The History of Spiritualism

This two-volume history was published in 1926 by the creator of Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930), who, like many of his contemporaries, was fascinated by spiritualism. Volume 2 focuses on celebrated mediums from 1870 to World War I, and topics including 'ectoplasm' and 'spirit photography'.

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The Scottish writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930) is best known for his creation of the character Sherlock Holmes. Trained as a medical doctor, Doyle - like many Victorian intellectuals - became fascinated by spiritualism and its promise of communication with the afterlife. Doyle was a firm believer in the movement, claiming as evidence 'sign[s] of a purposeful and organized invasion' from the spirit world. In 1926, towards the end of his life, he published this influential two-volume history. Volume 2 focuses on celebrated mediums from 1870 to World War I and explores topics such as 'ectoplasm', 'spirit photography' and 'voice mediumship'. Doyle also discusses spiritualism as practised in Europe and the religious aspects of the movement. The History provides valuable insights into Victorian and early twentieth-century culture and the enthusiasm and controversies generated by spiritualism at that time.