impact of belief in spirit communication, and is written from Doyle’s perspective as both a public advocate and investigator of psychic phenomena. Written with Doyle’s characteristic rhetorical energy, the volume mixes reverent reportage and polemic: it catalogs influential figures (from Swedenborg to modern mediums), evaluates notable séances and investigations, and defends spiritualism against skeptical counterclaims while also arguing for its importance to grief, consolation, and religious thought. As a work by a literary figure better known for Sherlock Holmes, the book helped popularise discussions about the afterlife and psychical research in the early twentieth century, and remains a touchstone for anyone researching historical spiritualism, mediumship controversies, and the intersection of science and religion.

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