THE HISTORY OF SPIRITUALISM - VOL. 1 by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle / 1926 / 342 pages. 

Mention the name of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and most people immediately think of Sherlock Holmes and the exciting mysteries he solved. Even today, decades after the stories were written, they still enjoy worldwide popularity. Sir Arthur possessed a brilliant deductive mind, one that was razor sharp with insight. It was these same qualities Sir Arthur used in probing Spiritualism and mediumship. And after a thorough investigation he publicly proclaimed himself a Spiritualist time after time. "The History of Spiritualism" is a truly astonishing book, as fresh now as when it was first written. Doyle begins by featuring visionary Emanuel Swedenborg, telling, for example, how the seer observed and reported on a fire in Stockholm 300 miles away with perfect accuracy, even though "he was attending a dinner party with 16 guests, who made valuable witnesses." Amongst others Sir Arthur features is Andrew Jackson Davis, the American clairvoyant who whilst in trance spoke Hebrew, a language that as an "ignorant young man", he simply did not know. Moreover Sir Arthur documents the advent of modern Spiritualism from its beginnings in America to its dawning in Britain. Mediums he highlights include D.D. Home, who demonstrated his superb psychic gifts to European and Russian Royalty. Sir Arthur tells how home, "a poor man and an invalid," rejected the then princely sum of $4,000 for a single séance. "I have been sent on a mission," said Home. "I have never taken money for it, and I never will." Of course, no investigation of Spiritualism would be complete without mentioning scientific pioneers like Sir William Crookes. Sir Arthur describes the thrilling materialization séances Sir William attended with Florence Cook. In short, "The History of Spiritualism" is a classic, an easy to read, packed with detail volume that Sherlock Holmes would undoubtedly have read - had he been a real person.