Enemies in the Empire: civilian internment in the British Empire during the First World War

Abstract

debates about truth and fiction as false seances began to occur, in which mediums performed fake apparitions, claiming to communicate with real spirits. The author lists other renowned names from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries such as Mesmer and his experiments, Allan Kardec ‘the codifier’ of Spiritism, and the Spiritualist medium Madame Blavatsky. They indicated what the nineteenth century would characterize as the modern seances: meetings of mediums around tables for communicating with spirits. Morton dedicates herself in great detail to the phenomenon of the Fox sisters in the United States, demonstrating their methodical structuring of the communication. In addition, William Crookes and his debate on sensitive people and telepathy, the emergence of societies for the study of spiritualist phenomena and Houdini’s illusions were events that, according to the author, prove the intellectual effort towards the debate concerning the communication with spirits. Finally, Morton points out the continuity of seances in the twentieth century on the grounds of charlatanism, Ouija boards and experiments with ectoplasm. She also tells us about the contemporary application of the topic, for instance the medical reports about life after death, mediums who work with the police to solve cases, and the experiments with paranormal activities and telepathy. Moreover, the reader will notice the fluidity of people’s mentalities, religions and practices through time, but the consensus between sceptics and believers remains the same: humans possess an innate desire to believe that, somehow, life continues after death. Whether by searching for answers beyond the materialistic philosophies or by seeking for some comfort to deal with the loss of beloved ones, humanity has always sought some kind of explanation. This book is a good first contact for readers who have never read about the topic. It is aimed at the general public and, for this reason, the linear historical periodization allows neophytes to realize the intention of mapping the phenomenon throughout the history of humanity. The accessible language enables a fluid reading and, most importantly, makes the book enjoyable. The author does not quote from historical documentation directly; however, the book explores a large bibliography, being a helpful resource for those interested in pursuing the subject further. Despite her focus on exploring the phenomena in Englishspeaking countries, with occasional mentioning of seances in other countries, the author’s inventory of personalities from the field of communication with spirits offers a wide range of research possibilities for readers.