Spirits, Seers & Seances

Séances, paranormal investigations, fortune telling, and other spiritualist practices helped define the Victorian era—and they continue to shape our world today. In the time of Jack the Ripper, A Christmas Carol, Dracula, and Edgar Allan Poe, spiritualism and the supernatural were cultural touchpoints. This book reveals how they've left such a profound impact on both the past and present.

Steele Alexandra Douris reveals the history of automatic writing, cartomancy, hypnotism, clairvoyance, and more. You will learn how Victorian belief in ghosts, fairies, and nature spirits shaped our celebrations for All Hallows' Eve and Christmas. With historic examples and hands-on exercises, Spirits, Seers, and Seances helps you connect to the ideas and values of the 19th-century spiritualist and mediumship movement in the United Kingdom and United States.