THE HISTORY OF SPIRITUALISM - VOL. 2 by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle / 1926 / 342 pages. 

Few books are more important in the annals of psychic literature than Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s brilliant and ever-readable "The History of Spiritualism". In this, the second volume, Sir Arthur begins by featuring Neapolitan-born medium Eusapia Palladino, who at times could be "impetuous and wayward." But in her presence, various manifestations occurred, including "the movement of objects without contact’ the levitation of a table and other objects, the levitation of the medium, the appearance of materialized hands and faces, lights and playing of musical instruments without human contact." Another superb medium who comes under Sir Arthur’s eagle eye is William Eglington. Born in Islington, North London, after a brief period at School young William entered the printing and publishing business. The "dreamy and sensitive" boy at first showed no indication of possessing psychic faculties. However, when aged 17, William entered the family circle…..and at his first visit "the table rose steadily from the floor until the sitters had to stand to keep their hands on it." The next night William became spontaneously entranced, "and evidential communications from his dead mother were received." Sir Arthur - the creator of Sherlock Holmes - tells of one thrilling séance where "a form materialized and passed around the room shaking hands." A sitter testified that the figure "was that of a man taller by several inches and older than the medium. He was appareled in a white, flowing robe, and was full of life and animation, and at one time was fully 10 feet away from the medium." No investigation of Spiritualist history would be complete without mentioning the Rev W. Stainton Moses. In his presence, "heavy tables rose in the air, books and letters were brought from one room into another." Through the cleric’s automatic writing came some of the finest-ever spirit teachings. Sir Arthur also thoroughly documents the foundation of the Society for Psychical Research before turning to other subjects such as ectoplasm, sprit photography and voice mediumship.