The fascinating history of 19th century scientists' quest to discover the boundaries between this world and the next.
Pulitzer Prize winner Deborah Blum is a professor of science journalism at the University of Wisconsin. She worked as a newspaper science writer for 20 years, winning the Pulitzer in 1992 for her writing about primate research, which she turned into a book, The Monkey Wars (Oxford, 1994). Her other books include Sex on the Brain (Viking, 1997) and Love at Goon Park (Perseus, 2002). She has written about scientific research for The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, Discover, Health, Psychology Today, and Mother Jones. She is a past president of the National Association of Science Writers, and now serves on advisory boards to the World Federation of Science Journalists and the National Academy of Sciences.
A book as fascinating as any detective story
*Daily Mail*
Blum presents a fascinating story in a very readable but accurate
style...the climax of the book, as gripping as fiction, is an
account of the séances held after the psychic researchers
themselves had died
*Guardian*
Fascinating book...Blum can tell a good story. Compelling
material
*Time Out*
As you read this book, your eye will be drawn to the corners of the
room, to look for shadows, and to the curtains to check for
unnatural billowing. It is spooky. This is history as you want it
to be written. When I picked this one up, I would have told you I
didn't believe in ghosts. And now I'm not so sure.
*William Leith, daily Telegraph*
Deborah Blum's Ghost Hunters is a fascinating, moving and, most
importantly, paradigm-challenging account of the lives and works of
the many scientists and thinkers who championed the cause of
psychical research
*Independent on Sunday*
In both Britain and the United States from roughly the 1850s to World War I, the general public was treated to a string of sensational presentations by mediums, a few of whom appeared to be genuine. The result was a widespread fascination with reaching the afterlife through such means as s?ances and planchette boards (forerunners of the Ouija board), which set the stage for the classic Victorian confrontation between religion and the emerging power of science. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Blum (The Monkey War) examines this conflict by reviewing the history of the British Society for Psychical Research and its U.S. counterpart, the American Society for Psychical Research, both of which aimed to find scientific proof of the existence of the supernatural. The author thoroughly covers the groups' principal members and their work, including philosopher and American Psychological Association founder William James, brother of novelist Henry James. She keeps the story moving and fleshes out each character. Her clearly written presentation of the history, frauds, and personalities involved in this unique slice of Victorian life is recommended for all history of science collections.-Michael D. Cramer, Schwarz BioSciences, RTP, NC Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
A book as fascinating as any detective story * Daily Mail *
Blum presents a fascinating story in a very readable but accurate
style...the climax of the book, as gripping as fiction, is an
account of the seances held after the psychic researchers
themselves had died * Guardian *
Fascinating book...Blum can tell a good story. Compelling material
* Time Out *
As you read this book, your eye will be drawn to the corners of the
room, to look for shadows, and to the curtains to check for
unnatural billowing. It is spooky. This is history as you want it
to be written. When I picked this one up, I would have told you I
didn't believe in ghosts. And now I'm not so sure. * William Leith,
daily Telegraph *
Deborah Blum's Ghost Hunters is a fascinating, moving and,
most importantly, paradigm-challenging account of the lives and
works of the many scientists and thinkers who championed the cause
of psychical research * Independent on Sunday *
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