Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (peril, spiritualism, description of causes of death, some violent)
BUYING ADVISORY: HS, ADULT - ADVISABLE
APPEALS TO: SOME
19th Century New York: Even as children, Kate and Maggie Fox knew they could communicate with spirits who answered their questions with raps (for yes) and silence (for no). The first was a murdered peddler who was supposedly buried beneath the floor in the cellar of their home. Before long Kate and Maggie, and their sister Leah, who organized their appearances, became the most famous, and maybe the first mediums, holding seances and helping people contact their dead family members - for a price. But along with fame comes detractors, trying to prove they are fakes, and even angry mobs. Are they some sort of witches, frauds, what kind of tricks are they playing? But with so many dead in the civil war, grieving families want to connect and are willing to suspend their disbelief.
A fascinating examination of the Fox sisters and their part in the rise of Spiritualism in America. Well written with lots of captioned photographs, many of the sisters, but plenty of others to build context of the time period. Includes extensive source notes, a bibliography, and index. If you have readers into this sort of thing, this is a must-have. Would be nicely paired with Spirit Sleuths by Gail Jarrow.
The Fox sisters are white.
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