When We Spoke to the Dead: How Ghosts Gave American Women Their Voice by Ilise S. Carter is a spirited deep dive into the macabre movement of Spiritualism and its feminist origins.
In a time when America deprived women of rights and a voice, the thinning veil between the living and the dead provided them the ability to be heard by their peers. Suddenly, the power to speak with the dead allowed women to command parlors and influence presidential elections they couldn’t vote in. Victorian-era women were reborn into powerful social figures, feared and revered by those paying for a seat at their séances.
Carter’s exploration of Spiritualism is an intriguing and in-depth account of the historical beats that fueled the movement.
The book transports readers into rooms heavy with incense, into curiosity shops bursting with macabre souvenirs, and haunted houses with more secrets than spirits. Whether you’re interested in the darker corners of history or looking to delve further into Spiritualism, this historical account is an accurate and engaging entry. You will learn a great deal about how spiritualists inserted themselves into a booming job market and gossip-hungry society at a time when death was all the rage. Additionally, the book delves into occupational hazards and enemies that rose against those who claimed to converse with the dead.
If you enjoy gothic horror or historical fiction, these real-life accounts will shed light on history’s fascination with the dead. The quirky and unsettling trends of people possessed by a fascination with spirits are on full display here.
That said, do not expect women to be at the forefront of this text.
The eye-catching title suggests a deep dive into the women who led the movement. As well as how women used Spiritualism to give themselves the illusion of rights afforded to men. It’s a fantastic concept that this book does not really bother with. The historical accounts gloss over the women who led this movement, never delving into the political or societal implications of their work. “How Ghosts Gave American Women Their Voice” is never properly acknowledged, suggesting this text is no different than any other book on Spiritualism.
In addition to the lack of discussion around why women played an important part in the movement, the perspective is divided. The author writes about her own experiences with Spiritualism throughout this book. Carter often goes off topic, discussing a moment in their life that feels out of place in the larger discussion. At times, this book presents more as a biography for the author than a meditation on the topic it promises.
That said, When We Spoke to the Dead is an informative and interesting source on Spiritualism. Despite the unfortunate illusions it casts, the title is a great jumping-off point. It urges the reader to look elsewhere for in-depth accounts of the women discussed in its pages.
It’s by no means a definitive voice on the subject of ghosts and those who claimed to speak with them. But like a parlor trick, this exploration makes for light entertainment.
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