The History of Spiritualism, Vol. II

"The History of Spiritualism, Vol. II" is a book by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, most famous for stories about the brilliant detective Sherlock Holmes. Doyle had a wide sphere of interests, including spiritual phenomena and life after death. This book is a detailed account of how spiritualism developed historically until the beginning of the 20th century.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930) was a prolific British author most renowned for his creation of the iconic detective, Sherlock Holmes. His literary work transcends the genre of detective fiction, extending into historical novels, science fiction, plays, poetry, and non-fiction. Conan Doyle was a man of boundless curiosity and interests, which led him to explore spiritualism later in his life, culminating in works such as 'The History of Spiritualism, Vol. II' (1926). Conan Doyle, educated as a physician at the University of Edinburgh, infused his writing with meticulous detail and an inductive approach characteristic of his medical training. Although Holmes is his most enduring legacy, Conan Doyle's foray into spiritualism demonstrates a deep engagement with the metaphysical questions of his time. His literary style, a blend of fast-paced narrative, intricate plots, and vivid characterizations, helped shape the standards of detective fiction and suspense writing. Doctrinaire yet passionate about his belief in the afterlife, his spiritualist writings sought to apply the same empirical rigor he employed in his detective fiction to personal experiences and research on the supernatural. These works offer a fascinating glimpse into the intellectual profile of a writer who was constantly evolving and remain a significant part of his broader literary heritage.