Occultism and Common-Sense

Description

Occultism and Common-Sense is a book by Beckles Willson, first published in 1908. Written at the height of public fascination with spiritualism, séances, and psychic phenomena, the book presents a critical and investigative look at occult beliefs through the lens of rational inquiry. Willson, a journalist and historian, approaches the subject not from a place of mockery but with a level-headed skepticism, aiming to separate verifiable phenomena from superstition and fraud. Drawing on contemporary accounts and well-known cases of the time, he explores mediums, spirit photography, mesmerism, and other popular manifestations of the occult, all while advocating for a grounded, commonsense approach to such claims. The book stands as an insightful snapshot of Edwardian society’s grappling with the unseen, offering both a historical and cultural critique of early 20th-century esoteric thought.

This book has 51,700 words, 87 pages in the PDF version, and was originally published in 1908.

Production notes: This ebook of Occultism and Common-Sense was published by Global Grey on the 10th November 2018, and updated on the 24th July 2023. The artwork used for the cover is 'All Souls' Day' by Witold Pruszkowski.