I skimmed through most of it. It's not bad, but I just couldn't seem to get a firm handle on it. It's not as much about Spiritualism, but more about the author's impressions of the town, the people, and how they internalize their beliefs. She's not trying to prove or disprove the phenomenon, but to examine it. In the end, she is able to release certain psychic abilities within herself. Many of the mediums had told her that they were not doing anything that was particularly special- All humans have some level of ability.
It's more about the larger issue of 'Faith', rather than whether or not 'Spiritualism' is a scientific reality.
"You only need to see one white crow to believe that all crows are not black" (If anyone can prove that one ghost/ visitation is true, then they all are possible)
Paraphrase William James-
"Each single event taken on its' own is easy to dismiss, yet because these events occur in every culture and every historical period, it is impossible to ignore. Example- One twig is easily broken, yet bundled together, they become impossible to break.
You must be a medium to own a house in the city of Lily Lake.
The town is in far western New York state and nearly on the shore of Lake Erie- closer to Cleveland than NYC.
For some reason the female mediums seem to be heavier than most people. A wag noted that the signs on the houses should be changed from 'medium' to 'large'.
The book is organized around a half dozen people who have connections to the town and the phenomenon of Spiritualism.
Harry Houdini was a big disbeliever. He would visit the town in disguise and publicly 'out' the crooked mediums. However, when his mother died, he desperately believed so that he could continue his relationship with her.
From Amazon Books, Publishers Weekly
"Since it's become nearly extinguished, the American Spiritualism movement seems more ripe for sociological study and amused incredulity than a topic for deep reflection or journalistic memoir. But Wicker, a Dallas Morning News religion reporter, resists her own skepticism just as Lily Dale's citizens resist letting the movement die. The result is a portrait not just of an upstate New York town built 122 years ago on old-fashioned spirituality, but also of the mediums who practice there, their clients, and Wicker herself, who lets details of her own spiritual beliefs lightly shade her travels to Lily Dale. Although the book details the town's story, Wicker uses its history merely as a framework to explore more slippery topics, e.g., the nature of faith, the value of belief and the need for solace. She explores these areas through the stories of those who visit Lily Dale annually, craving a few insightful words about deceased family members or hoping for a premonition about romances, careers or children. Some of the tales are sad ones, but Wicker's jaunty pacing and humor keep the work from growing too dark and leave the reader with a feeling of tenderness, rather than pity, toward her subjects. She also weaves in stories of trickery, giving the tales of otherworldliness a nicely earthbound counterpoint. By the end, Wicker feels subtly changed, and she offers no answers as to why that might be or how long it may last. This lack of resolution is refreshing, however, and wonderfully fitting for a book about the mystery of faith."
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